PARENT SESSION
Poster Session 34: Herbivory
Thursday, August 11, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Exhibit Hall 220 A-E, Level 2, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Some insect galls of dry tropical forest of northeast of Brazil.
Almeida-Cortez, Jarcilene*,1, Ansseau, Colette2, 1 Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil2 Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
ABSTRACT- Abstract galls are tumorous structures induced by an increased number and/or volume of plant tissues or cells, caused by bacteria, virus, fungus, nematode, and mainly insects. From an ecological point of view, galls are adaptations of some taxa of insect developed under selective pressures caused by both biotic and abiotic factors. Galls were induced on several organs plant species of families. For the first time, we describe the insect galls found in Buique, Pernambuco, in northeastern Brazil, and provide some information on the external morphology of galls, their occurrence on host organs, and plant species affected. The studied area is located in a semi-arid region in northeast. Gall external morphology was highly variable, but the most common shape was elliptical, of single occurrence and glabrous and occurred singly. Most insect galls (%) are caused. We found 55 morphologically different morphospecies of gall-forming insect. The most frequent were Cecidomyiidae (Diptera). In most cases only one chamber was found within each gall. Insect galls were found on 38 host plant species. Stems and leaves were the most frequent host organ galled. These results corroborate the general patterns found in Brazil and elsewhere in the world.
Key words: insect galls, insect-plant interact, Caatinga,, semi-arid region