Contribution to the knowledge of the insect galls of Armação dos Búzios and Rio das Ostras (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Rio de Janeiro is one of the most studied Brazilian states for insect galls. Still, several municipalities lack or have few gall records. This is the case of Armação dos Búzios and Rio das Ostras. Our objective was to provide new records of insect galls, contributing to the knowledge of their richness and geographic distribution in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and consequently in Brazil. We investigated the restinga vegetation along the access road to José Gonçalves Beach in Armação dos Búzios and the vegetation of the Mirante da Baleia in Rio das Ostras during two hours in each area and photographed the host plants and galls. We identified this material and verified new records. Seven gall morphotypes are reported for the first time in the study areas. They occurred on five botanical species of five families. Guapira opposita (Vell.) Reitz. (Nyctaginaceae) was the only multi-host plant. Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) and Hemiptera were the gall-inducing taxa. Most galls were green, glabrous and occurred on leaves. We reported for the first time Bruggmannia elongata Maia & Couri, 1992 and Proasphondyia guapirae Maia, 1994 in Armação dos Búzios.