Anthonomus sisyphus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) new pest of acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) in Cuba
2022
Jorge Luís Rodríguez Tapia | Doris Hernández Espinosa | Victoria Zamora Rodríguez | Macotulio Soto Hernández
Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) is a shrub species that grows in tropical and subtropical climates; it is native to southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America. Its fruits have a high vitamin C content and are considered one of the most potent and least toxic natural antioxidants. Among the main pest species causing crop damage is the genus Anthonomus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). In 2019, surveys were conducted in the western region of Cuba to evaluate the presence of pests in plants located in the localities of Alquizar and Ceiba del Agua, belonging to the province of Artemisa. They collected 100 flowers and 100 green fruits of different sizes that presented deformations and symptoms characteristic of damage caused by an insect. A total of 344 holes were counted, for an average of 3.4 holes per fruit; in addition, 230 larvae, 114 eggs, 65 pupae and 81 adults of a coleopteran. The objective of the work was to identify the species of the insect associated with the observed damage. The morphological characters of the collected insect allowed the identification of Anthonomus sisyphus Clark as the cause of damage to acerola fruits and constitutes the first report of this species as a pest of this fruit tree in Cuba.
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