The açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea) is an East Amazon palm found most frequently in the Amazon River estuary. Riverside dwellers in different regions of the state of Amapá have recently been observing a species of coleopteran attacking the inflorescences of açai palms. With a view to identifying a species of coleopteran attacking inflorescences of E. oleracea in the Brazilian state of Amapá, insects were collected in the regions of Abacate da Pedreira (two individuals) and Ariri (six) in the city of Macapá. Five individuals were also collected in Mazagão. The insects were collected from açai palm inflorescences using entomological nets, then preserved and submitted for identification. They were identified as Macraspis pseudochrysis Landin, 1956 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae). This is the first occurrence of M. pseudochrysis in E. oleracea in the Neotropics.
açai palm; Arecaceae; Macraspis; Amapá; Amazon
