Notas Científicas

 

New host record and geographical distribution of Optatus palmaris Pascoe 1889 (Coleoptera; Curculionidae) in Mexico

 

Un nuevo hospedero y distribución geográfica de Optatus palmaris Pascoe 1889 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) en México

 

Álvaro CASTAÑEDA–VILDÓZOLA¹, Cristian NAVA–DÍAZ², Luis M. HERNÁNDEZ–FUENTES³, Jorge VALDEZ–CARRASCO² y Bernardo COLUNGA–TREVIÑO⁴

 

¹ Fundación Salvador Sánchez Colín CICTAMEX, S.C, Ignacio Zaragoza Núm.5, Coatepec Harinas, Estado de México, C.P. 51700, MÉXICO. alvarocv1@hotmail.com

² Colegio de Posgraduados, Campus Montecillo. Km. 36.5 Carretera México–Texcoco, Montecillo, Estado de México, C.P. 56230, MÉXICO. cnava@colpos.mx, jvaldez@colpos.mx

³ INIFAP–Campo Experimental Santiago Ixcuintla, Apdo. Postal 100, Santiago Ixcuintla, Nayarit, C.P. 63300, MÉXICO. hernandez.luismartin@inifap.gob.mx

⁴ Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Departamento de Agroecología, Km. 35.5 Carretera México–Texcoco, Chapingo, Estado de México, C.P. 56230. MÉXICO.

 

Recibido: 25/02/2009
Aceptado: 10/08/2009

 

ABSTRACT

The diurnal weevil Optatus palmaris Pascoe was found on Annona muricata L. (Anonaceae) fruits in Nayarit, Mexico which represents a new plant host record and extends the weevil distribution. Other plant hosts and damages produced are mentioned.

 

The genus Optatus Pascoe 1889 belongs to Optatini tribe (Curculionidae: Baridinae) and groups three endemic species of America (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica) (O'Brien & Wibmer 1982). The geographical distribution of Optatus palmaris Pascoe is reported from Mexico (Morelos, Michoacan, and Guanajuato) (Champion 1907; Rebollar & Nava 1996; Salas–Araiza et al. 2001). O. fasciculosus Champion have been only recorded from sugar apple (A. squamosa L.), whereas O. palmaris has been found in Michoacan state on ilama (A. diversifolia Safford) and cherimoya (A. cherimola Mill.) affecting the quality and quantity of fruits (Champion 1907; Rebollar & Nava 1996; Rebollar et al. 1997).

In this note, we report that O. palmaris was found in Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit (new record) and Oaxaca (new record) states in Mexico feeding on and damaging flowers and fruits of cherimoya (A. cherimola Mill) and soursop (A. muricata L.) being the last one a new host record of O. palmaris. Collection sites were Guanajuato, Comonfort, Neutla, 20°42' 20" LN, 100°50' 20" LW, 1870 masl, 13–VIII–2005, in A. cherimola Mill. flowers and fruits, 17 specimens (A. Castañeda–Vildózola col.); Michoacan, Chilchota, 19° 51' 45" LN, 102° 08' 15" LW, 1570 masl, 16–VIII–2000, in A. cherimola Mill. fruits, 12 specimens (C. Nava–Díaz col.); Nayarit, Las Varas, 21° 11' 16" LN, 105° 08' 03" LW, 40 masl, 24–V–2006, in A. muricata. L. fruits, 10 specimens (L. M. Hernández–Fuentes col.); Oaxaca, Reyes Mantecon, San Bartolo Coyotepec, 16° 54' 23" LN, 96° 43' 43" LW, 1510 masl, 28–XI–2006, in A. cherimola Mill. fruits, 7 specimens (H. Castro–García col.). Specimens are housed at the Entomological Collection of the Colegio de Posgraduados (CEAM), Montecillo, Texcoco, state of Mexico and Fruit Pest Collection insects of the Fundacion Salvador Sánchez Colín CICTAMEX, S.C. Coatepec Harinas, state of Mexico.

According to our observations, O. palmaris is a diurnal weevil; it was found from 10:00 to 18:00 h on anona fruits. Adults (Fig. 1A) bore soursop and cherimoya fruits to feed and oviposit (Fig. 1B). When fruits were not available, adults fed on cherimoya flowers (but not soursop flowers) producing flower drop. Adults were observed feeding on fruit pedicels, affecting vascular tissue and also producing fruit drop. Clusters of adults were observed on cherimoya fruits, likely due to volatiles (Fig. 1C). Larvae fed on fruit pulp (Fig. 1D) and seeds (Fig. 1E); at the end of the last larval stage, larvae bored their way out of the fruit and pupated in soil. Detailed description of adult may be checked in Champion (1907). Our observations expand distribution, habits and host range of O. palmaris and its adaptation to a wide altitude conditions that range from 40 to nearly 2000 meters above the sea level. In Mexico, anonaceae of economical importance such as soursop, cherimoya, ilama, and saramuyo (A. squamosa L.) are grown from hot to temperate climates. The ability to feed and oviposit in flowers and fruits of cherimoya, ilama, and soursop from 40 to 2000 masl mades of O. palmaris a potential pest problem of anonaceae in Mexico.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are grateful to Dr. Charles O'Brien and Dr. Jorge E. Peña for specimens identification. We also want to thank Humberto Castro–García for his assistance in collecting the weevils.

 

LITERATURE CITED

Champion, G. C. 1907. Biologia Centrali–Americana, INSECTA, Coleoptera, Rhynchophora. Vol. 4, part 5. p: 137–240.        [ Links ]

O'Brien, C. W. & J. B. Wibmer. 1982. Annotated check list of the weevils (Curculionidae sensu lato) of North America, Central America, and the West Indies (Coleoptera:Curculionidae).Memoir of the American Entomological Institute, 34:1–382.        [ Links ]

Rebollar, A. A. & C. Nava D. 1996. Problemas parasitologicos de algunas anonáceas con potencial en el Estado de Michoacán. In. Memoria 1996. IX Curso de Actualización Frutícola. Frutales con futuro en el comercio internacional. Fundación Salvador Sánchez Colín CICTAMEX S.C. Coatepec Harinas, México. pp. 83–89.        [ Links ]

Rebollar, A. A., A. J. L Domínguez, D. Nieto A., C. Nava D. & S. F. Delgadillo. 1997. Principales plagas y enfermedades de las anonáceas en México. In. Memoria 1997. Anonáceas. Producão e Mercado (Pinha, Graviola, Atemóia, Cherimólia). Reboucas S.J.A., I Vilas B.S., O Magalhães e T. Hojo R. (eds.) Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Brasil. pp.222–228.        [ Links ]

Salas–Araiza, M. D., C.W. O'Brien & J. Romero–Nápoles. 2001. Curculionoidea (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Insecta Mundi, 15: 45–57.        [ Links ]