Abstract
Spintherophyta semiaurata (Klug) is reported for the first time damaging flowers of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) in the municipality of São José dos Pinhais, State of Parana, Brazil.
Fragaria x ananassa; Eumolpinae; Neotropical Region; host-plant
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
First record of Spintherophyta semiaurata (Klug) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) damaging strawberry flowers
MAC ZawadneakI; GH Rosado NetoII; JM SchuberI; HA ParchenI
IDepto de Patologia Básica. Univ Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
IIDepto de Zoologia, Setor de Ciências Biológicas. Univ Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
Correspondence Correspondence: Maria A C Zawadneak Depto de Patologia Básica, Univ Federal do Paraná CP 19020 81530-980 Curitiba, PR, Brasil mazawa@ufpr.br
ABSTRACT
Spintherophyta semiaurata (Klug) is reported for the first time damaging flowers of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) in the municipality of São José dos Pinhais, State of Parana, Brazil.
Keywords:Fragaria x ananassa, Eumolpinae, Neotropical Region, host-plant
During monitoring of the entomofauna in commercial strawberry crops in the municipality of São José dos Pinhais, State of Paraná, a small species of beetle (3.0 to 3.8 mm in length) was observed from October to January, during the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 growing seasons. This beetle species has a rounded body varying in color from green, blue or black, always with a metallic luster, and was found damaging strawberry flowers. The insects were initially observed feeding on petals, but in larger infestations they ended up destroying the entire flowers. The specimens collected were identified at the Departamento de Zoologia, of the Universidade Federal do Paraná, as Spintherophyta semiaurata (Klug) (Fig 1). Voucher specimens were deposited at the "Coleção Entomológica Pe. Jesus Santiago Moure" (DZUP).
Spintherophyta Dejean (= Chrysodina Baly, according to Monros & Bechyne 1956) is represented by 71 species widely distributed in Central and South America (Blackwelder 1946) and four species in North America (Schultz 1976). Information on host plants for most species is scarce (Staines Jr 1991). Chrysodina [sic] species have been recorded as defoliators of apple in Brazil (Santos & Gonçalves 2009). Spintherophyta semiaurata was recorded in Prosopis sp. (Fabaceae) in Argentina and Brazil, without any comments on its feeding activity on this plant (Ward et al 1977). It has also been recorded as a secondary pest of mate-tea (Ilex paraguariensis) in Southern Brazil (Iede & Machado 1989).
Although this is the first record of S. semiaurata damaging strawberry flowers, the larval feeding habits and larval host plants are still unknown. Studies on the life cycle, potential natural enemies, and a careful record of larval and adult damage caused by this species, as well as their period of occurrence in strawberry crops from other geographic regions, are important to determine whether future control measures are required or not.
Acknowledgement
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq and Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA) for financial support.
Recived 11 May 2010 and accepted 13 October 2010
Edited by Roberto A Zucchi - ESALQ/USP
- Blackwelder RE (1946) Checklist of the coleopterous insects of México, Central America, the West Indies, and South America. Bull U S Natl Mus 185: 551-763.
- Iede ET, Machado DC (1989) Pragas da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis St Hill.) e seu controle. Bol Pesq Florest 18: 51-60.
- Monros F, Bechyne J (1956) Ueber einige verkannte Chrysomeliden namen. Entomol Arb Mus G Frey Tutzing bei Muench 7: 1118-1137.
- Santos JP, Gonçalves PS (2009) Principais insetos-pragas e inimigos naturais no sistema de produção orgânica de maçãs. Rev Bras Agroecol 4:307-311.
- Schultz WT (1976) Review of the genus Spintherophyta (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in North America North of Mexico. Ann Entomol Soc Am 69: 877-881.
- Staines Jr CL (1991) A host plant for adult Spintherophyta globosa (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Coleopt Bull 45: 200.
- Ward CR, O'Brien CW, O'Brien LB, Foster DE, Huddleston EW (1977) Annotated checklist of New World insects associated with Prosopis (Mesquite). U S Dep Agric Tech Bull 1557: 115p.
Correspondence:
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
21 June 2011 -
Date of issue
June 2011
History
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Accepted
13 Oct 2010 -
Received
11 May 2010