An updated checklist to the biodiversity data of ladybeetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Azores Archipelago (Portugal)

António Onofre Soares; Isabel Borges; Hugo Renato Calado; Paulo A V Borges

doi:10.3897/BDJ.9.e77464

An updated checklist to the biodiversity data of ladybeetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Azores Archipelago (Portugal)

Biodivers Data J. 2021 Dec 16:9:e77464. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.9.e77464. eCollection 2021.

Authors

António Onofre Soares^{1

2}, Isabel Borges², Hugo Renato Calado², Paulo A V Borges^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ IUCN SSC, Ladybird Specialist Group, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal IUCN SSC, Ladybird Specialist Group Ponta Delgada, Azores Portugal.
² cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Rua Madre de Deus, sn, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Rua Madre de Deus, sn Ponta Delgada, Azores Portugal.
³ cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Rua Capitão João d'Ávila, São Pedro, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group and Universidade dos Açores, Rua Capitão João d'Ávila, São Pedro, 9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal.
⁴ IUCN SSC, Mid-Atlantic Islands Specialist Group, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal IUCN SSC, Mid-Atlantic Islands Specialist Group Angra do Heroísmo, Azores Portugal.

Abstract

Background: A recently-published review from 2021 presents a comprehensive checklist of ladybeetles of Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira Archipelagos. Until then, the available information was very scattered and based on a single revision dating back to 1986, a few international catalogues and databases, individual records and studies on communities of agroecosystems. However, no information was available on faunal composition across the Azorean islands and their habitats, using standardised inventories. Here, we present data about the biodiversity of ladybeetles and their distribution and abundance in five Islands of the Azores (Faial, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge and São Miguel). Surveys included herbaceous and arboreal habitats from native to anthropogenic-managed habitats: ruderal road vegetation, vegetable garden, mixed forest of endemic and non-native host plants, coastal prairies, coastal mixed vegetation, cornfields and urban areas. We aimed to contribute to the ongoing effort to document the terrestrial biodiversity of Portugal, including the Archipelago of the Azores, within the research project AZORESBIOPORTAL-PORBIOTA (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000072).

New information: In this study, a total of 1,487 specimens of Coccinellidae belonging to 19 species are reported for several habitats. The listed species are from one single sub-familiy (Coccinellinae) and six tribes; Chilocorini (one species), Coccidulini (three species), Coccinellini (six species), Noviini (one species), Scymnini (seven species), Stethorini (one species). The number of species collected per island differed; Faial (10 species), Graciosa (four species), Pico (seven species), São Jorge (seven species) and São Miguel (12 species). For six species, new island records are given. Currently, the number of species known to occur in the Azores are 32, including two doubtful records. The majority of species are Scymnini, being Scymnus (Scymnus) interruptus (Goeze, 1777) and Scymnus (Scymnus) nubilus Mulsant, 1850, the most abundant species (relative abundance 71.1%). This database will be the baseline of a long-term monitoring project allowing assessment of the impact of ongoing global changes in the distribution and abundance of ladybeetles.

Keywords: Arthropoda; Azores; Faial; Graciosa; Ladybeetles; Pico; São Jorge; São Miguel.

António Onofre Soares, Isabel Borges, Hugo Renato Calado, Paulo A. V. Borges.

Grants and funding

FEDER in 85% and by Azorean Public funds by 15% through the Operational Programme Azores 2020, under the following projects AZORESBIOPORTAL –PORBIOTA (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000072) and under the project ECO -TUTA (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000081) and by the Official Forestry Services from the Regional Government of the Azores, through the research projects PICA (Utilização de agentes de controlo biológico para o combate a populações de afídeos em plantas endémicas produzidas em viveiro) and PICONIA (Controlo biológico de populações de pragas de plantas endémicas produzidas em viveiro). Isabel Borges was funded by a PhD grant from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (POCI 2010).