DIVERSITY OF ARTHROPODS PREYED UPON BY THE CARNIVOROUS PLANT PINGUICULA MORANENSIS (LENTIBULARIACEAE) IN A TEMPERATE FOREST OF CENTRAL MEXICO.

Diversity of arthropods preyed upon by the carnivorous plant Pinguicula moranensis was analyzed during 2006 within a pine-oak (Pinus-Quercus) forest in the Sierra de Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico. A total of 570 individuals of nine orders was collected. Hemiptera was recorded as prey of this plant for the first time. The most prevalent order was Diptera, with 53.6% of total prey; within this order, Sciaridae accounted for 64.7% of prey. The month with the highest values for alpha diversity was July (H 5 1.32). Greatest turnover of orders was JuneNovember and that of families of Diptera was July August. Total beta diversity was greater in families of Diptera, with a value of 1.29, while that of orders of arthropods was 0.53.