Occurrence ofTropidacris collaris(Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Romaleidae) DamagingCasuarina glauca(Casuarinaceae) Plants in the Municipality of Central Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

Casuarina glauca (ex Sieb. Spring, 1826) west of Bahia State (S 11° 08' 09 W -42° 06' 46), (Fagales: Casuarinaceae), native to Australia, is and it has an Haplic Cambisol clay soil type, an a fast-growing, mediumsized evergreen tree of equatorial tropical climate, mean annual rainfall 10-15 m to 25 m high and 3 feet (91 cm) in diam of 605 mm and a dry season from Apr to Oct. The at the base with gray bark on new branches and planting used in this study was composed of 70 C. brown dark on the old ones. It has a high tannin glauca trees interspersed with fruit trees, content (between 6 and 18%).The most common The percentage of C. glauca trees with some use of C. glauca is for fuel. Casuarina wood is defoliation was calculated by dividing the number reddish and hard, and is used also for handles, of plants attacked by the total sampled plants. To fences, beams and piles (Midgley 1983). determine the degree of defoliation trees were Grasshoppers are serious pests in various reclassified into grades defoliation 0, 30, 70 and gions of the world (Lecoq & Sukirno 1999). Roma100% and the average defoliation was calculated, leidae is a diverse Neotropical grasshopper family Samples of grasshopper adults were collected with 467 species in 109 genera. Grasshoppers in manually for identification (Fig. 1) and stored in this family are large and sturdy with brilliantly 70% ethanol. The adults were pinned in the labo colored front wings (Amedegnato 1974). ratory and sent for identification to the Pontifical Here we report the occurrence and damage Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, where caused by a single species of grasshopper on C. they were identified by Dra. Maria Katia M. da glauca plants in the region of the Baixio do Irece, Costa as Tropidacris collaris (Stoll, 1813) (Or municipality of Central Bahia, Bahia State, Brathoptera: Acridoidea: Romaleidae) by consulting zil. This semi-arid region is located in the northCarbonell (1984, 1986).