Fitofagos y otros invertebrados que habitan esteros densamente vegetados del Chaco Oriental
Resumen
The composition of the invertebrate fauna associated with Typha latifolia, Cyperus giganteus, Eichhornia azurea, Salvinia herzogii and others aquatic plants from the Chaco Oriental swamps, were analized. It is desired to stand out those phytophagous species which may cause variable damage to these macrophytes.
Twenty samples of floating and emergent lives plants and emergent plants litter, were obtained in spring 1984. The mesofauna associated with the floating vegetation was sampled by means of a net of 35 cm diameter, being the sampling area of 962 square centimeters, while the invertebrates associated with emergent plants -leaves and litter- were studied from the qualitative point of view.
In the leaves of emergent plants the fauna was very poor in species and number of individuals, mainly represented by Insecta, Hirudinea (Helobdella stagnalis), Acari (Hydrozetes sp.) and Mollusca (Uncancylus concentricus). Sphenophorus vilis (Curculionidae) was the most relevant phytophagous.
In the litter the species richness and number of individuals was greater than in the emergent lives plants. Crustacea (mainly Cytheridella islovayi), Oligochaeta (Dero (Dero) multibranchiata, D. (Aulophorus) furcatus), Acari and Insecta, were the most numerous.
In the floating plants the species richness and density were very high (up to 60.000ind.m2-1). Oligochaeta, Crustacea and Insecta, were abundant. The most relevant phytophagous occurred in high proportions and were represented by different species of Curculionidae: Neochetina bruchi, N. eichhorniae, Neohydronomus pulchellus, Onychyl is cretatus and others species .
