LEPIDOPTERAN CATERPILLAR FAUNA OF CERRADO HOST PLANTS

The cerrado biome is rich in caterpillar species although the general biology and ecology of most tropical species remains unknown. Three ho st plant genera (Byrsonima, Erythroxylum and Qualea) were examined for caterpillars in four cerrado sensu stricto areas near Brasilia (DF, B razil), from 1991 to 1995. Altogether, more than 16 000 host plants we re sampled and less than 20% of them possessed caterpillars. All the c aterpillars found were reared under laboratory conditions. We successf ully reared 137 species of 24 lepidopteran families. The average numbe r of caterpillar species per host species was 28.3. The faunal similar ity among plant genera, as well as among study sites, was low, and not related to the distances between them. The low proportion of host pla nts with caterpillars and the high incidence of rare species appears t o be a general pattern for the cerrado. A large proportion (74%) of th e caterpillar species occurred on only one host plant family. The most frequent species were either specialists (restricted to one host plan t genus) or generalists. We provide a brief outline of some taxonomic problems, some observations on general biology, and temporal and local patterns of some specific caterpillars species. The methodology used, which included weekly data collection, in restricted study areas of t he same habitat, with the same sampling method for recording the cater pillar species on the same host plant species, can be used as a tool t o explore biodiversity and to discuss some aspects of the conservation of cerrado insects.