Diversidade morfológica e molecular de Orthocentrinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) em gradientes altitudinais no sudeste do Brasil

Abstract

The Orthocentrinae is one of the least studied subfamilies among the Ichneumonidae, although they have a cosmopolitan distribution and comprise about 30% of the Ichneumonidae collected in Malaise traps, indicating that they are abundant and diverse. Because they are poorly studied, especially in the Neotropical region, the group has many taxonomic problems and has already gone through many classifications and synonyms. Very little is known about their biology, but all reliable sources report parasitism of fungus gnats, fungivorous dipterans responsible for damaging plant roots and spreading pathogenic fungi. Currently, Orthocentrinae have 478 described species in 29 genera, of which only 55 species from 14 genera occure ate the Neotropics and 4 species of 3 genera occure at Brazil, there is no organized key to the identification of such generes. This work sought to know the fauna of this subfamily in high altitude environments, at Reserva Privada do Patrimônio Cultural de Itamonte, MG, Reserva Biológica da Serra do Japi, SP, Parque Nacional da Serra da Bocaina, SP, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, RJ, through insect sampling using sweeping net, light, Malaise and Moericke traps, with the intention of understanding its composition, providing subsidies for the management and conservation of these threatened areas. The objective was also to improve the knowleged of group classification and to identify new species using molecular tools. Besides that, we sought to understand which collection methods are most effective for the subfamily, the distribution patterns and the possibility of endemism, and to develop a key to the genera found. 130 species molercularly identified in 12 genera were found, of which 21 new species of the genera Megastylus, Gnathochorisis, Proclitus, Eusterinx and Pantisarthrus were described. The genera Plectiscus, Picrsotigeus and Pantisarthrus are first reported in the Neotropical region, while Stenomacrus, Batakomacrus, Megastylus, Gnathochorisis, Proclitus, Eusterinx, Symplecis and the species Gnathochorisis khalaimi, Humala, 2017, are reported for the first time to Brazil. A key for all described species of the genus Pantisarthrus was developed, as well as a key for the genera found in the work. The group has a wide distribution among the different altitudinal gradients, some species showed to occur in all studied altitudes, but some others indicated endemism at altitudes above 1900 m. The Moericke Trap proved to be the most effective collected method.