Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) of Porto Mauá, Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest Ecoregion, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

Abstract

This paper presents a list of species of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) sampled in Porto Mauá municipality (27°34’S, 28°40’W), Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Sampling was carried out monthly between March 2008 and March 2009. After 204 net-hours of sampling effort, a total of 1,993 individuals from 253 species were recorded. With a single additional expedition, eight new species were added, reaching a total of 261 species recorded in the region of Porto Mauá. These new reports and the species accumulation curves may indicate a much richer fauna. The distribution of richness among butterfly families is compared with other inventories in seasonal semi-deciduous forest areas in the Atlantic Forest. We also discuss the importance of riparian forests of the Uruguay River as an ecological corridor that enables the maintenance of the butterfly fauna on the southern edge of the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest Ecoregion.