Altitudinal and seasonal distribution of aphids (Hemiptera, Aphididae) in the Serra do Mar, Parana, Brazil

There are about 130 species of aphids registered for Brazil and most of them are exotic, originated from temperate regions. The objective of this research was to survey the aphid species that occur in different altitudes in the rich and diverse ecosystem of the Atlantic Rain Forest. The area surveyed included II collecting points ranging from -10 to 1000 m a.s.l. in Serra do Mar, in Parana State, using yellow pan traps and plant collection, during one year. A total of 87 aphid species were collected in the traps and plants. The richness of species was noticeable high in transitional areas, where different plant communities overlapped. The most abundant aphid species was Aphis spiraecola Patch, 1914, in every collecting place. Population peaks occurred mainly in September when most plants showed new shoots. It was not observed an altitudinal gradient pattern of aphid distribution in the Serra do Mar, but some species were found to be restricted to specific altitudes. It is known that climate, besides other biotic and abiotic factors, affect aphid population fluctuation, but no correlation was established with temperature and rain fall.