Fruit-feeding butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) of the Área de proteção especial manancial mutuca, nova lima and species list for the region of belo horizonte, minas gerais, Brazil

Abstract

A study of the assembly of fruit-feeding butterflies in the Área de Proteção Especial Manancial Mutuca, Nova Lima, MG was conducted with the goal of inventorying the species of the site. Forty-two traps were used to attract fruit-feeding butterflies, divided between Cerrado (rupestrian field) and riparian vegetation, monthly over one year. 2245 butterflies, which belonged to 63 species, were recorded. Of this total, fourty-eight species were collected in the Cerrado, twenty-one exclusively in this environment, forty-two in riparian forest, fifteen being exclusive to this environment, and twenty-seven species were sampled in both environments. From the total of sampled species, thirty-five were considered rare, eight accessory species, and twenty constant species. Prepona deiphile deiphile (Charaxine) is classified as vulnerable on the Minas Gerais’ list and on the national list of threatened species. The collector curve showed no clear trend to stabilization, suggesting that there are species still not sampled in the study area. Adding the data from field sampling to the information on species occurrence in the literature and in entomological collections, the current number of frugivorous butterflies species for the region of Belo Horizonte is 104. This result foregrounds the importance of APE Mutuca for maintaning a rich fauna of frugivorous butterflies to the area.