Atualização da distribuição geográfica de galhas e galhadores da espécie Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess (Calophyllaceae) no Brasil

Abstract

Galls are structures that originate pathologically from a cell, tissue, or organ of a plant through chemical or mechanical stimulation of an inducer, which can be viruses, bacteria, fungi, nematodes, mites, and insects. Insects are the most frequent and abundant inducers of aerial plant organs. This association causes the plant to lose nutrients and suffer consequences in its development. There may be more than one gall morphotype per plant species, and these can even be found simultaneously in different organs of the same individual. Because it is a species-specific interaction, it is possible to determine that each morphotype has its specific inducer, thus making it possible to infer its geographic distribution. The objective of this study is to update the geographic distribution of galls and galling insects associated with plants of the genus Calophyllum L., whose only species distributed in Brazil is Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess. This species is widely distributed in Brazil. We searched for records of gall morphotypes in Calophyllum brasiliense specimens in all insect gall inventories in Brazilian biomes and in virtual herbaria from Brazilian and foreign institutions. As a result, four distinct morphotypes of galls induced by five species of cecidomyids (Lopesia caulinaris, Lopesia conspicua, Lopesia elliptica, Lopesia linearis, Contarinia gemmae) were found in Calophyllum brasiliense. The records varied in the five regions of Brazil, being more concentrated in restingas of São Paulo and in the Cerrado of Minas Gerais. One new morphotype was found and it is being described in this work.