Taxonomic issues related to biological control prospects for the ragweed borer, Epiblema strenuana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4729 (3) ◽  
pp. 347-358
Author(s):  
TODD M. GILLIGAN ◽  
DONALD J. WRIGHT ◽  
RICHARD L. BROWN ◽  
BENNO A. AUGUSTINUS ◽  
URS SCHAFFNER
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Host Range ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
Separate Species ◽  
Epiblema Strenuana ◽  
History Of

The ragweed borer, Epiblema strenuana (Walker, 1863), has a long history of use as a biological control agent against important weed pests in the family Asteraceae. Recently, E. strenuana has been reported feeding on the invasive perennials Ambrosia confertiflora and A. tenuifolia in Israel. The geographic location of Israel has raised concern over the possibility that the moth may spread to areas such as Ethiopia where the oil-seed crop Guizotia abyssinica is cultivated, as this is a potential host for E. strenuana. However, the taxonomic status of E. strenuana and a current synonym, E. minutana (Kearfott, 1905) is unclear. These taxa have been treated as separate species in the past, and they potentially have different feeding habits and damage different parts of the plant. We analyzed DNA data and adult morphology and determined that E. minutana, stat. rev., is a valid species which we raise from synonymy with E. strenuana. Wing coloration, the shape of the female sterigma, and COI DNA barcodes are consistently different between the two species. We also determined that the species previously identified as E. strenuana in Israel is actually E. minutana. While detailed host range tests have been conducted on the E. strenuana populations released in Australia and China, the host range of E. minutana remains to be clarified. We discuss the history of biological control using E. strenuana and the implications for finding E. minutana in Israel. We also provide species redescriptions for E. strenuana and E. minutana and illustrate diagnostic characters. 

Physiological host range of Trissolcus mitsukurii, a candidate biological control agent of Halyomorpha halys in Europe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucrezia Giovannini ◽  
Giuseppino Sabbatini-Peverieri ◽  
Leonardo Marianelli ◽  
Gabriele Rondoni ◽  
Eric Conti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Host Range ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Halyomorpha Halys

scholarly journals Biological and Host Range Characteristics of Lysathia flavipes (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a Candidate Biological Control Agent of Invasive Ludwigia spp. (Onagraceae) in the USA

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 471
Author(s):  
Angelica M. Reddy ◽  
Paul D. Pratt ◽  
Brenda J. Grewell ◽  
Nathan E. Harms ◽  
Ximena Cibils-Stewart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Host Range ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Biocontrol Agent ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Physical And Chemical

Exotic water primroses (Ludwigia spp.) are aggressive invaders in aquatic ecosystems worldwide. To date, management of exotic Ludwigia spp. has been limited to physical and chemical control methods. Biological control provides an alternative approach for the management of invasive Ludwigia spp. but little is known regarding the natural enemies of these exotic plants. Herein the biology and host range of Lysathia flavipes (Boheman), a herbivorous beetle associated with Ludwigia spp. in Argentina and Uruguay, was studied to determine its suitability as a biocontrol agent for multiple closely related target weeds in the USA. The beetle matures from egg to adult in 19.9 ± 1.4 days at 25 °C; females lived 86.3 ± 35.6 days and laid 1510.6 ± 543.4 eggs over their lifespans. No-choice development and oviposition tests were conducted using four Ludwigia species and seven native plant species. Lysathia flavipes showed little discrimination between plant species: larvae aggressively fed and completed development, and the resulting females (F1 generation) oviposited viable eggs on most plant species regardless of origin. These results indicate that L. flavipes is not sufficiently host-specific for further consideration as a biocontrol agent of exotic Ludwigia spp. in the USA and further testing is not warranted.

scholarly journals Taxonomic status of Flexopecten glaber ponticus (Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1889) – the Black Sea Flexopecten glaber (Linnaeus, 1758) (Bivalvia: Pectinidae)

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 14-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. P. Bondarev
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Marmara Sea ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Republic

The name Flexopecten glaber ponticus (Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1889) is generally used for the only Pectinidae representative inhabiting the Black Sea. It is registered in the Red Book of the Republic of Crimea as endemic subspecies reducing in amount. F. glaber ponticus is listed in WoRMS MolluscaBase as the only accepted subspecies of Flexopecten glaber (Linnaeus, 1758). In the past its taxonomic status has been changed from a geographic variety to valid species. The purpose of this study is to establish its correct taxonomic status. The study is based on a comparative analysis of conchological features of Flexopecten glaber and F. glaber ponticus in relation with the brief natural history of population in the Black Sea. Sampling was performed by snorkel equipment in Kazach’ya Bay (Black Sea, Crimea, Sevastopol) at 2–6 m depths. A total of 100 scallop specimens were sampled in September 2017. To assure a better understanding in a broader context those results are compared with the previously published morphological data based on the analysis of a large amount of material from the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea – Marmara Sea regions. Comparative analysis of conchological features of F. glaber ponticus from the Black Sea with F. glaber from the Mediterranean region has not revealed any distinct differences between them. Thus, there are no evidenced data for the diagnosis of F. glaber ponticus as a subspecies. Species F. glaber appeared in the Black Sea not earlier than 7,000 years ago and formed a well developed population less than 3,000 years ago. We have to conclude that the specified divergence period is not long enough to form a subspecies. As a result of the present survey the subspecific status of F. glaber ponticus is not retained and the name is placed in synonymy of the parent species Flexopecten glaber.

CASST™ herbicide(Alternaria cassiae);A case history of a mycoherbicide

1988 ◽  
Vol 3 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 73-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. Bannon
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Case History ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Measure ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Cassia Obtusifolia ◽  
Cassia Occidentalis ◽  
History Of ◽  
Crotalaria Spectabilis

CASST™ herbicide (Alternaria cassiae,) has been shown to be an effective biological control agent for sicklepod ("Cassia obtusifolia LJ, coffee senna ("Cassia occidentalis L.) and showy crotalaria ("Crotalaria spectabilis Roth). Current research has shown the potential of this mycoherbicide for use both alone and integrated with other herbicides as an effective commercial control measure for these troublesome weeds.

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