The aphidfauna (Hom. Aphididae) of the southern side of the Orocantabrian phytogeographic Province, Spain

Abstract

The Orocantabrian phytogeographic Province is situated in Cantabrian Mountain Range in the north-weast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the only phytogeographic Province which is exclusively Iberian in the Eurosiberian phytogeographic Region. The aphidfauna of the southern side of the Province has been studied from bibliographic and unpublished data from 92 localities within the province of Leon. Two hundred and sixtysix species of aphids (Hom. Aphididae) belonging to 9 subfamilies are recorded. Monaphis antennata is reported for the first time in Spain and Acyrthosiphon echinospartii for the second. Another 53 species are recorded for the first time in the area. Family distribution with regard to world fauna is discussed. The distribution of aphid species in the three phytogeographic Sectors of the Province is discussed: the richest Sector is “Ubiñense-Picoeuropeano”, probably because of its greater floristic diversity. The height distribution of the species is discussed, paying special attention to the absence of some species at lower altitudes (less that 1,000 m) and of others at higher altitudes (1,600 m and higher). Taking into account phytogeographic-altitude inventories, a study of simalirity of the overall distribution of the aphids in the Province was carried out. The existence of an altitudinal gradient and up to a certain point of a longitudinal gradient (from east to west) is concluded.