Diversity and temporal variation of brown lacewings (Neuroptera, Hemerobiidae) from Atlantic rainforest areas in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

A survey of the brown lacewings (Neuroptera, Hemerobiidae) was carried out with five Malaise traps/area in five areas in Atlantic rainforest of São Paulo State, Brazil, between October 2009 and December 2011. 237 specimens of Hemerobiidae were obtained belonging to 14 species and five genera: Nusalala tessellata (Gerstaecker, 1888) (31.6% of the total collected), Hemerobius hernandezi Monserrat, 1996 (26.0%), Nusalala dispar (Banks, 1910) (17.7%), H. cubanus Banks, 1930, H. edui Monserrat, 1991, H. nigridorsus Monserrat, 1996 and H. withycombei (Kimmins, 1928) (1.7% each), H gaitoi Monserrat, 1996, Megalomus ricoi Monserrat, 1997 and Notiobiella cixiiformis (Gerstaecker, 1888) (1.3% each), Sympherobius ariasi Penny & Monserrat, 1985 (0.9%) and, M. impudicus (Gerstaecker, 1888), M. rafaeli Penny & Monserrat, 1985 and S. mirandus (Navás, 1920) (0.4% each). Eighteen specimens of Hemerobius Linnaeus, 1758 and nine of Megalomus Rambur, 1842, totaling 11.4% of the collected Hemerobiidae, could not be identified at the species level. The hemerobiids were more frequent in the Parque Estadual Intervales (55.3% of the total collected) and in the Parque Estadual Morro do Diabo (23.2%), inland collection sites in the state of São Paulo, with higher abundances recorded in spring (43.9% of the total collected) and in winter (37.1%). This study extends the geographic distribution range of five species of Hemerobiidae to Brazil and three to the state of São Paulo.