Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 60 (2016) 105–108
REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE
Entomologia
A Journal on Insect Diversity and Evolution
w ww.rbentomologia.com
Short Communication
Stichelia pelotensis (Lepidoptera, Riodinidae): conservation, notes, and
rediscovery of an endangered butterfly from southern Brazil
a,∗ b c c
Ricardo Russo Siewert , Gustavo Crizel Gomes , Mariana Centeno Gallo , Cristiano Agra Iserhard
a
Laboratório de Estudos de Lepidoptera Neotropical, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
b
Embrapa Clima Temperado, Laboratório de Recursos Genéticos, Programa de Pós Graduac¸ ão em Sistemas de Produc¸ ão Agrícola Familiar, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas,
RS, Brazil
c
Laboratório de Ecologia de Lepidoptera, Departamento de Ecologia, Zoologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
a b s t r a c t
a r t i c l e i n f o
Article history: Stichelia pelotensis (Lepidoptera, Riodinidae) is an endemic and threatened butterfly from the Pampa
Received 16 July 2015
biome in southern Brazil, and has not been recorded in its type locality in the last 56 years. Recently,
Accepted 4 November 2015
a population was found in two sites from extreme south Brazil, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul state. These
Available online 28 November 2015
records are an important find given the conservation status of S. pelotensis, since all the information
Associate Editor: Hector A. Vargas
gathered is new and involve the natural history of this species. The information obtained is useful for
the management, monitoring and conservation priorities of this species and its associated habitats, since
Keywords:
its known distribution is restricted to a narrow area in the Rio Grande do Sul Coastal Plain inside this
Distribution
threatened biome in southern Brazil.
Pampa
© 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Entomologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. This is an open
Red list
Symmachiini access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Riodinid butterflies (Lepidoptera, Riodinidae) are highly con- In Brazil, there is a great effort to better know the distribution,
centrated in the Neotropics (c.a. 95%), and occupy a wide range natural history and conservation of threatened butterflies, and dur-
of environments, usually restricted to some specific microhabitats ing the last few years efforts involving several threatened species
(Brown, 1993; DeVries, 1997). Stichelia Zikán, 1949 (Symmachiini) have been successful, including actions concerning, mainly, the
comprises five species distributed in southern and southeastern rediscovery of populations and an increase of the known geograph-
South America (Callaghan and Lamas, 2004; Dias et al., 2013). ical distribution of butterflies in different ecosystems within Brazil
In Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil, three (Freitas et al., 2011, 2014; Greve et al., 2013; Gomes et al., 2014).
Stichelia species have been recorded in areas including Atlantic For- Recently, the red list of the endangered fauna from Rio Grande
est and Pampa biomes: (1) Stichelia bocchoris (Hewitson, 1876), do Sul state was updated, and 18 butterfly species were categorized
widespread and occurring in forested habitats within the two as threatened (Federal law 51.797/14). Most of these species belong
biomes; (2) S. dukinfieldia (Schaus, 1902), with only one record in to the Atlantic Forest domain, and only a few species are associated
the São José dos Ausentes municipality (>900 m a.s.l.) in the high- with formations in the Pampa biome. This scenario is probably due
lands of the Atlantic Forest; and (3) Stichelia pelotensis Biezanko, to (1) the large sampling efforts to increase the knowledge of the
Mielke and Wedderhoff, [1979], present in a narrow area stretch- butterflies within the equally threatened Atlantic Forest habitats;
ing along the Rio Grande do Sul Coastal Plain (Siewert et al., 2014a), (2) the lack of recent and both optimized and specific inventories
between Pampa and Atlantic Forest biomes. The latter species was of butterflies in the Pampa; and (3) the small number of existing
described based on eight specimens collected during the 1950s projects and limited funding available to support conservation pro-
in the Pelotas municipality, and since then no other individuals grams aiming to increase the knowledge of the Pampa biodiversity.
have been observed in this same region (Krüger and Silva, 2003; S. pelotensis is an example of this alarming scenario, giving that its
Siewert et al., 2014a). The only additional record of a single female known distribution is based only on historical records, and due to
◦
came in April 2001 from the Parque Estadual de Itapuã (30 22 52 S, its restricted distribution linked with its supposed endemism and
◦
51 01 25 W), a protected area located in the Viamão municipality rarity, this species was evaluated as “Critically Endangered” within
(L.A. Kaminski, Pers. Comm.), about 250 km north of Pelotas. Rio Grande do Sul state (Federal law 51.797/14).
In this study, the rediscovery of S. pelotensis in south Brazil is
reported, including information in the natural history and behavior
∗ of adults, and of its current conservation. Seven adult individuals
Corresponding author.
E-mail: [email protected] (R.R. Siewert). of S. pelotensis, six males and one female, were observed in two
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rbe.2015.11.005
0085-5626/© 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Entomologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
106 R.R. Siewert et al. / Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 60 (2016) 105–108
feeding on the plant, the female was perching on grass also close
to the ground. After feeding, both specimens flew away in a rapid
and erratic flight and were not seen again. The climate was sunny,
humid and very warm. In subsequent days no additional individuals
were observed. Two males were collected and the voucher speci-
mens are deposited at the Museu Entomológico Ceslau Biezanko
(MECB), Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do
Sul, Brazil.
During the entire study period, no territorial (such as chasing
and aerial interactions with other butterflies and with different S.
pelotensis individuals) or courtship behavior was observed, as well
as any females attempting to lay eggs.
These records of S. pelotensis are the first in its type locality since
its original description (Biezanko et al., 1979). The lack of informa-
tion of the biology, natural history and occurrence of S. pelotensis
in the region of Pelotas is probably due to under sampling as well
as absence of specific inventories targeting this species. Although,
Krüger and Silva (2003) did carry out several collections in the
region of Pelotas about 12 years ago, the sites collected most likely
did do not include areas inhabited by S. pelotensis. Moreover, within
the description of the species, the authors do not provide detailed
information on sites or localities inside the Pelotas region (Biezanko
et al., 1979), so that the precise location in which to search for the
butterfly cannot be determined.
Like many riodinids, S. pelotensis probably occurs in low densi-
ties, and has small and erratic populations active during only a few
months of the year (Callaghan, 1978; Brown, 1993). All the results
presented herein are new information on the natural history of the
Figs. 1–2. General view of the habitat used by the individuals of Stichelia pelotensis,
species, including: (1) the duration of occurrence across the year
a stretched area of arboreal vegetation along Embrapa watercourses surrounded by
(November and January, in late spring and early summer), (2) the
grasslands (1); detailed site in which most individuals of Stichelia pelotensis were
observed, including a marshy environment with small trees and shrubs (2). feeding habits on two flowering plant species, (3) the period of
activity during the day, and (4) the probable type of habitat use. This
kind of information is useful for the management, monitoring and
sites near of Embrapa Clima Temperado Center (Empresa Brasileira
◦ ◦ conservation priorities concerning this butterfly and its associated
de Pesquisa Agropecuária) (31 40 53 S, 52 26 22 W), located in
habitats.
the Monte Bonito district, about 17 km from Pelotas municipality,
The records made in November and January may raise two
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The specimens were associated to areas
hypotheses: (1) the species is univoltine and the sampled Spring
of arboreal vegetation (Fig. 1), flying near the ground, and most of
and Summer are warmer and more humid than the usual allowing
them were observed near a marsh surrounded by grasslands (Fig. 2).
a temporal fluctuation of S. pelotensis; or (2) the species is bivol-
The first record was on November 21, 2014, in which a single male
tine with two peaks of adult occurrence (November to January
was observed at 12:30 h feeding on an inflorescence of Sapium glan-
and March and April). The monitoring of the Embrapa popula-
dulosum. On January 14, 2015, in another nearby place 250 m away
tion should help to elucidate this issue, indicating if this period
from the first one (these two sites are separated by an unpaved
of November 2014 and January 2015 is atypical and rare, resulting
road used for car access) four additional males were observed. One
in the increase in sightings of this butterfly.
male was recorded in the late morning, about 11:30 h, perching
The observations of S. pelotensis were made in a private area,
on Desmodium incanum DC (Fabaceae) (Fig. 3), and the other three
and some of its area is protected, thus, the maintenance of the arbo-
males were seen during the early afternoon from 14:30 h to 14:45 h.
real vegetation along the watercourses in Embrapa is crucial. The
The climate was cloudy and muggy, and all individuals were close
suggestion of management measures in the marsh environments
to each other perching under leaves of the same D. incanum. On
and their associated areas of trees and shrubs that delimit differ-
January 21, 2015 a male and a female were observed feeding on
ent grassland areas may ensure the protection and persistence of a
Eryngium elegans flowers (Fig. 4) from 12:40 h to 12:50 h. Before
viable population of this butterfly through time. Thus, the concen-
tration of optimized and specific inventories are needed to verify
the maintenance of this population, given that the continuous nar-
row areas of arboreal vegetation (Fig. 1) possibly serve as green
corridors for several species, including S. pelotensis. Moreover, the
known immatures of other species of Stichelia feed on Miconia spp.
(Melastomataceae) (Beccaloni et al., 2008) and in the study area
several individuals of Miconia were observed, indicating a possible
resource for females to lay their eggs.
S. pelotensis is one of a few species of butterflies that are con-
sidered endemic and very rare in Rio Grande do Sul, and despite
its records are in the Pampa biome (Fig. 5), these areas are associ-
ated with Atlantic Forest Domain, being composed by ‘Restinga’
forest allied with lacustrine environments, ‘Butiazal’ formations
Figs. 3–4. (3) Male of Stichelia pelotensis perching in an individual of Desmodium
and dunes (Câmara, 2003). This environment is unique in south-
incanum in the study area; (4) female of Stichelia pelotensis feeding in the inflores-
cence of an individual of Eryngium elegans in the study area. ern Brazil, evolving throughout the Holocene and Pleistocene with
R.R. Siewert et al. / Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 60 (2016) 105–108 107 56ºW 52ºW
28ºS
Atlantic Forest Biome
Pampa Biome
32ºS
BRAZIL
0 150Km
Fig. 5. Knowing distribution of Stichelia pelotensis in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil.
contractions and ocean retractions (e.g. Muehe, 1983) and houses a Acknowledgements
distinct and threatened fauna (e.g. Rocha et al., 2009). The conser-
vation of this area has been threatened by anthropogenic pressure, Authors thank Olaf Mielke and Lucas Kaminski for sharing infor-
such as conversion of natural habitats to extensive areas of soybean mation about the species distribution; to Henrique Cunha for help
and rice, silviculture of exotic trees (like Eucalyptus spp.) for cellu- in the location of the study area, and to the employees of Embrapa
lose production, construction building, and livestock grazing (Pillar Clima Temperado Sede for the permission of access in the study
et al., 2009). Probably, the areas and sites of the first collection of areas; to André Freitas and the two anonymous reviewers for crit-
S. pelotensis in the 1950s were replaced by other types of land use, ical reading of the manuscript, and to Roger Hutchings for helping
hindering the search for this butterfly. It is important to reinforce with grammar revision. RRS (140223/2013-4) and GCG thank the
the search for other populations of S. pelotensis in the neighborhood Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
of the Monte Bonito district, in Embrapa, and in the Pelotas munic- (CNPq) for the fellowship. The collections were made with IBAMA
ipality as a whole and in other localities along the Rio Grande do license number 45673-1. This publication is part of the RedeLep
Sul Coastal Plain, to increase the knowledge on the real distribu- “Rede Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservac¸ ão de Lepidópteros”.
tion of the species to fully characterize the patterns of occurrence
of Riodinidae in southern Brazil (Siewert et al., 2014a,b).
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