First Record of Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Attacking frogs in the Neotropical Region

SPINELLI G. R.; SCHAEFER E. F.; KEHR A. I.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON

The Entomological Society of Washington. Washington, USA

Lugar: Washington, USA; Año: 2002 vol. 104 p. 527 - 528

0013-8797

The biting habits of females of the subgenus Forcipomyia (Lasiohelea Kieffer) Meigen on frogs are relatively well known in the northern hemisphere. Forcipomyia velox (Winnertz) has been reported to feed on the edible frog Rana esculenta Linnaeus in Europe (Desportes and Harant 1940; Desportes 1941, 1942). In China. F. emeishana (Yu and Liu) and F. propria Chan and LeRoux feed on Bufo melanosticus Schneider and Rana plancyi Lataste. respectively (Lien 1989). Forcipomyia fairfaxensis Wirth has been recorded feeding on Rana catesbeiana Shaw, R. clamitans melanota (Rafinesque), and unidentified frogs in Ontario, Canada (Pechuman and Wirth 1961, Gruia-Gray and Desser 1992. Marshall 1997). Feeding on frogs by ceratopogonids in the Neotropical Region was previously unknown. During a series of studies of frog behavior in a small pond (about 25 m2) situated in the surroundings of the city of Corrientes in northeastern Argentina (27º30´S, 58°45´W), one of us (EFS) observed a small cloud of midges, 4-8 cm in diameter, flying over individuals of two species of frogs. Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei and Pseudis paradoxa Gallardo. These two species of frogs behaved differently, while L. chaquensis was relatively inactive, with its head above the water for about 30 minutes, P. paradoxa did not keep its head above the water for more than 10 minutes. During a series of studies of frog behavior in a small pond (about 25 m2) situated in the surroundings of the city of Corrientes in northeastern Argentina (27º30´S, 58°45´W), one of us (EFS) observed a small cloud of midges, 4-8 cm in diameter, flying over individuals of two species of frogs. Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei and Pseudis paradoxa Gallardo. These two species of frogs behaved differently, while L. chaquensis was relatively inactive, with its head above the water for about 30 minutes, P. paradoxa did not keep its head above the water for more than 10 minutes. During a series of studies of frog behavior in a small pond (about 25 m2) situated in the surroundings of the city of Corrientes in northeastern Argentina (27º30´S, 58°45´W), one of us (EFS) observed a small cloud of midges, 4-8 cm in diameter, flying over individuals of two species of frogs. Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei and Pseudis paradoxa Gallardo. These two species of frogs behaved differently, while L. chaquensis was relatively inactive, with its head above the water for about 30 minutes, P. paradoxa did not keep its head above the water for more than 10 minutes. During a series of studies of frog behavior in a small pond (about 25 m2) situated in the surroundings of the city of Corrientes in northeastern Argentina (27º30´S, 58°45´W), one of us (EFS) observed a small cloud of midges, 4-8 cm in diameter, flying over individuals of two species of frogs. Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei and Pseudis paradoxa Gallardo. These two species of frogs behaved differently, while L. chaquensis was relatively inactive, with its head above the water for about 30 minutes, P. paradoxa did not keep its head above the water for more than 10 minutes. During a series of studies of frog behavior in a small pond (about 25 m2) situated in the surroundings of the city of Corrientes in northeastern Argentina (27º30´S, 58°45´W), one of us (EFS) observed a small cloud of midges, 4-8 cm in diameter, flying over individuals of two species of frogs. Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei and Pseudis paradoxa Gallardo. These two species of frogs behaved differently, while L. chaquensis was relatively inactive, with its head above the water for about 30 minutes, P. paradoxa did not keep its head above the water for more than 10 minutes. During a series of studies of frog behavior in a small pond (about 25 m2) situated in the surroundings of the city of Corrientes in northeastern Argentina (27º30´S, 58°45´W), one of us (EFS) observed a small cloud of midges, 4-8 cm in diameter, flying over individuals of two species of frogs. Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei and Pseudis paradoxa Gallardo. These two species of frogs behaved differently, while L. chaquensis was relatively inactive, with its head above the water for about 30 minutes, P. paradoxa did not keep its head above the water for more than 10 minutes.