Interacções ameaçadas exclusivas de um 'hotspot' de biodiversidade

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A pictorial key for identification of the hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of the Madeira Archipelago

Publication . Rego, Carla; Smit, John T.; Aguiar, António F.; Cravo, Délia; Penado, Andreia; Boieiro, Mário

BACKGROUND: Syrphid flies are important ecological indicators and provide crucial ecosystem services, being important pollinators and biological control agents of insect pests. These charismatic insects are conspicuous and, due to their size and colourful patterns, are relatively easy to identify. However, the lack of user-friendly literature (e.g. photographic guides) for most areas may hamper its wider selection as a study group in biodiversity and ecological studies. The syrphid fauna of Madeira Archipelago comprises 26 species, including four endemics (Eumerus hispidus Smit, Aguiar & Wakeham-Dawson, 2004; Melanostoma wollastoni Wakeham-Dawson, Aguiar, Smit, McCullough & Wyatt, 2004; Myathropa usta, Wollaston, 1858 and Xanthandrus babyssa, Walker, 1849), but, despite the current good taxonomic knowledge on this group, information on species distribution, ecology and conservation is still lacking. Here, we provide a pictorial key to the adult hoverflies of Madeira Archipelago highlighting diagnostic characteristics and present photographs of both males and females (in dorsal and lateral views) in colour plates. The key and plates will help researchers to differentiate these species, thus encouraging the use of this insect group in future bioindication studies. In addition, this study also aims to engage a broader audience of non-experts in improving the knowledge on the distribution and ecology of Madeira syrphids. NEW INFORMATION: We provide a checklist for the hoverflies of Madeira Archipelago and a pictorial key to help on species identification.

2022-03Journal article

Open access

The fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) of the Madeira archipelago with the description of a new Oedosphenella Frey

Publication . Penado, Andreia; Smit, John T.; Aguiar, António F.; Cravo, Délia; Rego, Carla; Santos, Renata; Boieiro, Mário

A checklist of the tephritid fauna (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Madeira archipelago is presented, including 17 known species and new distribution records for Porto Santo and Desertas Islands. An identification key to Madeira Tephritidae species with detailed illustrations is also provided. A new species of Oedosphenella Frey 1936, discovered in Madeira Island in 2004, is described as Oedosphenella bob sp. n. This genus is redefined and a key to the known species is provided. Comparative morphological analysis revealed that Bevismyia basuto Munro 1957 from Malawi should be included in the genus Oedosphenella. Therefore, we consider the genus name Oedosphenella Frey 1936 to be a senior synonym of Bevismyia Munro 1957 syn.n.

2020-07Journal article

Restricted access

Drivers of Insect Community Change along the Margins of Mountain Streams in Serra da Estrela Natural Park (Portugal)

Publication . Ceia-Hasse, Ana; Boieiro, Mário; Soares, Albano; Antunes, Sandra; Figueiredo, Hugo; Rego, Carla; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Conde, José; Serrano, Artur R. M.

Mountain ecosystems are important biodiversity hotspots and valuable natural laboratories to study community assembly processes. Here, we analyze the diversity patterns of butterflies and odonates in a mountainous area of high conservation value—Serra da Estrela Natural Park (Portugal)—and we assess the drivers of community change for each of the two insect groups. The butterflies and odonates were sampled along 150 m transects near the margins of three mountain streams, at three elevation levels (500, 1000, and 1500 m). We found no significant differences in odonate species richness between elevations, but marginal differences (p = 0.058) were found for butterflies due to the lower number of species at high altitudes. Both insect groups showed significant differences in beta diversity (βtotal) between elevations, with species richness differences being the most important component for odonates (βrich = 55.2%), while species replacement drove the changes between butterfly assemblages (βrepl = 60.3%). Climatic factors, particularly those depicting harsher conditions of temperature and precipitation, were the best predictors of total beta diversity (βtotal) and its components (βrich, βrepl) for the two study groups. The study of insect biodiversity patterns in mountain ecosystems and of the role played by different predictors contribute to further our understanding on the community assembly processes and may help to better predict environmental change impacts on mountain biodiversity.

2023-02Journal article

Open access