Species diversity and similarity between sites in Tabanidae (Insecta: Diptera) of a terra firme forest (Adolpho Ducke Reserve) in Central Amazonia, Brazil

Abstract

Species diversity and richness of Tabanidae (Diptera) in the Adolpho Ducke Reserve (03'08'S, 60'02'W), an upland area ("terra firme") in Central Amazonia, Brazil, was studied from February 1995 to January 1996. The tabanids were collected on three lha-plots, denominated A (plateau), B (slope) and C (campinarana), by using five Malaise traps on each plot. In total, 7,285 specimens and 53 species were captured, representing an average of 137 specimens per species. Tabanus nematocallus was the most abundant species (1,159 individuals; 16 %), followed by T. trivittatus (1.099 ind.; 15 %), Stypommisa glandicolor (1.083 ind.; 14,9 %), T. discus (959 ind.; 13 %) and T. callosus (776 ind.; 10,7 %). In contrast to the charactcristics of a tropical community, that is few common and lots of rare species, 52% of the collected species represented more than 10 specimens and only 15 % were found to be "singletons". A higher species richness was found at plots B and C. The taxonomic composition at plot A was close to pior B when compared to plot C. The species similarity index among the three plots was more than 65%. © MPI für Limnologie, AG Tropenökologie, Plön; INPA, Manaus.