Primer registro de Cactophagus spinolae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) sobre dos especies de Stenocereus (Cactaceae) en el centro de México

Abstract

Se registra la presencia, no documentada previamente, de Cactophagus spinolae sobre 2 cactáceas, las pitayas Stenocereus pruinosus y S. stellatus, en 2 regiones del centro de México. El daño en los tallos lo provocan las larvas de este curculiónido. En general, se presenta en baja frecuencia, aunque es significativamente mayor en S. stellatus, así como en la región del valle de Tehuacán. Cuando se extiende a la rama principal puede matar a la planta, lo que representa una seria amenaza para las pitayas del centro de México, cuya importancia ecológica, cultural y económica es reconocida. Aunque el curculiónido es considerado una plaga muy dañina en especies del género Opuntia y pocos son los registros para otras cactáceas, es posible que haya adquirido nuevas plantas huéspedes, por lo que es necesario realizar un seguimiento de su presencia en las cactáceas de México.Palabras clave: picudo del nopal, pitayas, daño, valle de Tehuacán, Mixteca baja.

Current and Potential Distribution of the Cactus Weevil,Cactophagus spinolae(Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in Mexico

“…Recently, Ramírez-Delgadillo et al (2011) reported C. spinolae feeding on three species of pitahaya in Morelos, but this ecological interaction is probably older because some small production areas occur in predicted environmentally suitable area of Oaxaca and Puebla (Luna-Morales 2007;Rosales-Bustamante et al 2009;Bárcenas and Jiménez 2010). This is supported by the recent report by Bravo-Avilez et al (2014) of C. spinolae feeding on two species of Stenocereus in central Mexico. Species of Stenocereus represent an alternative income for local people (Rosales-Bustamante et al 2009), and the weevil cactus acts as a phytosanitary risk to its production, threatening practically all production areas of this crop (Fig.…”

“…Riccob. (Bravo-Avilez et al 2014), but it is possible that C. spinolae also attacks wild populations of other Agavaceae and Cactaceae, but at a low scale and possibly regulated by natural enemies. The slow and continuous infestation by the weevil weakens the infested host, with future deadly consequences.…”

“…F. M. Knuth and Opuntia Mill., Cactaceae), pitahaya or dragon fruit (species of Hylocereus (A. Berger) Britton & Rose, Cactaceae), and species included in the genera Agave L. (Asparagaceae), Cereus Mill., Ferocactus Britton & Rose, and Stenocereus (A. Berger) Riccob. (Cactaceae) in Mexico (Vaurie 1967;Ramírez-Delgadillo et al 2011;Bravo-Avilez et al 2014). Anderson (1948) reported a specimen collected in Carnegiea gigantea (Engelm.)…”

Damage in Cactaceae, their geographic distribution and new evidences

“…The genera analyzed were: Carnegiea, Dendrocereus, Myrtillocactus, Cephalocereus (= Neobuxbaumia), Pachycereus and Stenocereus. Damage by herbivores is caused by larvae and adults of different insects: Scyphophorus, Cactophagus, Nasutitermes, Neotermes, and Hymenoptera (Anderson 1948, Vila-Marín et al 2004, Villalobos et al 2007, Maya et al 2011, Bravo-Avilez et al 2014. Damage is caused by ants of the Atta genus (Pimienta et al 1999) that trim the apical zone and flowers, by the foraging of branches by mammals (e.g., goats, mouse), or by birds such as Melanerpes and Colaptes (Villalobos et al Cactaceae family have evolved various adaptations in response to stressful conditions associated with severe aridity.…”

“…Different kinds of damage have been observed in columnar cacti in Central Mexico. Among them, the most worrying is rotting of apparently healthy branches, probably related to the herbivory of larvae of C. spinolae, because it causes the death of the branches, or even of the whole plant (Ramírez-Delgadillo et al 2011, Maya et al 2011, Bravo-Avilez et al 2014. It has been observed in the States of Puebla and Oaxaca: Tehuacán Valley (Santiago Miahuatlán, Ajalpan, Zapotitlán Salinas, and Coxcatlán); the Mixteca Baja Poblana (Acatlán de Osorio, and Xayacatlán de Bravo); and the Mixteca Baja Oaxaqueña (Cosoltepec, and San Pedro and San Pablo Tequixtepec), (Figure 3).…”