Coleoptera of Togo: data of the LEA Insect Collection of the University of Lome

This database aims to be a component of a larger one: A national Coleoptera diversity database in Togo. Indeed, like other African countries, various ecosystems of Togo, such as forests and wetlands, are undergoing intensive degradation due to agricultural practices and rapid population growth (UICN/PACO 2008). The loss of biodiversity associated with ecosystem degradation and habitat destruction, especially in insects is well documented (Ehrlich 1988, Lugo 1988, Samways 1994, Turner 1996, Erwin 1997, Orgeas and Ponel 2001). This is the case of the Missahoe Classified Forest (FCM) located in Kloto prefecture where the most of the Coleoptera specimens constituting this dataset were collected. Due to its immense entomological diversity, this forest has been a modelsinces the 1980’ for entomology and ethnobiology research for scholars in Togo and other researchers in West African and Northern region. For instance, Milan (2011) compiled a catalog of 269 species of Rhopalocera Lepidoptera during a mission in the FCM and the Museum of IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture) in Cotonou-Benin included specimens of insects collected in this forest (Curletti and Goergen 2011). Unfortunately, in the early 1990s, intensive hunting for purposes of national and especially international trade of Lepidoptera, Phasmoptera and Coleoptera (MERF/PNUD 2010) threatened these groups and affected a large food web (Klimaszewski 2000). Besides the effects on species populations and ecosystems, human populations in the region are affected in other ways, as insects in general occupy an important place in their health, socio-cultural, artistic and aesthetic activities (Van Huis 1996, 2003a, 2003b). Indeed, this dataset contains records of pests and species used as food by various ethnic groups in Togo. Among the stock pest, the following species can be cited: Callosobruchus maculatus F., Callosobruchus rhodesianus P. and Bruchidius atrolineatus P. of Chrysomelidae family (Giga and Smith 1987, Glitho 1990, Ketoh et al. 2000, 2002, Amevoin et al. 2006, Doumma et al. 2011) are associated with cowpea, Vigna ungucilata L. (Fabaceae). Prostephanus truncatus H. (Bostrichidae), an invasive species, constuting serious pest of stored maize and cassava that was introduced in Togo in 1980 (Hodges 1994, Mendiola-Olaya et al. 2000, Tyler and Hodges 2002, Muatinte et al. 2014); Sternochetus mangiferae F. (Curculionidae), develops mainly on mango and constitutes a species of quarantine in the countries where it is absent (Follett 2002, De Roffignac et al. 2007, Louw 2010, Muriuki 2011, OEPP/EPPO 2011, CABI 2017); and Apate monachus F. (Bostrichidae), attacks coffee tree, Coffea liberica W. Bull ex Hiern (Rubiaceae), aged 4 to 5 years and digs galleries in the lower half of the trunk (D’Aguilar et al. 1962). With regard to edible insects, species belonging to Buprestidae (Sternocera interrupta Olivier), Curculionidae (Rhynchophorus phoenicis Fabricius), Cerambycidae (Petrognatha gigas Fabricius), Dytiscidae (Cybister tripunctatus Olivier, Cybister senegalensis Aubé) and Scarabaeidae families (Oryctes monoceros Olivier, Heteroligus meles Billberg, Augosoma centaurus Fabricius, Pachnoda cordata Drury, Gnathocera trivittata Swederus) (Van Huis 2003b, Agbidye et al. 2009, Badanaro 2015, Kelemu et al. 2015, Kumar et al. 2017) can be mentioned. In addition, there is very few online data on Coleoptera in the West African region (Figure 1). Currently, the largest dataset is contributed by the « Denver Museum of Nature & Science ». However, despite its size, all its recods come from a few localities of Ivory Coast (6,174 occurrences), and more than 90% of these belongs to just four species in the Scarabaeidae family. Given this striking lack of data on Coleoptera in this area, our dataset contributes significatively to a better knowledge of these insects (Togo in Figure 1). The present dataset specifically: (1) provides label data of the Coleoptera specimens kept at the Insect Collection of LEA; (2) allows to follow up the population dynamics of these species in time and space at national level for their conservation, and (3) contributes to knowledge of their distribution according to the different agro-ecological zones in West Africa, setting a baseline for future ecological studies.

本数据集旨在作为更大规模数据库的组成部分：多哥全国鞘翅目（Coleoptera）多样性数据库。事实上，与其他非洲国家一样，多哥的各类生态系统（如森林与湿地）正因农业活动与人口快速增长而遭受严重退化（UICN/PACO，2008）。生态系统退化与栖息地破坏所引发的生物多样性丧失，尤其是昆虫类群的此类丧失，已有大量文献记载（Ehrlich，1988；Lugo，1988；Samways，1994；Turner，1996；Erwin，1997；Orgeas & Ponel，2001）。本次数据集所收录的多数鞘翅目标本，均采集自位于克洛托县的米萨霍保护林（Missahoe Classified Forest，FCM）。因其拥有极为丰富的昆虫区系多样性，该森林自20世纪80年代起便成为多哥学者以及西非与北部地区研究者开展昆虫学与民族生物学研究的典范区域。例如，Milan（2011）在米萨霍保护林开展调研期间，编制了一份包含269种鳞翅目（Lepidoptera）蝶类（Rhopalocera）的名录；而位于贝宁科托努的国际热带农业研究所（International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA）博物馆亦收藏有该森林采集的昆虫标本（Curletti & Goergen，2011）。然而在20世纪90年代初，针对鳞翅目、竹节虫目（Phasmoptera）与鞘翅目昆虫的过度猎捕（用于国内乃至国际贸易），已对这些类群造成威胁，并破坏了复杂的食物网（MERF/PNUD，2010；Klimaszewski，2000）。除对物种种群与生态系统造成影响外，该区域的人类社群也在其他方面受到波及——昆虫在当地民众的健康、社会文化、艺术与审美活动中均占据重要地位（Van Huis，1996、2003a、2003b）。本数据集收录了多哥各民族所利用的害虫与食用昆虫物种记录。仓储害虫类群中，本次数据集收录了叶甲科（Chrysomelidae）的镰尾豆象（Callosobruchus maculatus F.）、罗得西亚豆象（Callosobruchus rhodesianus P.）与暗纹豆象（Bruchidius atrolineatus P.），它们均与豆科（Fabaceae）豇豆属的长豇豆（Vigna ungucilata L.）存在关联（Giga & Smith，1987；Glitho，1990；Ketoh等，2000、2002；Amevoin等，2006；Doumma等，2011）；大谷蠹（Prostephanus truncatus H.，长蠹科Bostrichidae）是一种入侵性害虫，严重危害仓储玉米与木薯，于1980年传入多哥（Hodges，1994；Mendiola-Olaya等，2000；Tyler & Hodges，2002；Muatinte等，2014）；芒果象甲（Sternochetus mangiferae F.，象甲科Curculionidae）主要寄生于芒果，在无该物种分布的国家被列为检疫性有害生物（Follett，2002；De Roffignac等，2007；Louw，2010；Muriuki，2011；OEPP/EPPO，2011；CABI，2017）；咖啡黑长蠹（Apate monachus F.，长蠹科Bostrichidae）则危害4~5年生的利比里亚咖啡树（Coffea liberica W. Bull ex Hiern，茜草科Rubiaceae），并在树干下半部蛀食坑道（D’Aguilar等，1962）。食用昆虫类群方面，本次数据集收录了如下类群的物种：吉丁甲科（Buprestidae）的Sternocera interrupta Olivier；象甲科（Curculionidae）的Rhynchophorus phoenicis Fabricius；天牛科（Cerambycidae）的Petrognatha gigas Fabricius；龙虱科（Dytiscidae）的Cybister tripunctatus Olivier与Cybister senegalensis Aubé；以及金龟科（Scarabaeidae）的Oryctes monoceros Olivier、Heteroligus meles Billberg、Augosoma centaurus Fabricius、Pachnoda cordata Drury与Gnathocera trivittata Swederus（Van Huis，2003b；Agbidye等，2009；Badanaro，2015；Kelemu等，2015；Kumar等，2017）。此外，西非地区的鞘翅目在线数据极为匮乏（图1）。目前规模最大的相关数据集由丹佛自然与科学博物馆（Denver Museum of Nature & Science）提供，但即便其数据量可观，所有记录均仅来自科特迪瓦的少数区域（共计6174条记录），且其中超过90%的记录仅隶属于金龟科（Scarabaeidae）的4个物种。鉴于该区域鞘翅目数据存在显著缺口，本数据集将为增进对这类昆虫的认知作出重要贡献（图1中的多哥区域）。本数据集的具体价值如下：(1) 提供保藏于LEA昆虫标本馆的鞘翅目标本的标签数据；(2) 支持在国家尺度上追踪这些物种的时空种群动态，以助力其保护工作；(3) 增进对西非不同农业生态区鞘翅目分布格局的认知，为后续生态学研究奠定基准基线。