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Triplaris americana L. (Polygonaceae), a New Host Plant For Aethalion reticulatum (Linnaeus, 1767) (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae)

Abstract

Triplaris americana is a plant that has been applied as ornamental specie and also as natural medicine. Adults and immature stages of Aethalion reticulatum were observed colonizing specimens of this plant in Sinop, MT, Brazil, which represent the first record of this leafhopper colonizing this specie.

Ants; bees; geographic distribution; honeydew


INTRODUCTION

Triplaris americana Linnaeus is a plant of the family Polygonaceae which has about 40 genera and 1,100 species reported around the world. In Brazil there are seven genera and about 90 species recorded (Souza and Lorenzi 2012Souza VC, Lorenzi H. Botânica Sistemática: guia ilustrado para identificação das famílias de Fanerógamas nativas e exóticas no Brasil, baseado em APG III. 3rd ed. Nova Odessa: Plantarum; 2012.).

It is considered a species which presents wide geographical distribution with greater concentration in the Northern Hemisphere (Souza and Lorenzi 2012Souza VC, Lorenzi H. Botânica Sistemática: guia ilustrado para identificação das famílias de Fanerógamas nativas e exóticas no Brasil, baseado em APG III. 3rd ed. Nova Odessa: Plantarum; 2012.), In Brazil it is known as "pau-formiga", "pau-de-formiga", "pau-de-novato", "formigueiro" and "taxizeiro" (Lorenzi 2000Lorenzi H. Árvores Brasileiras: manual de identificação de plantas nativas do Brasil. 3th ed. Nova Odessa: Plantarum; 2000.).

Triplaris americana is important in the urban landscaping industry (Lorenzi 2000Lorenzi H. Árvores Brasileiras: manual de identificação de plantas nativas do Brasil. 3th ed. Nova Odessa: Plantarum; 2000.) and also used as a medicinal plant for the treatment of various diseases (Arbelaez 1975Arbelaez,EP. Plantas medicinales y venenosas de Colômbia: estudo botanico, etnico, farmaceutico, veterinario y forense. Medellin: Cromos; 1975, (in Spanish) .; Dewalt et al. 1999Dewalt SJ, Bourdy G, Michel LRC, Quenevo C. Ethnobotany of the Tacana: quantitative inventories of two permanent plots of northwestern Bolívia. Econ Bot. 1999; 53(3): 237-260.).

Its pollination is performed by bees and dispersion by anemochory, due to winged fruits, which can be dispersed over considerable distances. Its trunk is internally hollow and houses of Pseudomyrmex ants that attack aggressors, herbivores and even plants touching its trunk (Flora of Santa Catarina).

Aethalion reticulatum (Linnaeus 1767) (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae) is a species of leafhopper, popularly known as "cigarrinha do pedúnculo", that feeds on the sap of plants, especially fruit, which can hinder plant and fruit growth.

Infestations of this species in agricultural areas can result in production losses (Araujo et al. 2010Araujo VA, Bao SN, Moreira J, Neves CA, Lino-Neto J. Ultrastructural characterization of the spermatozoa of Aethalion reticulatum Linnaeus 1767 (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Aethalionidae). Micron. 2010; 41(4): 306-311.) , and recentlyA. reticulatum has been observed feeding on eucalyptus plants, indicating its supposed migration and adaptation to this new host and its potential to become a forest pest (Menezes et al. 2012Menezes CWG, Soares MA, Assis Júnior SL, Fonseca AJ, Pires EM, Santos JB. Novos insetos sugadores (Hemiptera) atacando Eucalyptus cloeziana (Myrtaceae) em Minas Gerais, Brasil. EntomoBrasilis. 2012; 5(3)246-248.).

The association of A. reticulatum with other insects, especially bees and ants is commonly observed, since these Hymenoptera benefit from this relationship, feeding on a sugary compound (honeydew) expelled by the leafhoppers (Brown 1976Brown, RL. Behavioral observations on Aethalion reticulatum (Hem, Aethalionidae) and associated ants. Insectes Soc. 1976; 23(2): 99-108.; Baronio et al. 2012Baronio GJ, Pires ACV, Aoki C. Trigona branneri (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as a collector of honeydew from Aethalion reticulatum (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae) on bauhinia forficata (Fabaceae: Caesalpinoideae) in a brazilian savanna. Sociobiology. 2012; 59(2): 407-414.) . Thus, this study sought to extend the geographical distribution records of the leafhopper (A. reticulatum) and reports T. americana as a host plant of this insect.

Adults and immature of A. reticulatum were observed colonizing plants of T. americana (Fig. 1 A, B and C) as of March 2013 on the campus of the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT) (11º 51' 50" S Latitude and 55º 28' 58" W Longitude), located in the municipality of Sinop, Mato Grosso State, Brazil (Fig. 2 A). The weather variables rainfall, relative humidity and temperature were recorded from the weather station situated in the campus of UFMT - Sinop.

Figure 1
(A and B) Adults and imature of Aethalion reticulatum, and specimens of Trigona spinipes (Hymenoptera: Apidae) on branches of T. americana. (C) Adults and nymphs of A. reticulatum and ants Camponotus sp. (D) Detail of the egg mass of A. reticulatum on branches of T. americana.

Figure 2
(A) Plants of Triplaris americana on the Campus of UFMT - Sinop. (B and C) Dorsal and lateral views of Aethalion reticulatum.

After one year of weekly monitoring, it was found that A. reticulatum remained associated with T. americanaduring the entire period.

Some specimens were collected, fixed, labeled (Fig. 2 B) and species identified by Prof. Dr. Evaldo Martins Pires of the Federal University of Mato Grosso, and then deposited in the Southern Amazon Biological Collection ("Acervo Biológico da Amazônia Meridional" - ABAM) of the UFMT.

This leafhopper was observed feeding on twigs and branches of T. americanain association with its symbionts Trigona spinipesFabricius 1973 (Hymenoptera: Apidae), popularly known as the "Arapuá bee", and ants of the genus Camponotus that fed on the excrement released byA. reticulatum (honeydew).

Changes in the number of individuals throughout the monitoring period did not draw the attention of researchers since the population remained constant and the presence of all life cycle stages were observe, even during the dry (April/2013 to October/2013) and rainy seasons (March/2014 to November/2013). Precipitation and relative humidity characterize these two periods (Fig. 3A and B), and even during periods of low rainfall and low RH, the period in which the plant may be more susceptible to attack and consequent damage caused by insects due to water deficit that can reduce plant defense mechanisms (Lawrence et al. 1991Lawrence MH, Paine T.D, Millar JG. Mechanisms of resistance in Eucalyptus against larvae of the Eucalyptus longhorned borer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Environ. Entomol. 1991; 20(6): 1583-1588.), no lesions onT. Americana were observed, or changes in population number. The temperature showed little variation during the year of monitoring (Fig. 3 C), which characterizes the municipality of Sinop as warm throughout the year, therefore this variable may be disregarded as able to promote changes in the size of insect populations.

Figure 3
Weather variables: (A) rainfall, (B) relative humidity and (C) temperature with evidence to dry and rainy seasons recorded in Sinop, Mato Grosso State, Brazil.

In both dry as wet seasons, no damage was observed on the plant due to the presence of A. reticulatum, and thus T. americana may be an important source of food and shelter, as well as a location for breeding of this species so that it may be considered a host plant for this Hemiptera.

REFERENCES

  • Araujo VA, Bao SN, Moreira J, Neves CA, Lino-Neto J. Ultrastructural characterization of the spermatozoa of Aethalion reticulatum Linnaeus 1767 (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Aethalionidae). Micron. 2010; 41(4): 306-311.
  • Arbelaez,EP. Plantas medicinales y venenosas de Colômbia: estudo botanico, etnico, farmaceutico, veterinario y forense. Medellin: Cromos; 1975, (in Spanish) .
  • Baronio GJ, Pires ACV, Aoki C. Trigona branneri (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as a collector of honeydew from Aethalion reticulatum (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae) on bauhinia forficata (Fabaceae: Caesalpinoideae) in a brazilian savanna. Sociobiology. 2012; 59(2): 407-414.
  • Brown, RL. Behavioral observations on Aethalion reticulatum (Hem, Aethalionidae) and associated ants. Insectes Soc. 1976; 23(2): 99-108.
  • Dewalt SJ, Bourdy G, Michel LRC, Quenevo C. Ethnobotany of the Tacana: quantitative inventories of two permanent plots of northwestern Bolívia. Econ Bot. 1999; 53(3): 237-260.
  • Lawrence MH, Paine T.D, Millar JG. Mechanisms of resistance in Eucalyptus against larvae of the Eucalyptus longhorned borer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Environ. Entomol. 1991; 20(6): 1583-1588.
  • Lorenzi H. Árvores Brasileiras: manual de identificação de plantas nativas do Brasil. 3th ed. Nova Odessa: Plantarum; 2000.
  • Menezes CWG, Soares MA, Assis Júnior SL, Fonseca AJ, Pires EM, Santos JB. Novos insetos sugadores (Hemiptera) atacando Eucalyptus cloeziana (Myrtaceae) em Minas Gerais, Brasil. EntomoBrasilis. 2012; 5(3)246-248.
  • Souza VC, Lorenzi H. Botânica Sistemática: guia ilustrado para identificação das famílias de Fanerógamas nativas e exóticas no Brasil, baseado em APG III. 3rd ed. Nova Odessa: Plantarum; 2012.
  • Tropicos [homepage on the internet]. Saint Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden; 2013. Available from: http://www.tropicos.org/ Name/26001052.
    » http://www.tropicos.org/ Name/26001052

Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    01 Aug 2014
  • Date of issue
    Jan-Fev 2015

History

  • Received
    01 Apr 2014
  • Accepted
    24 June 2014
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