Current status of knowledge on endemic entomofauna from highlands of La Réunion
The status of knowledge on the entomofauna of La Réunion appears quite variable depending on the insect order considered. While Coleoptera and Lepidoptera have received sustained attention, it is only recently that some other groups such as Odonata, Dictyoptera, Thysanoptera or Hemiptera Auchenorrhyncha have been extensively studied. Other important orders such as Diptera and Hymenoptera appear to be far less known and will require extensive studies in the future. Within the on going process of the creation of a National Park in the highlands of La Réunion, a series of studies was initiated by the "Mission Parc National des Hauts de la Réunion", aiming at synthetising the current knowledge on various groups of plant and animals. CIRAD was in charge of the work on entomofauna. In collaboration with the Natural History Museum, the Insectarium of La Réunion and some individual specialists, an attempt was made to synthetize the current status of knowledge on the different insect orders based on existing literature records. The attention was focused on four groups (Odonata, Hemiptera Auchenorrhyncha, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera) selected on the base of their knowledge status or their possible interest as bio-indicators. All endemic taxa from La Réunion or from the Mascarenes were listed and their known geographical distribution precised. The corresponding database was used with GIS to draw maps of areas showing a particular interest for the conservation of these endemic taxa. Further studies should be conducted to extend to database to all orders of insects and other group of arthropods. (Texte intégral)