Local pattern of host plant utilization by lepidopteran larvae in the cerrado vegetation

Abstract

The first inventory of lepidopteran larvae associated to buds, flowers and fruits and the study of the degree of specialization on host plant species and/or plant tissues was conducted in cerrado areas (savanna like vegetation) in Federal District (Brazil). Adults of 83 species from 15 lepidopteran families were obtained on 36 plant species of 20 families. Four of the Lepidoptera families were the richest in species and included 69% of the total species: Gelechiidae (22 species), Tortricidae (17), Lycaenidae (10), and Pyralidae (8). The present results indicate three lepidopteran groups: (1) monophagous or oligophagous of a plant part from a single plant genus, 58% of the species; (2) polyphagous of plant families and plant tissues, 25% of the species; (3) oligophagous, but opportunists over the parts of the same plant species, 17% of the species.