Melanopline grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from South America: diversity, phylogeny, and distribution.

CIGLIANO, M. M.; LANGE, C.E

Uberlandia, Brasil

Conferencia; XXII Congresso Brasileiro de Entomologia; 2008

Sociedade Entomologica do Brasil

Systematic, phylogenetic and biogeographic studies of South American Melanoplinae from the Andes Highlands are being conducted in order to have a better understanding on the biodiversity of the Neotropical Acridoidea. The presentation will be focused on the state of knowledge on the biodiversity of the Neotropical melanopline grasshoppers, as well as on preliminary results obtained from biogeographic studies that are being carried on the Andean region, mostly in the Puna and Paramos ecosystems. The Paramo and Puna are two unique high altitude grassland ecosystems in the Andes that clearly show the struggle of plant and animal life against extreme cold and solar radiation. Melanoplines are one of the few grasshopper representatives from these ecosystems. Previous biogeographic hypotheses have postulated that the South American Melanoplines are “invaders” from the Neartic region. However recent phylogenetic studies, albeit limited in sampling, considered that the direction of dispersal of the Melanoplinae is opposite to what was previously believed. This alternate hypothesis to the origin of the Melanoplinae, is congruent with the South to North progression of uplift of the Andes and is being tested with phylogenetic studies. Also, results from the biodiversity studies on grasshoppers from the Andes Highlands are being used to create an electronic catalog that will be shown on this presentation.