In Córdoba province, central Argentina, there is an area of introduced pine trees, in which an invading Cerambycid, Arhopalus rusticus (L.), was detected in this region for the first time in 2006. The species has since expanded its range until it now occupies the whole area. Arhopalus rusticus is a common species in pine forests of the northern hemisphere. In this paper, we analyze how sex and mating status affects flight performance and the potential distribution of this species. The study was performed with individuals collected from introduced pine forests in the center-west of Córdoba Province (Argentina). The dispersal capability of A. rusticus was determined by measuring flight speed and distance traveled by recently emerged mated and unmated A. rusticus in flight mills. Data of preflight body weight, postflight body weight, body length, and elytron size were obtained from the individuals that were flown in the flight mill. We found that females had a greater body length, weighed more, had longer elytra, and were stronger flyers than males. We also found that mated individuals flew faster and longer distances than unmated individuals, and consumed a smaller fraction of their body weight. A positive ratio was observed between elytra size and flight speed. A map of males' and females' dispersal distances was produced for the study region, using the adjusted dispersal distance distribution of males and females. The flight performance showed that, as females disperse after copulation, they increase the chances of establishing the species in unoccupied areas.
Host patch characteristics may influence the abundance of a species, but this will depend on the species’ dispersal ability and the distance between suitable patches. In central Argentina, an area of introduced pine forest was planted for wood production in the 1940s. In 2006, an invading longhorn beetle, Arhopalus rusticus (L.) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), was detected in the area. Since then, the species has expanded its range until it occupies the whole area. We analyze how the configuration of host patches and flight performance of A. rusticus affect its distribution. The study was performed in the center‐west of Córdoba Province, Argentina, with 24 000 ha of introduced pine forests the main pine production zone of the province. Land cover was estimated using Landsat 8 scenes. Landscape was quantified by estimating the focal patch's area, fractal dimension index (FRAC), and Euclidean nearest neighbor distance (ENN). Focal patch area showed a positive relationship with A. rusticus abundance, whereas ENN and FRAC had a negative relationship. The dispersal ability of A. rusticus was determined by putting recently emerged individuals to fly in flight mills. The flight performance results indicated that the species was probably introduced in the area by human activity, then rapidly established and expanded to the whole area. This indicates the importance of preventing its arrival in other pine production areas of Argentina, as it has proved to be an extremely successful invader.
Arhopalus syriacus es una especie exótica presente en los pinares de Argentina que ataca especies de Pinus. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar el tiempo de desarrollo y la supervivencia de A. syriacus a 25 °C usando dieta artificial. Tiempos, tasas de desarrollo, pesos, medidas de cápsulas cefálicas y largo de las larvas fueron observados en condiciones de laboratorio; mientras que la proporción de sexos, emergencia y reproducción de los adultos se registraron utilizando trozas de pinos. Las larvas puparon después de 6, 7, 8 y 9 estadios. El ancho de las cápsulas cefálicas y el largo de las larvas disminuyeron a partir del cuarto y sexto estadio, respectivamente. Las pupas hembra fueron más grandes y pesadas. La supervivencia fue menor en los primeros dos estadios y llegó al 100% en larvas maduras y pupas. Las máximas abundancias de adultos que emergieron de las trozas de pino ocurrieron en los meses de noviembre y diciembre. Los machos adultos vivieron 9,27 ± 0,84 días y fueron más livianos que las hembras, que vivieron 9,12 ± 1,61 días. El número de larvas por hembra fue 80,65 ± 10,62. El ciclo de vida total de A. syriacus duró 298,86 ± 13,66 días.
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