Peñaherrera-Romero Emilia, Guerrero-Campoverde Ariel, Rueda-Rodríguez María P, Dávila-Játiva Mateo, Die-Morejón Daniel, Domínguez-Trujillo Mariela, Guerrero-Molina Tomás, Vélez-Darquea Emilio, Cisneros-Heredia Diego F
Laboratorio de Zoología Terrestre, Instituto de Biodiversidad Tropical IBIOTROP, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito 170901, Ecuador.
Extensión GAIAS Galápagos, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal 200101, Ecuador.
Insects. 2024 Sep 20;15(9):725. doi: 10.3390/insects15090725.
This study investigates the species richness and distribution of ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae) across various habitats on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos Archipelago, Ecuador. Through extensive field surveys, we catalogued nineteen species, including four previously known species (two endemics, and , and two natives, and ). We also identified nine possibly native species reported for the first time in the Galapagos islands in this study or correspond to the first voucher specimens for the island. We collected three previously reported non-native species: , , and . Three species belonging to the genera , , and remain undetermined, pending further taxonomic analyses. Our findings reveal a rich and complex community with notable differences in species abundance and habitat preference. Endemic species were found to be particularly scarce and restricted mainly to crops undergoing forest regeneration and deciduous forests, emphasising their vulnerability and specialised habitat requirements. The native emerged as the most prevalent species, exhibiting broad ecological adaptability. Non-native species, like , were predominantly found in disturbed habitats, with some showing early signs of spreading into more natural environments, raising concerns about their potential impact on local biodiversity. These findings contribute valuable knowledge to understanding Coccinellidae diversity on San Cristóbal Island and highlight the importance of continued monitoring, particularly in the face of ongoing environmental change and the introduction of non-native species. This study underscores the need for targeted conservation efforts to protect the unique and fragile ecosystems of the Galápagos Archipelago.
本研究调查了厄瓜多尔加拉帕戈斯群岛圣克里斯托瓦尔岛上不同栖息地的瓢虫（瓢虫科）物种丰富度和分布情况。通过广泛的实地调查，我们记录了19个物种，其中包括4个先前已知的物种（2个特有种， 和 ，以及2个本地种， 和 ）。我们还确定了9个可能是本地物种，它们是本研究中首次在加拉帕戈斯群岛报告的，或者是该岛的首个凭证标本。我们收集了3个先前报告的非本地物种： 、 和 。属于 属、 属和 属 的3个物种仍有待确定，有待进一步的分类分析。我们的研究结果揭示了一个丰富而复杂的群落，物种丰度和栖息地偏好存在显著差异。发现特有物种特别稀少，主要局限于正在进行森林更新的作物地和落叶林，这凸显了它们的脆弱性和特殊的栖息地要求。本地种 是最普遍的物种，表现出广泛的生态适应性。非本地物种，如 ，主要出现在受干扰的栖息地，一些显示出向更自然环境扩散的早期迹象，这引发了人们对它们可能对当地生物多样性产生影响的担忧。这些发现为了解圣克里斯托瓦尔岛上的瓢虫科多样性提供了宝贵的知识，并强调了持续监测的重要性，特别是面对持续的环境变化和非本地物种的引入。这项研究强调了有针对性的保护努力的必要性，以保护加拉帕戈斯群岛独特而脆弱的生态系统。
