Review of gall-associated insects in the Melastomataceae family.

Abstract

Although research on gall-associated insects has increased in recent years in Brazil, little is known about this fauna in the Melastomataceae family. Here, we compiled information on the fauna of insects associated with galls induced in species of the Melastomataceae in different Brazilian biomes. Scientific articles on the fauna associated with galls were obtained through the "Web of Science" database. Further, data on associated fauna obtained from the inventories were analyzed and compiled into dynamic tables. To investigate the relationship of inducers with host plants, we performed a network analysis using the 'igraph' R package. We observed 100 insect galls in Melastomataceae, of which only 32 host plant species were identified to the species level and had associated fauna present. The largest number of insect galls was found in the Atlantic Forest (73%) or in Atlantic Forest and Cerrado transition areas (18%). About 52% of the insects belong to the family Cecidomyiidae and 37% of the insects to the order Lepidoptera. Insects belonging to the family Cecidomyiidae induced galls on the following genera Miconia Ruiz and Pav., Tibouchina Aubl. and Leandra Raddi. Besides inducing galls on these same genera, insects of the order Lepidoptera induced galls exclusively on Maieta guianensis Aubl. In short, we found that taxonomic knowledge of the fauna associated with galls in Melastomataceae is very incipient, the distribution of the fauna associated with galls in Brazil is restricted to regions with the presence of specialists in the group.