Firs records of Neosilba spp. (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil
Nativa, Sinop, v. 11, n. 1, p. 71-74, 2023.
72
Amapá, Acre, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins, in a
total of 13 species of the genus Neosilba (PEREIRA;
ADAIME, 2022). The species Neosilba glaberrima
(Wiedemann, 1830) and Neosilba zadolicha McAlpine &
Steyskal, 1982 are the ones with the widest geographic
distribution in the Amazon forest and the greatest range of
host plants (STRIKIS et al., 2011; PEREIRA; ADAIME,
2022). VIEIRA et al. (2019) reported that the fly/host plant
ratio is of great value for studies of the behavior and
distribution of frugivorous flies. Thus, the objective of this
work was to carry out the first records of species of Neosilba
(Diptera: Lonchaeidae) in the state of Mato Grosso.
2. MATERIAL AND METHODS
The work was conducted from July 2016 to October
2019, in the municipalities of Guarantã do Norte, Lucas do
Rio Verde, Nossa Senhora do Livramento, Nova Guarita,
Sinop and Terra Nova do Norte. To obtain the insects, the
fruits were collected in all municipalities, according to the
availability of going to the field. The collection of fruits
allows to assess the level of infestation and accurately
identify the association with the host, as well as the
abundance and diversity of natural enemies (BATISTA et
al., 2019). The fruits were stored in Kraft paper bags,
transported to the Entomology Laboratory of the Federal
University of Mato Grosso, Campus Sinop. Afterwards, the
fruits were transferred to perforated plastic containers,
containing a thin layer of expanded vermiculite (2 to 4 cm),
to accommodate the pupae, and protected with
microscreens that allowed air circulation.
After emergence (maximum 8 hours), containers
containing adults were placed in the freezer for five
minutes, in order to reduce the insect movement and the
facilitate capture. The specimens were removed with the
help of tweezers and stored in microtubes, with a 70%
alcohol solution, properly labeled and sent for identification
(SILVA et al., 2019).
3. RESULTS
A total of 163 specimens of Lonchaeidae belonging to
four species were obtained [Neosilba glaberrima (Wiedemann,
1830), Neosilba inesperata Strikis & Prado, 2009, Neosilba
pendula (Bezzi, 1919) and Neosilba zadolicha McAlpine &
Steyskal, 1982] (Table 1). All four of these species are
reported for the first time in the state of Mato Grosso. In
turn, N. inesperata is reported for the first time in the
Brazilian Amazon, being associated with four plant species
(Averrhoa carambola L., Eugenia uniflora L., Eugenia pyriformis
Cambess and Malpighia emarginata DC.) (Table 1). This
species was considered polyphagous in the state of São
Paulo, infesting 20 plant species (RAGA et al., 2015),
including those recorded in this work.
Infestation by Lonchaeidae was recorded in fruits of 16
plant species from nine botanical families. Myrtaceae and
Annonaceae had the highest number of host species, four
and three, respectively (Table 1).
Considering that among the species of Neosilba recorded
in this work there are species considered pests (N. glaberrima
and N. zadolicha), infesting plant species of economic
importance such as P. guajava, it is recommended that
denser surveys be carried out in the state of Mato Grosso.
4. DISCUSSION
Neosilba glaberrima was associated with fruits of 10 plant
species, five of which were new associations for the
Brazilian Amazon: Annona montana Macfad, Ficus carica L.,
Inga laurina (Sw.) Willd., Psidium cattleianum Afzel. ex Sabine
and Spondias purpurea L. (Table 1). Neosilba zadolicha was
found in fruits of Psidium guajava L., in Sinop, and in
Cascabela thevetia (L.) Lippold, in Nova Guarita. The
occurrence of N. zadolicha in C. thevetia constitutes a new
association for the Brazilian Amazon. This species has a
wide geographic distribution and range of host plants in
Brazil and is considered a pest of fruits cultivated in the
Northeast and Southeast regions (RAGA et al., 2015;
VIEIRA et al., 2019) and in the North region of the country
(CASTILHO et al., 2017, 2019; PEREIRA et al., 2016).
Neosilba pendula was obtained from fruits of E. uniflora
and M. emarginata, and its occurrence in E. uniflora is
unprecedented for the region. Gisloti (2014) registered the
association of this species in registered the association of
this species in P. cattleianum and P. guajava, unlike the results
obtained in this work, and Gisloti et al. (2017) also
registered the association of this species with 15 host plants,
with the exception of E. uniflora, which did not present itself
as a host plant for this species of lonqueid. Therefore,
studying species of Lonchaeidae and their host plants allows
knowing possible survival strategies adopted by these
insects and their diversity (ALMEIDA, 2016).
5. CONCLUSIONS
Considering that among the species of Neosilba recorded
in this work there are species considered pests (N. glaberrima
and N. zadolicha), infesting plant species of economic
importance such as P. guajava, it is recommended that
denser surveys be carried out in the state of Mato Grosso.
6. REFERERENCES
ALMEIDA, R. R.; CRUZ, K. R.; SOUSA, M. S. M.;
COSTA NETO, S. V.; JESUS BARROS, C. R.; LIMA,
A. L.; ADAIME, R. Frugivorous Flies (Diptera:
Tephritidae, Lonchaeidae) Associated with Fruit
Production on Ilha de Santana, Brazilian Amazon.
Florida Entomologist, v. 99, p. 426-436, 2016.
https://doi.org/10.1653/024.099.0313
ALMEIDA, M. de; BRASIL, L.; COELHO, J. B.; UCHOA,
M. A.; GISLOTI, L. J. Diversity of fruit flies (Diptera:
Tephritoidea) and their host plants in a conservation
unit from midwestern Brazil. Florida Entomologist, v.
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https://doi.org/10.1653/024.102.0333
ADAIME, R.; SOUSA, M. S. M.; JESUS-BARROS, C. R.;
DEUS, E. G.; PEREIRA, J. F.; STRIKIS, P. C.;
SOUZA-FILHO, M. F. Frugivorous flies (Diptera:
Tephritidae, Lonchaeidae), their host plants, and
associated parasitoids in the extreme north of Amapá
State, Brazil. Florida Entomologist, v. 100, p. 316-324,
2017. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.100.0229
BATISTA, N. S.; SANTOS, J. M.; SANTOS, J. R. T.;
BROGLIO, S. M. F. Moscas-frugívoras (Diptera:
Tephritidae e Lonchaeidae) no Vale do Mundaú no
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