Coleopterans associated with plants that form phytotelmata in subtropical and temperate Argentina, South America
1 Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet," Universidad Nacional de La Plata - CONICET, CC 712 (1900) La
Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)
Abstract
A list of the most common plants that form phytotelmata and their associated coleopterans (aquatic, semi-aquatic and terrestrial) from the northeastern subtropical and temperate area of Argentina, South America with biological and behavioral observations is presented in this study. Species of Poaceae (n = 3), Bromeliaceae (5), Apiaceae (6), Araceae (2), Urticaceae (1), Marantaceae (1), Arecaceae (1), Dipsacaceae (1) and Cyperaceae (1) were identified as phytotelmata. Aquatic species of Scirtidae (2), Dytiscidae (2), and Hydrophilidae (4), semi-aquatic Chelonariidae (2), and terrestrial species of Carabidae (3), Staphylinidae (5), Histeridae (1), Elateridae (1), Cantharidae (1), Cleridae (1), Tenebrionidae (1), Meloidae (1), Anthicidae (1), Chrysomelidae (3), Curculionidae (7) and Apionidae (1) were identified from six species of Eryngium L. (Apiales: Apiaceae), two species of Guadua Kunth (Poales: Poaceae), Aechmea distichantha Lemaire (Poales: Bromeliaceae), and from fallen leaves of Euterpe edulis Martius (Arecales: Arecaceae) from the temperate and subtropical area. The highest species richness was recorded in Eryngium phytotelmata. Fifteen species of beetles inhabit Eryngium cabrerae Pontiroli, 11 in E. horridum Malme, 7 in E. stenophyllum Urban, 4 in E. aff. serra Chamisso and Schlechtendal., 3 in E. elegans Chamisso and Schlechtendal, 2 in E. eburneum Decne and E. pandanifolium Chamisso and Schlechtendal. From bamboo, 6 species of coleopterans were collected from Guadua trinii (Nees) Nees ex Ruprecht and 4 from G. chacoensis (Rojas) Londoño and Peterson. Three species of aquatic coleopterans were recorded from A. distichantha and only one from E. edulis.
Keywords: Aquatic beetle, Aechmea distichantha, biodiversity, Eryngium species, Guadua species
Correspondence:
a* rcampos@ilpla.edu.ar,
b liliafer@museo.fcnym.unlp.edu.ar, *Corresponding author
Received: 25 August 2010 | Accepted: 15 December 2010 | Published: 7 November 2011
Copyright: This is an open access paper. We use the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license that permits unrestricted use, provided that the paper is properly attributed.
ISSN: 1536-2442 | Volume 11, Number 147
Campos RE, Fernández LA. 2011. Coleopterans associated with plants that form phytotelmata in subtropical and temperate Argentina, South America. Journal of Insect Science 11:147 available online: insectscience.org/11.147
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