DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF PHYLLOPHAGA AND ANOMALA SPECIES (COLEOPTERA, SCARABAEIDAE) IN AGROECOSYSTEMS OF NORTHERN TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO

Relative abundance and diversity of Phyllophaga and Anomala species we re determined using blacklight traps and soil sampling in commercial c orn and sorghum fields in Rio Brave and San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexi co, from 1991 to 1993. The species captured most abundantly in the lig ht traps included P. crinita (Burmeister), A. flavipennis Burmeister a nd A. foraminosa Bates. Other species captured less frequently include d P. vexata (Horn), P. torta (LeConte), P. trichodes (Bates), P. reinh ardi Saylor, P. submucida (LeConte), A. cavifrons LeConte, and A. insi tiva Robinson. Reproductive flights of P. crinita occurred late in the spring, whereas the Anomala species had two flight periods, first in the spring and then during late-summer to early-fall, suggesting a biv oltine life cycle. Soil samples showed only three species associated w ith corn and sorghum: P. crinita (86%), A. flavipennis (11%), and A. f oraminosa (3%).