Distribution patterns of riodinid butterflies (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) from southern Brazil

Background: The aim of this study was to synthesize the knowledge of Riodinidae butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in Rio Grande do Sul state (RS), southern Brazil, evaluating the role of climatic, topographic, and vegetational variables on the observed patterns of occurrence and distribution of these butterflies in the Pampa and Atlantic Forest biomes. The records of riodinid butterflies in RS were collected from published studies and the examination of museum collections in Brazil. Results: A total of 97 taxa of Riodinidae were recorded, distributed in 92 municipalities. The NMDS analysis and the Constrained Analysis of Principal Coordinates grouped the municipalities according to the phytogeographic regions and biomes - Pampa and Atlantic Forest domains - in which the species records were made. Distance from the ocean, precipitation and temperature were the environmental variables which most contributed to explain the distribution patterns of these butterflies. The multivariate Mantel correlogram suggests that over short distances, the composition of species shows significant levels of spatial autocorrelation, and as geographic distance increases, these levels tend to present negative values. Conclusions: The results suggest that the observed distribution pattern of Riodinidae in the different biomes and phytogeographic regions in the extreme southern Brazil could be explained by climatic, environmental variables and geographic distance

Maximized sampling of butterflies to detect temporal changes in tropical communities

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)There are few papers describing long-term fluctuations and general patterns of temporal diversity in butterfly assemblages in the Neotropical region. The present paper presents a long-term study on the variation in richness and composition of butterflies in a fragment of semi-deciduous forest in Southeastern Brazil, and examines the viability of using maximized butterfly transect counts as a methodology to rapidly and adequately access the local characteristics of butterfly communities. Based on the eight annual standard lists, 518 species in six butterfly families were recorded, representing 74 % of the total butterfly fauna known from the study site. Hesperiidae was the richest family (248 species), followed by Nymphalidae (154), Lycaenidae (49), Riodinidae (29), Pieridae (26), and Papilionidae (12). The accumulation curves show that 8 years of sampling were not enough to result in stable species totals for all butterfly families, especially Hesperiidae and Lycaenidae, which are still increasing in number of species. A great similarity in species composition was observed among all the years (54 %). Comparing the similarity between two standard lists at different time intervals (from 1 to 8 years), a clear pattern of increasing dissimilarity was observed in most families. Our results show that the maximized sampling method is effective in revealing temporal patterns of diversity across several years and could be valuable in monitoring temporal variation in butterfly assemblages for conservation purposes, since the obtained standard lists can be successfully compared to temporal patterns over large periods of time.173615622Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP [2011/08433-8]FAPESP [04/05269-9]CNPq [300282/2008-7]FAPESP [2011/50225-3

The Endangered Butterfly Charonias theano (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae): Current Status, Threats and its Rediscovery in the State of Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The pierid Charonias theano (Boisduval), an endangered butterfly species, has been rarely observed in nature, and has not been recorded in the state of Sao Paulo in the last 50 years despite numerous efforts to locate extant colonies. Based on museum specimens and personal information, C. theano was known from 26 sites in southeastern and southern Brazil. Recently, an apparently viable population was recorded in a new locality, at Serra do Japi, Jundiai, Sao Paulo, with several individuals observed during two weeks in April, 2011. The existence of this population at Serra do Japi is an important finding, since this site represents one of the few large forested protected areas where the species could potentially persist not only in the state of Sao Paulo, but within its entire historical distribution.406669676Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPESP [10/51340-8, 04/05269-9]CNPq [300282/2008-7]FAPESP [11/50225-3

The endangered butterfly Charonias theano (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae): current status, threats and its rediscovery in the state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil

The pierid Charonias theano (Boisduval), an endangered butterfly species, has been rarely observed in nature, and has not been recorded in the state of São Paulo in the last 50 years despite numerous efforts to locate extant colonies. Based on museum specimens and personal information, C. theano was known from 26 sites in southeastern and southern Brazil. Recently, an apparently viable population was recorded in a new locality, at Serra do Japi, Jundiaí, São Paulo, with several individuals observed during two weeks in April, 2011. The existence of this population at Serra do Japi is an important finding, since this site represents one of the few large forested protected areas where the species could potentially persist not only in the state of São Paulo, but within its entire historical distribution

A new genus and species of Euptychiina (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) from southern Brazil

This paper describes a new genus and a new species of Euptychiina from open grassland habitats (campos de cima da serra) in southern Brazil. The systematic position of this new taxon is discussed based on morphological and molecular data, and it is considered sister to Taydebis Freitas. Since the campos vegetation is considered endangered due to anthropogenic activities, this butterfly species deserves attention and should be included in future conservation plans for this biome

NATURAL HISTORY, NEW RECORDS, AND NOTES ON THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF CYANOPHRYS BERTHA (JONES) (LEPIDOPTERA: LYCAENIDAE)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The natural history of the potentially threatened hairstreak butterfly Cyanophrys bertha (Jones) is discussed, and the morphology of its penultimate and last instar larvae and pupa are described and illustrated. New distribution records from southern Brazil are provided. Based on morphological and ecological traits of immatures and adults, the conservation status of this species is discussed and compared with other sympatric Eumaeini.11215460Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CNPq [140183/2006-0, 478787/2001-4

A New Genus and Species of Euptychiina (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) from Southern Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)This paper describes a new genus and a new species of Euptychiina from open grassland habitats (campos de cima da serra) in southern Brazil. The systematic position of this new taxon is discussed based on morphological and molecular data, and it is considered sister to Taydebis Freitas. Since the cam pos vegetation is considered endangered due to anthropogenic activities, this butterfly species deserves attention and should be included in future conservation plans for this biome.402231237Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)National Science Foundation [DEB-0527441]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CNPq [473838/2006-0, 472175/2007-6, 300282/2008-7]FAPESP [00/01484-1, 04/05269-9, 98/05101-8]National Science Foundation [DEB-0527441]CNPq [480619/2008-5, 302662/2009-0