ESPECIES DE ACRIDOIDEA (INSECTA: ORTHOPTERA, CAELIFERA) PRIORITARIAS PARA LA CONSERVACIÓN EN URUGUAY

Abstract

Concern grows for conserving biodiversity due to the strong impact of productive activities and urbanization exert on it. To address this problem it is necessary to determine the species with the greatest threats. The great majority of priority animal species for conservation are vertebrates, while invertebrates are practically absent, despite the great diversity of species they present. The grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acridoidea), known as locusts of the country or tucuras, are native herbivorous insects typical of different habitat of Uruguay. Changes in habitat linked to agricultural-livestock and forestry activities are the main threats. The objective of this work was to compile a list of priority acridianspecies for conservation. To determine this list, some criteria used by other authors for arachnids from Uruguay were followed. A list of 38 priority acridian species for conservation belonging to the families Ommexechidae (1), Romaleidae (10) and Acrididae (27) was compiled. This work lays the foundations to generate agreements in the country and in the region in the conservation of the group's biodiversity.