Improving Orthoptera knowledge in north arid Argentine Patagonia

Abstract

Orthopterans are among the most abundant insects in extra-Andean Patagonia. However, despite their ecological and economic importance, their knowledge there is scarce. The objective of this work was to estimate the taxonomic composition and trophic structure of the Orthoptera communities in arid and semi-arid regions of the Chubut province, located in Argentine Patagonia. Samplings were carried out with pitfall traps considering the main climatic and environmental gradient. The composition and community structure were inspected using rank-abundance curves. The variation among trophic guilds abundances was analyzed using generalized linear models. Seventeen species of orthopteran (seven families) were collected. The most abundant families were Mogoplistidae and Acrididae, while Microgryllus pallipes (Philippi, 1863) (Mogoplistidae) was the most common species. The community structure was best-described by the Mandelbrot model, determined by few high-abundance species and several low-abundance species. Omnivorous and herbivorous species were collected in similar proportions, so the trophic community structure was balanced. We also obtained the first records of six species for the Chubut province, including a new record for Argentina and the first records of the Mogoplistidae and Rhaphidophoridae families for this province. This work represents a valuable contribution to the knowledge of Orthoptera and to the improvement of future conservation strategies. Implications for insect conservation: This work makes valuable contributions to the knowledge of Orthoptera in arid Patagonia, which can improve the current conservation strategies of these fragile ecosystems and the services they provide.