ISSN 0373-5680 Rev. Soc. Entomol. Argent. 67 (3-4): 113-115, 2008 113 NOTA CIENTÍFICA

New phytotelmic habitat of Metriocnemus eryngiotelmatus (Diptera: Chironomidae)

SIRI, Augusto*, Mariano DONATO** y Analía C. PAGGI*

* ILPLA (Instituto de Limnología “Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet”)CCT-CONICET La Plata / UNLP, CC712; e-mail: [email protected] / [email protected] **Laboratorio de Sistemática y Biología Evolutiva (LASBE), Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n (1900), La Plata, Argentina; e-mail: [email protected]

Un nuevo hábitat de fi totelmata para Metriocnemus eryngiotelmatus (Diptera: Chironomidae)

„ RESUMEN. Esta es la primera cita de Metriocnemus eryngiotelmatus Donato & Paggi 2005, asociado al agua almacenada en las axilas de L.

PALABRAS CLAVE. Argentina. Dipsacus fullonum. Metriocnemus eryngiotelmatus. Fitotelmata.

„ ABSTRACT. This is the fi rst report of the non-biting midge Metriocnemus eryngiotelmatus Donato & Paggi 2005 associated to the impounded water of Dipsacus fullonum L. .

KEY WORDS. Argentina. Dipsacus fullonum. Metriocnemus eryngiotelmatus. Phytotelmata.

Species of the cosmopolitan midge Diptera (Donato & Paggi, 2005). The water Metriocnemus van der Wulp (Diptera: bodies impounded by phytotelmata can be Chironomidae: Orthocladiinae) have been regarded as aquatic microcosms (Epler & found in a wide range of aquatic habitats, Janetzky, 1999). Therefore, phytotelmata showing one of the broadest distributions for a have been used in ecological studies such dipteran (Saether, 1989). Phytotelmata as community composition, intra and are included among the aquatic habitats in interspecifi c interactions, trophic webs, which Metriocnemus species develop. dispersion, colonization, infl uence of biotic Phytotelmata are structures present in and abiotic factors on the biota, and have terrestrial plants such as modifi ed leaves, leaf been also used in studies of - co- axils, fl owers, stem holes or depressions, open evolution (Buckley et al., 2004). Moreover, and fallen leaves, which allow water to the importance of phytotelmata is that they impound (Fish, 1983). Phytotelmata have a may act as reservoirs for breeding of some world-wide distribution but are more common insect vectors (Pajot, 1983). in tropical areas, where plant diversity and Metriocnemus is the most common rainfall are higher. Impounded water provides Chironomidae genus inhabiting a suitable habitat for the development of phytotelmata. Immature stages of species of numerous chironomid species and other Metriocnemus have been found growing in

Recibido: 12-V-2008; aceptado: 24-VI-2008 114 Rev. Soc. Entomol. Argent. 67 (3-4): 113-115, 2008 the impounded water of different plants such plant is native from and Asia and as Eryngium L. spp. (Apiaceae), Dipsacus was introduced to many countries, including L. spp. () spp, the Argentina. In Argentina species of Dipsacus purpurea L. (Sarraceniaceae), gradually invaded several provinces and Scirpus selvaticus L. (Cyperaceae), currently this plant is considered a pest Lobelia satimae R.E. Fries & T.C.E Fries (Cabrera & Zardini, 1978). Metriocnemus (Campanulaceae), Senecio brassicae R.E. larvae have previously been found in Fries (Asteraceae), wild bananas (Musaceae), impounded water in Dipsacus spp. from the some bromeliad species, and in the water- Holarctic region (Pinder, 1995). fi lled tree holes of Fagus sylvaticus L. Samples were obtained with hand pipettes (Fagaceae) (Pinder, 1995). from water retained in D. fullonum axils and Phytotelm-inhabiting exhibit fi xed in 70% ethanol. Immature chironomids different degrees of host-plant specifi city, collected from these plants were slide- being restricted in some cases to a single mounted and examined at high magnifi cation species of plant. Female Metriocnemus with a compound microscope. knabi Coq have a high degree of specifi city As a result of this study, we have and oviposit in water impounded by the found immature stages of Metriocnemus pitcher plant S. purpurea, which provides an eryngiotelmatus living in the impounded adequate aquatic habitat for the developing water of Dipsacus fullonum. This, expands larvae (Nastace et al., 1995). Other the range of M. eryngiotelmatus to a new phytotelm-inhabiting insects use several host-plant. However, we still do not know different species of host plants which have how frequently M. eryngiotelmatus oviposits similar structures (Fish, 1983). in this plant compared with the use of Metriocnemus eryngiotelmatus Donato & Eryngium cabrerae and E. pandalifolium as Paggi was cited as living specifi cally in the oviposition sites, or if the presence of this impounded water of Eryngium pandalifolium midge in D. fulonum is accidental. Future Chamisso & Schlechtendal and E. cabrerae studies will elucidate the ecological aspects Pontiroli plants (Apiaceae) from different of this plant-insect association. parts of Argentina and Uruguay (Donato & Material examined: larvae and pupae, Paggi, 2005). Eryngium L. is a widespread Punta Lara (34° 51´ 53´´ S, 57° 52´ 23´´ genus of perennial, rhizomatous herbs, W), Buenos Aires, Argentina, 20-X-2005, R. including some species that capture and Campos col., M. Donato, det. retain water in their leaf axils. The water impounded by Eryngium plants derives from rainfall, condensation or overfl ow from the AKNOWLEDGEMENTS surrounding terrain. In the present study we expand the The authors wish to thank Raúl Campos knowledge of the habitat range of M. for providing the material examined and eryngiotematus to phytotelmata habitats in for a critical review of the manuscript, and plants other than Eryngium species. two anonymous reviewers for valuable The study was conducted at the “Integral comments on the manuscript. The present Natural Reserve” in Punta Lara, Buenos Aires article is scientifi c contribution number 823 Province, Argentina. This Reserve is included of the Instituto de Limnología (ILPLA). in the biogeographic Pampeana Province of the Neotropical Region, and it is the southernmost relict of the subtropical forest LITERATURE CITED (Cabrera, 1976). Samples were collected from water impounded in the weed Dipsacus 1. BUCKLEY, H. L., J. H. BURNS, J. M. KNEITEL, E. L. WALTERS, P. 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