Abstracts

Bioluminescent beetles are found mainly in of the Elateroidea superfamily, within Lampyridae, Phengodidae and Elateridae. Besides their scientific interest, they constitute potential novel important nocturnal bioindicators, and have provided bioanalytical reagents for biotechnological, biomedical and environmental analysis. The Neotropical region, especially Brazil with its variety of tropical biomes including Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Pantanal and Amazon forest, accounts with the largest diversity in the world. However, surveys of BL beetles were done just for some parts of the Southeastern Atlantic rain forest, and more recently of Central Cerrado ecosystem. Considering the richness and fast decline of Amazonian forest, especially its borderline with Cerrado, biodiversity surveys are urgently needed to promote biodiversity studies, bioprospection and to aid conservation programs. In 2009 we begun to make expeditions to Amazon region and its borderline with Cerrado (Savannas), along the major Southern tributaries of Amazon river: Araguaia´s river (Tocantins state); Tapajós (Mato Grosso and Pará state) and Madeira-Guaporé (Rondonia and Amazon states). We registered above 110 species of bioluminescent beetles (Lampyridae: ~77 spp; Elateridae: ~30 spp, and Phengodidae: 8 spp), the largest ever reported, and new interesting species and displays of bioluminescence, including luminous termite mounds inside forest (Pyrearinus fragilis and P.termitilluminas), luminous clayish caves (P.pumilus), orange emitting click beetles and synchronous fireflies.