Potential geographic distributions and successful invasions of parthenogenetic broad-nosed weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) native to South America

A.A. LANTERI; GUZMAN N. V.; DEL RIO G.; CONFALONIERI V.A.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC AMER

Lugar: Lanham; Año: 2013

0046-225X

Ten species of parthenogenetic broad-nosed weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae) native to Argentina, southern Brazil and Uruguay were selected for a niche modeling analysis, in order to evaluate their potential range expansion inside and outside South America. The selected species belong to three genera of the tribe Naupactini affecting economically important crops. Until present, five of the ten species analyzed here have invaded prairies and steppes of countries outside South America (Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, United States of America and South Africa): Aramigus tessellatus (Say), Atrichonotus sordidus (Hustache), Atrichonotus taeniatulus (Berg), Naupactus leucoloma Boheman, and Naupactus peregrinus (Buchanan). Our niche modeling analyses performed with MAXENT demonstrated that the studied species share similar environmental requirements, the most important variables being the Mean Temperature of Driest Quarter, the Annual Mean Temperature and Isothermality. Almost all the invasive species are located in areas outside South America predicted as suiSupp. Tableby the niche modeling. Many of these areas would also be suiSupp. Tablefor the remaining five species: Aramigus conirostris (Hustache), Eurymetopus fallax (Boheman), Naupactus auripes (Hustache), Naupactus ruizi (Hustache), and Naupactus viridissimus (Hustache). A species may become invasive depending not only on the suitability of the new environment but also on the chance of long distance dispersal through commercial trade. Parthenogenetic weevils of the tribe Naupactini are more capable of colonizing marginal areas than their sexual relatives, increasing the threat to crop production worldwide.