Life strategies in an elmid (Insecta: Coleoptera: Elmidae) community from a first order stream in the Atlantic Forest, southeastern Brazil

PASSOS^{1 , 3}, M. I. S., NESSIMIAN¹ , J. L., & DORVILLÉ^{1 , 2,} L. F. M.

¹ Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, C.P. 68044, CEP 21944-970, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.

² Faculdade de Formação de Professores – Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Francisco Portela, 794, CEP 24435-000, Paraíso, São Gonçalo, RJ, Brasil.

³ E-mail: mines@biologia.ufrj.br

ABSTRACT: The elmid fauna of a first order section of a stream at the Tijuca Forest, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, was studied. Quantitative samples of the litter from pools, litter from riffles, sand, and stones, were taken in each of the four seasons. Based on the biomasses of the most abundant species, two life cycle patterns were recorded. Heterelmis sp. had its young larvae predominating in summer and later instars appearing in winter. On the other hand, Phanocerus clavicornis Sharp, 1882 presented the later instars appearing in summer and young ones in winter.

Key-words: Aquatic insects; Coleoptera; Elmidae; Heterelmis; Phanocerus.