First Record of Brazil nut Pollinators Outside Amazon Biome

Abstract

We present the first records of insect visitors and pollinators of Bertholletia excelsa (Lecythidaceae) in a 25 years plantation outside the Amazon biome, flowering and producing Brazil nuts. We installed a platform to observe and photograph the insects. The collected insects were stored, mounted, and identified by specialists. Six species were observed, three of them classified as potential pollinators ( Centris lutea , Eulaema nigrita , Eulaema cingulata ). The species E. nigrita and E. cingulata were already reported as a pollinators of Brazil nut in Amazon. This is the first record of C. lutea as potential pollinators for B. excelsa .