Pagiocerus frontalis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) associated with avocado Persea americana Miller (Lauraceae) fruit in Nayarit, Mexico
Abstract
Pagiocerus frontalis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is known to feed on stored grains, especially corn Zea mays L. (Poaceae). No reports are available of this borer feeding on avocado seeds (Persea americana Mill.; Lauraceae), which is one of the most economically important crops exported by Mexico. In 2019, this coleopteran was extraordinarily abundant (about 30 adults per avocado seed) in an avocado orchard located in Nayarit, Mexico. We found that this insect feeds on mature fallen avocados. Biological and behavioral aspects of P. frontalis still are largely unknown on avocado fruits. This study documented the natural occurrence of this species on avocado seeds in Nayarit, Mexico.
Sumario
Pagiocerus frontalis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) se alimenta de granos almacenados, especialmente maíz Zea mays L. (Poaceae). Sin embargo, no hay informes sobre la alimentación de este barrenador en semillas de aguacate (Persea americana Mill.; Lauraceae), uno de los cultivos más importantes desde el punto de vista económico en México. En 2019, la población de este coleóptero era extraordinariamente abundante (acerca de 30 adultos por semilla de aguacate) en un huerto de aguacate ubicado en Nayarit, México. Este insecto fue encontrado alimentándose de aguacates maduros recién caídos de los árboles. Los aspectos biológicos y conductuales de P. frontalis son desconocidos en los frutos de aguacate. Tomando esto en cuenta, el objetivo del estudio fue documentar la natural ocurrencia de esta especie en semillas de aguacate en Nayarit, México.
Key Words: borer; Xalisco; insect; spermophagy; bark beetle
View this article in BioOne https://doi.org/10.1653/024.104.0409
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright for any article published in Florida Entomologist is held by the author(s) of the article. Florida Entomologist is an open access journal. Florida Entomologist follows terms of the Creative Commons, Attribution Non-Commercial License (cc by-nc). By submitting and publishing articles in Florida Entomologist, authors grant the FOJ and Florida Entomologist's host institutions permission to make the article available through Internet posting and electronic dissemination, and to otherwise archive the information contained both electronically and in a hard printed version. When used, information and images obtained from articles must be referenced and cited appropriately. Articles may be reproduced for personal, educational, or archival purposes, or any non-commercial use. Permission should be sought from the author(s) for multiple, non-commercial reproduction. Written permission from the author(s) is required for any commercial reproduction.