Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T23:11:40.888Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Smicronyx species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), economically important seed predators of witchweeds (Striga spp.) (Scrophulariaceae) in sub-Saharan Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

D. M. Anderson  and
M. L. Cox
D. M. Anderson
Affiliation:
Systematic Entomology Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, c/o National Museum of Natural History, NHB Stop 168, Washington DC 20560, USA
M. L. Cox
Affiliation:
International Institute of Entomology, 56 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5JR, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The taxonomy of three species of Smicronyx that are potential biocontrol agents of witchweeds (Striga spp.) in West Africa is revised. The two most abundant species are identified as Smicronyx(Afrosmicronyx) umbrinus Hustache and S. (Smicronyx) guineanus Voss. A third species is described as Smicronyx (Afrosmicronyx) dorsomaculatus Cox, sp. n. Diagnostic descriptions and a key, to separate adults of the three species from each other and from Sharpia bella Faust, are presented. Mature larvae of the three Smicronyx species are separated through a key and diagnoses. A lectotype is selected for Smicronyx umbrinus. All available host and distribution data are summarized for each species.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 87 , Issue 1 , February 1997 , pp. 3 - 17
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, D.M. (1974) Some species of Smicronyx (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) associated with Cuscuta species in Pakistan. Proceeding of the Entomological Society of Washington 76, 359–374.Google Scholar
Bashir, M.O. (1987) The potential for biological control of witchweeds. pp. 183–206in Musselman, L.J. (Ed.) Parasitic weeds in agriculture. Boca Raton, Florida, CRC Press.Google Scholar
Bashir, M.O. & Musselman, L.J. (1984) Some natural enemies of Striga hermonthica in the Sudan. Tropical Pest Management 30, 211–212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Faust, J. (1891) Curculioniden aus Ost-Indien. Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung 52, 259–287.Google Scholar
Frilli, F. (1966) Smicronyx menozzii Solari, Coleottero Curculionide cecidogeno su Cuscuta. Entomologica, Annali di Entomologia Generale e Applicata Pubblicati and dall'Instituto di Entomologia Agraria della Università di Bari 2, 93–120.Google Scholar
Girling, D.J., Greathead, D.J., Mohyuddin, A.I. & Sankaran, T. (1979) The potential for biological control in the suppression of parasitic weeds. Biocontrol News and Information 1, 7–16.Google Scholar
Greathead, D.J. (1984) The natural enemies of Striga spp. and the prospects for their utilization as biological control agents. pp. 133–160in Ayensu, E.S., Doggett, H., Keynes, R.D., Marton-Lefevre, J., Musselman, L.J., Parker, C. & Pickering, A. (Eds STRIGA –biology and control. Paris: International Council of Scientific Unions.Google Scholar
Greathead, D.J. & Milner, J.E.D. (1971) A survey of Striga spp. (Scrophulariaceae) and their insect natural enemies in East Africa with a discussion on the possibilities of biological control. Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad) 48, 111–124.Google Scholar
Hoffmann, A. (1958) Faune de France, 62. Coléoptères Curculionides, (Troisième Partie). 630 pp. Paris, Lechevalier.Google Scholar
Hoffmann, A. (1962) Curculionides inédits et observations diverses concernant quelques espéces de cette familie appartenant à la faune africaine. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France 67, 12–128.Google Scholar
Hoffmann, A. (1968) Coléoptères Curculionides Recoltés au Tchad et au Cameroon par M.M.J. Gruvel et J. Pericart en 1962–1963. Bulletin de l'Institut Francais d'Afrique Noire 30, 151–187.Google Scholar
Hustache, A. (1932) Curculionides nouveaux de l'Afrique Equatoriale (II Partie). Sbornik Entomologického Oddeleni Národniho Musea V Praze 10, 28–109.Google Scholar
Hustache, A. (1935) Mission J. de Lépiney au Soudan Francais (1933–1934) (Treizième note) Coléoptères Curculionides. Bulletin de la Société des Sciences Naturelles du Maroc 15, 26–30.Google Scholar
Hustache, A. (1940) Curculionides de l'Afrique Occidentale Francais. Bulletin de l'Institut Français de l'Afrique Noire 3–4, 182–189.Google Scholar
Karasyov, V.P. (1995) Taxonomic notes on Old World Smicronychini (Insecta: Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Erirrhininae). Reichebachia Statliches Museum für Tierkunde Dresden 31, 57–63.Google Scholar
Khan, M.Q. & Murthy, D.V. (1955) Smicronyx albovariegatus Faust (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) on Striga spp. Indian Journal of Entomology 17, 362.Google Scholar
Markham, R.H. (1985) Possibilities for the biological control of Striga species in the Sahel. Report of a consultancy for FAO/CILSS Projet Lutte Integrée. Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux.Google Scholar
Marshall, G.A.K. (1946) Taxonomic notes on Curculionidae (Col.). Annals and Magazine of Natural History 13, 93–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mboob, S.S. (1986) A regional programme for West and Central Africa. pp. 191–194 in Proceedings of the FAO/OAU All-African Government Consulation on Striga control20–24 October, 1986,Maroua,Cameroon.Google Scholar
Mboob, S.S. (1989) A regional program for Striga control in West and Central Africa. pp. 194–199in Robson, T.O. & Broad, H.R. (Eds) Improved management in Africa. Proceedings of the FAO/OAU All-Africa Government Consultation on Striga Control, Plant production and Protection Paper 96.Rome,FAO.Google Scholar
Oseto, C.Y. & Braness, G.A. (1979) Description of the larva and pupa of Smicronyx fulvus LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 52, 103–108.Google Scholar
Parker, C. & Riches, C.R. (1993) Parasitic weeds of the world: biology and control. 304 pp. Wallingford, UK, CAB International.Google Scholar
Sauerborn, J. (1991) The economic importance of the phytoparasites Orobanche and Striga. pp. 137–143in Ransom, J.K., musselman, L.J., Worsham, A.D. & Parker, C. (Eds) Proceedings of the 5th International Symposiun on Parasitic Weeds.Nairobi,CIMMYT.Google Scholar
Smith, M.C., Holt, J. & Webb, M. (1993) Population model of the parasitic weed Striga hermonthica (Scrophulariaceae) to investigate the potential of Smicronyx umbrinus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) for biological control in Mali. Crop Protection 12, 471–476.Google Scholar
Traoré, D. (1995) Bionomics of Smicronyx auineanus Voss and Smumbrinus Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), votential biocontrol agents of Striga hremonthica (Del.) Benth. PhD thesis, Macdonald Campus, McGill University.Google Scholar
Traoré, D., Vincent, C. & Séré, A. (1991) Prospects for biological control of Striga (Witchweed) in Burkina Faso. p. 328in Ransom, J.K., Musselman, L.J., Worsham, A.D. & Parker, C. (Eds) Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Parasitic Weeds.Nairobi,CIMMYT.Google Scholar
Traoré, D., Vincent, C. & Stewart, R.K. (1995) Life history of Smicronyx guineanus Voss and Sm. umbrinus Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. (Scrophulariaceae). Entomophaga. 40, 211–221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Traoré, D., Vincent, C. & Stewart, R.K. (1996) Effect of precipitation on emergence of Smicronyx guineanus Voss and Sm. umbrinus Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) adults and soil vertical distribution of pupae. International Journal of Pest Management 42, 9–12.Google Scholar
Traoré, D., Vincent, C. & Stewart, R.K. (in press, a) Association and synchrony of Smicronyx guineanus Voss, Sm. umbrinus Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and the parasitic weed Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. (Scrophulariaceae). Biological Control.Google Scholar
Traoré, D., Vincent, C. & Stewart, R.K. (in press, b) Dispersion patterns of adults and vertical distribution of larvae of Smicronyx guineanus Voss and Sm. umbrinus Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. (Scrophulariaceae). Insect Science and Its Applications.Google Scholar
Voss, E. (1956) Westafricanische Curculioniden aus dem Museum G. Frey (Col.) I. Entomologische Arbeiten aus dem Museum Georg Frey 7, 599–634.Google Scholar
Williams, C.N. & Caswell, G.H. (1959) An insect attacking Striga. Nature 184 (4699), 1668.CrossRefGoogle Scholar