Composição da riqueza de lepidoptera (Papilionoidea e Hesperioidea) de quatro localidades do Semiárido Nordestino: contribuições do Programa de Pesquisa em Biodiversidade.

Abstract

Composition and richness of Lepidoptera (Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea) of four locations of the northwest Semiarid: contributions of the Biodiversity Reserch Program. Northeastern semiarid is a priority for biodiversity conservation where studies on butterflies are scarce. The present work had the objective of verifying the composition and richness of Lepidoptera (Papilionoidea/Hesperioidea) from 2013 to 2015, in Northeastern semiarid in the states of Bahia (Abaíra/Andaraí/Lençóis/Mucugê/Itaeté), Ceará (Quixadá) and Rio Grande do Norte (Apodi/Portalegre), considered with knowledge gaps or areas of potential diversity by the PPBio (Biodiversity Research Program). To capture the butterflies, entomological nets were used (from 8 am to 5 pm) and traps with attractive baits for frugivorous butterflies (7 to 72 hours / local). With 141 hours / net and 372horas / traps were registered 222 species of butterflies belonging to the six families, of which Hesperiidae showed the highest richness with 79 species, followed by Nymphalidae: 77 species, Lycaenidae: 28 species, Riodinidae: 20 species, Pieridae: 13 species and Papilionidae with 5 species. A total 26 species frugivores were recorded. There were 41 new records in the semiarid, previously cited for other phytophysiognomic domains. Bahia with 44 new occurrences, including a new genus and species in description, 31 new records endemic subspecies of Caatinga. We discuss the extensions of occurrence and the results presented in this study emphasize the important role of rapid surveys in detecting biological diversity. This is the second largest list of species for the semiarid region, when comparing the results of this study with the records available in the literature. Keywords: Butterflies; Caatinga; New Records; Northeastern; Rapid Surveys