SUBFAMILYDRYOPHTHORINAE, Schoenherr, 1825

Peck, Stewart B., 2016, The beetles of the Lesser Antilles (Insecta, Coleoptera): diversity and distributions, Insecta Mundi 2016 (460), pp. 1-360 : 205-207

SUBFAMILYDRYOPHTHORINAE

TRIBEDRYOPHTHORINI

Dryophthorus guadelupensis Hustache 1932: 336 ; O’Brien and Turnbow 2011: 4. Distribution. Dominica, Guadeloupe; Lesser Antillesendemic.

Dryophthorus nanus Hustache 1932: 336 ; O’Brienand Turnbow 2011: 4. Distribution. Dominica, Guadeloupe; Lesser Antillesendemic.

Stenommatus sp. , O’Brienand Turnbow 2011: 4. Distribution. Dominica; singleisland endemic?

TRIBEORTHOGNATHINI

Mesocordylus porriginosus (Boheman) 1838: 811 ( Sipalus ); Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 456; Hustache 1932: 386; Vaurie 1970: 56-58; O’Brienand Turnbow 2011: 5. Distribution. Dominica, Guadeloupe; Lesser Antilles endemic. Notes. Reported from the trunks of Ormosia dasycarpa Jacks. (Fabaceae) as well as in the trunks of other trees, and under cut wood (Vaurie 1970: 56-58).

TRIBERHYNCHOPHORINI

SUBTRIBERHYNCHOPHORINA

Rhynchophorus palmarum (L.) 1758: 377 ( Curculio ); Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 453; Hustache 1932: 376; Bennettand Alam 1985: 30; Perez-Gelabert 2008: 134; O’Brienand Turnbow 2011: 5. Distribution. Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada *, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Martinique, St. Vincent. USA (CA, TX), Mexico to Panama, South America ; widespread New World. Notes. These large weevils are primarily associatedwith a wide variety of palms. According to Wattanapongsiri (1966) Rhynchophorus palmarum has been associated with species of the palms Acrocomia sp. , Attalaea sp., Bactris sp. , Chrysalidocarpus sp. , Cocos sp. (including coconut palm), Desmoncus sp. , Elaeis sp. (including oil palm), Euterpe sp. , Guilielma sp. , Manicaria sp. , Maximiliana sp. , Oreodoxa sp. , Ricinus sp. , and Sabal sp. as well as non-palms such as Gynerium sp. and Saccharum sp. (sugar cane) (Graminae), Carica papaya L. and Jaracatia sp. (Caricaeae) , Ananas sp. (pineapple) ( Bromeliaceae ) and Musa sp. (banana) ( Scitamineae ). Adult females lay eggs in the base of leaf sheaths, terminal shoots or in cuts made in the trunk. Larvae tunnel through the softest parts of the trunk, generally destroying the heart. Once they have finished feeding the top of the palm is weakened and may topple. Larvae prepare a cocoon around themselves inside the base of the trunk made from the fibers in the stem. The species develops throughout the year. The complete life cycle varies from 45 to180 days depending on location. Economic significance. This species is a serious pest of coconut palms and other crops including banana, papaya, cacao, and sugarcane throughout Central and South America and the West Indies. Damage is due to the feeding habits of the larvae which generally weaken the trunk or stem to the point at which the plant is easily broken or toppled.

SUBTRIBELITOSOMINA

Melchus jessae Anderson 2013b: 398 . Distribution. Dominica, St. Lucia; Lesser Antilles endemic. Notes. Collected from frond bases of Euterpe globosa Gaertn. palms and at uv lights.

Sitophilus granarius (L.) 1758: 378 ( Curculio ); Hustache 1932: 385 ( Calandra ); Perez-Gelabert 2008: 137. Distribution. Barbados, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola; cosmopolitan; nativeto Old World; widespread New World; introduced to the Lesser Antilles. Notes. The grain weevil, a pest of stored products. Several species in this genus are cosmopolitan pests of stored products. Plate 57.

Sitophilus linearis (Herbst) 1797: 5 ( Rhynchophorus ); Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 456 ( Calandra ); Hustache 1932: 385; Cooter 1983: 185; Bennettand Alam 1985: 30; Valentineand Ivie 2005: 281; Ivieet al. 2008b: 276; Perez-Gelabert 2008: 137; O’Brienand Turnbow 2011: 5. Distribution. Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Guana, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Montserrat, PuertoRico, St. Barthélemy, St. Croix. USA (FL, LA), Costa Rica, South America ; nativeto Old World; widespread New World; introduced to the Lesser Antilles. Notes. Adults are often found in fallen tamarind pods. Plate 57.

Sitophilus oryzae (L.) 1763: 395 ( Curculio ); Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 455 ( Calandra ); Hustache 1932: 385; Miskimenand Bond 1970: 100; Perez-Gelabert 2008: 137. Distribution. Barbados, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, St. Croix. Cosmopolitan; native to Old World; widespread New World; introduced to the Lesser Antilles. Notes. Apest in stored food products such as rice. Plate 57.

[ Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky 1855: 77 . Distribution. To be expected in the Lesser Antilles. Cosmopolitan. Notes. Astored products pest. Plate 57.]

SUBTRIBESPHENOPHORINA

Alloscolytroproctus dominicae Anderson 2008: 41 ; O’Brien and Turnbow 2011: 5. Distribution. Dominica; singleisland endemic.

Cactophagus fahraei (Gyllenhal) 1838: 884 ( Sphenophorus ); R. S. Anderson det.; new genus record, new species record. Distribution. Union*. Central and South America ; the Lesser Antilles and Latin America .

Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) 1824: 299 ( Calandra ); Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 455; Hustache 1932: 383; Bennettand Alam 1985: 30; Wibmer and O’Brien 1989: 24; Ivie et al. 2008b: 276; O’Brien and Turnbow 2011: 5; Daltry 2009: 69. Distribution. Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada *, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, PuertoRico, St. Croix, St. Lucia. USA (FL), Mexico to Panama, South America , native to Old World; widespread New World; introduced to the Lesser Antilles. Notes. One common name is the banana corm weevil. This species is primarily, if not exclusively, associated with bananas ( Musa spp. ). According to Woodruff (1969), there are some citations of the species also being associated with manilla hemp, plantain, sugar cane and yam but these may be in error, or these plants maybe attacked only if bananas are not present. Eggs are laid singly between the leaf sheaths as well as around the corm. Newly emerged larvae bore into the corm. The complete life cycle takes from 30 to 40 days with the egg stage lasting 5 to 7 days, the larval stage 15 to 20 days, and the pupal stage 6 to 8 days. Adults are primarily nocturnal. The immature stages were described by Anderson (1948). Economic significance. This species is also commonly called the banana root borer but its status as a primary pest of bananas needs to be confirmed since most dryopthorids only attack plants that are already sick, weakened or injured. Damage to the banana plants consists of extensive tunneling by the larvae in the corm, thus weakening the plant and making it susceptible to damage or blow-down from winds or other factors. Plate 55.

Metamasius atricolor (Chevrolat) 1880c: 198 ( Sphenophorus ); Touroult and Poirier 2012: 47. Distribution. Martinique; single island endemic.

Metamasius cornurostris (Chevrolat) 1880f: 316 ( Odontorhynchus ); Hustache 1932: 379 ( Sphenophorus ); Vaurie 1966: 282-283. = Metamasius puncticollis (Chevrolat) 1880f: 316 ( Odontorhynchus ) of Guadeloupe. Distribution. Guadeloupe; singleisland endemic.

Metamasius hemipterus (L.) 1758: 377 ( Curculio ); Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 454; Hustache 1932: 380; Ivieet al. 2008b: 276; Perez-Gelabert 2008: 137; O’Brienand Turnbow 2011: 5. = Metamasius sericeus Olivier 1807: 84 ; Blackwelder 1944-1957: 913. Distribution. Antigua, Barbados, Bequia, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, PuertoRico, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, St. Vincent. Mexico to Panama, South America ; widespread Antilles and Latin America . Notes. The common name is West Indian sugarcane borer (Vaurie 1966). This species is associated with a variety of monocot plants, especially those that are rotting, broken, damaged or weakened. Banana and sugarcane are the two plants most frequently mentioned in the literature; however, the species has also been recorded from coconut and royal palm sheaths, stumps of Iriartea ventricosa Martius and Jessenia batua Burret in Brazil, and has been intercepted at customs in a stem of Chamaedorea sp. In Costa Rica, numerous adults have been collected on fermenting palm trunks. Adults have also been recorded on a variety of rotting fruits. Economic significance. Woodruff and Baranowski (1985) report that there is debate over the economic status of this species. Certainly the species has been associated with both banana and sugarcane but its impact, especially on the former, is uncertain. The beetles appear to prefer unhealthy or injured plants and thus may not be primary pests but rather of a secondary nature. Regardless, the adult feeding and larval infestations cause serious damage, at least in sugarcane, especially if the plants have already been damaged by other insects or rats. Populations may build in damaged plants left out to rot and may re-infest subsequent crops. Plate 56.

Metamasius liratus (Gyllenhal) 1838: 914 ( Sphenophorus ); Coquerel 1849: 445; Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 455; Hustache 1932: 378 ( Sphenophorus ); Vaurie 1966:: 279-281.; O’Brienand Turnbow 2011: 6. Distribution. Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique; Lesser Antillesendemic. Notes. Vaurie (1966) notes that in Guadaloupe this species is common on ‘balisiers’ (canna or canna lily, Canna indica L.; also Heliconius spp. ) and has been found in rain-soaked banana trunks lying on the ground.

Metamasius maurus (Gyllenhal) 1838: 912 ( Sphenophorus ); Vaurie 1966: 281-282; O’Brien and Wibmer 1982: 218; O’Brienand Turnbow 2011: 6. Distribution. Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Croix, St. Vincent; Lesser Antilles endemic. Notes. Vaurie (1966) reports specimens (including larvae and pupal cells) taken from rotting trunks of banana in Martinique. No larvae have been found in healthy trunks and it has been suggested that this species could prove useful in hastening decomposition of old trunks.

Metamasiusplanatus Anderson 2013: 396 . Distribution. Dominica; singleisland endemic. Notes. Collected from frond bases of Euterpe globosa Gaertn. palms.

Metamasius quadrisignatus (Gyllenhal) 1838: 907 ( Sphenophorus ); Fleutiaux and Sallé 1890: 454; Hustache 1932: 381; Vaurie 1966: 277-278; Ivieet al. 2008b: 276; O’Brienand Turnbow 2011: 6. = Metamasius bisignatus Hustache 1932: 382 of Guadeloupe. = Metamasius tetraspilosus (Chevrolat) 1880h : XXXII ( Sphenophorus ) of Guadeloupe. Distribution. Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat. Panama; the Lesser Antillesand North and/or Central America . Notes. Vaurie (1966) reports specimens taken from the crowns of Tillandsia sp. bromeliads in Montserrat.

Sphenophorus pygidialis Chevrolat 1880c: 198 . Distribution. Martinique; singleisland endemic.

Sphenophorus rusticus Gyllenhal 1838: 937 . Distribution. Guadeloupe. Widespread South America ; the Lesser Antillesand Latin America .

Sphenophorus tetraspilosus Chevrolat 1880 h: XXXI. = Sphenophorus tetraspilotus: Chevrolat 1880: 315 [error] of Guadeloupe. Distribution. Guadeloupe; singleisland endemic. Notes. Ivieet al. (2008b: 276) list another unidentified species in this genus from Montserrat.

Sphenophorus venatus (Say) 1831: 22 ; O’Brien and Wibmer 1982: 214; Ivie et al. 2008b: 276; Perez- Gelabert 2008: 137. Distribution. Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico. USA (widespread), Mexico , Honduras; widespread Antillesand North and/or Central America .