Diversity of Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Lycidae, Phengodidae and Telegeusidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) in a tropical dry forest of the Sierra San Javier, Sonora, Mexico

Abstract

The faunal diversity of the families Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Lycidae, Phengodidae and Telegeusidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea), was studied in a dry forest in the Sierra de San Javier, Sonora, Mexico. Light trapping and insect nets were utilized in November 2003, February, April, July, August, September and October 2004 for 5 days of each month, including the rainy season (July-October) and the dry season (November-April). A total of 1 501 individuals, 30 species, and 15 genera were recorded. The most abundant family was Cantharidae with 696 individuals, followed by Lycidae with 561 Lampyridae with 166, Phengodidae with 66 and Telegeusidae with 12 individuals. The most diverse family was Lycidae with 12 species, followed by Cantharidae with 11 species, Lampyridae with 3 species, Phengodidae with 3 species and Telegeusidae with 1 species. Few species were abundant; most were represented by few individuals. Abundance and species richness varied over time and space for each family. A species accumulation curve was elaborated, and the indices of diversity Shannon-Wiener, equitability (Pielou), dominance of Simpson and similarity (Bray-Curtis) were calculated.