Observações sobre ataque de insetos em folhas de Marantaceae

Abstract

An evaluation is made of insect predation on the leaves of Monotagma plurispicatum (Koern.) K. Schum. (Marantaceae) in the Ducke Forest Reserve, Manaus, Amazonas. The most common groups of attacking insects are given, and a comparison is made between plants growing in two distinct habitats. The following steps were taken; field observation of the plant, and collection of leaves and inflorescences for examination and experiments in laboratory to ascertain the extent of insect damage and estimate the age at which the leaves were most preferred by the insects. The predominant group, both larvae and adults, was found to be Coleoptera-Hispidae. In both habitats they preferred to feed on half-open leaves, and the presence of larvae on the plant indicates that part of the reprodutive cycle takes there. In the inflorescence a sucession was observed, with a characteristic fauna at the different stages of development. Nitidulid beetles predominate in the first stage, and as they show a preference for the anthers they may well contribute to the pollinization. There was more diversity in the fauna of the mature inflorescence, though the number of individuals was smaller. In the micro-fauna mesostigmatid mites were also found.