Establishment and new hosts of the non-native seed beetle Stator limbatus (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) on acacias in Europe

By

Cocco, Arturo
Brundu, Giuseppe
Berquier, Cyril
Andreï-Ruiz, Marie Cécile
Pusceddu, Michelina
Porceddu, Marco
Podda, Lina
Satta, Alberto
Petit, Yohan
Floris, Ignazio

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021

Original Publication

NeoBiota : advancing research on alien species and biological invasions

Volume

70

Pages

167--192

Subjects

Acacia mearnsii , Acacia pycnantha , Acacia saligna , Alien species , bean weevil , biological invasion , Mediterranean islands

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sophia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.70.70441

 

Abstract

Stator limbatusis a phytophagous beetle native to warm regions of North and Central America, feeding on Fabaceae seeds and one of the most polyphagous species within the subfamily Bruchinae, here reported for the first time in Europe and on new hosts. Adult beetles emerged fromAcaciaspp. seeds collected in the islands of Corsica (France), and Sardinia (Italy). The wide presence in Sardinia and Corsica supports the hypothesis that this alien species was introduced several years ago. In both islands,S. limbatusemerged fromAcacia mearnsiiseeds, with infestation rates of up to 74.2 and 90.8% in 2019 and 2020, respectively. This seed beetle also emerged from two previously unreported host species,Acacia salignaandA. pycnantha, showing highest infestation rates of 4.0 and 95.1%, respectively. BothAcaciaspecies are reported as new host associations withS. limbatus. Overall, seed infestation rates recorded in 2019 and 2020 indicate thatS. limbatusis well established and that Mediterranean bioclimatic conditions are suitable for its population increase in size. This study lays the foundations for further research on known and potential host species and the spread and distribution ofS. limbatusin Europe.