title: Distribution and frequency of galls induced by Anisodiplosis waltheriae Maia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on the invasive plant Waltheria indica L. (Sterculiaceae).
abstract: The frequency of galls induced by Anisodiplosis waltheriae Maia, a recently described species, on Waltheria indica L. was studied. W indica is an invasive weed in regeneration areas of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. Plants were collected in May 2004 and above-ground biomass, main stem length, number of leaves, number of galls per leaf and leaf area of each individual were recorded. Nearly 90% of all plants and 25% of all leaves were attacked by the gall midge, with an average of 0.67 galls/leaf. Leaf area had a weak effect on gall abundance while the number of leaves had no effect on gall abundance. Only 31% of the variation in gall abundance was explained by plant biomass. Natural enemies killed one third of the sampled galls. Predation accounted for 22.9% of gall mortality, unknown factors killed 7.6%, microhymenopteran parasitoids killed 2.5% and fungi only 1%. Mortality factors were not influenced by leaf area or gall density.
authors.affiliation: Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade/DBG, ICB/Univ. Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG.
authors.forename: Felipe V M
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Jean C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Fernando A O
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Geraldo W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Fernandes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004175:Diptera; D019660:Malvaceae; D010941:Plant Tumors / Q000469:parasitology*