All the species illustrated feed on leaves of Coffea arabica in Colombia and are identified as Compsus sp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), but I see there are several different genera so it is necessary to identify them correctly.
This came while I was in China hence my delay in responding.. First I think I should warn you that identification of sine photographs of the weevil from Colombia is likely to be unsure determination. No matter which view there is some characters that are essential for identification will not be visible and assumptions must be made. In addition material from such a place requires specimens in the hands of the taxonomist for certain IDs. In spite of that I have identified a couple of the species and verified some genera with J-Peg number listed below are the identifications.
1, probably Compsus; 2, Compsus;.3. Compsus; Compsus; mating pair; 4. probably Naupactus; 6, Compsus;. male of #3.; 7, poggibly Anypotactus or gernus near,; 8, probably Compsus;; 9, probably Compsus;; Compsus viridivittatus Guerin.
Thank you very much Dr. O´Brien. If you wish I can send you material for study. Compsus viridivittatus should be number 12.
I wish to say that it would be a great advantage for me to receive specimens from Colombia of any weevils. I am greatly interested in the broadnosed weevils due to their economic importance and the frequent questions I have as to their identification. So if you're able to send specimens of any of these weevils or any others, I will be happy to attempt to identify them for you. You should know that Dr. Lordes Chamorro, the new weevil taxonomist at the USNM in Washington DC is doing a revision of Compsus, including the species from South America. I'm sure that she would be very happy to have specimens sent to her as well. Since these are economic pests or potentially so they should be numerous and whenever possible a series of specimens should be sent for greater ease and identification. When it's possible a series of 20 to 30 could be beneficial but even one specimen is welcome. I would not want to overburden you with collecting and shipping large numbers of specimens but whatever series you can send is beneficial to the taxonomist and the scientific community. My e-mail is [email protected] . Contact me there with any questions you may have. Charlie
s Chamorro
HI,
My assessment based on the pictures is as follows:
09.jpg; 10 and 12 are Compsus with 12 being Compsus viridivittatus as Charlie said. 03.jpg is Mimographus probably. The others are Naupactini or Eustylini. You may want to ask Guadalupe del Rio for some assistance as well.
I am revising the species of Compsus but the research is early.
Lourdes
Thank you Charlie and Lourdes for your interest to ID the species of Compsus from Colombia. I will check the insect collection at Cenicafé to see how many specimens of Compsus and related genera we have for ID, and then I will contact both of you by mail. Lourdes please send me your e-mail.
Best wishes,
Luis Miguel
Thank you Dimitri for the information, I agree with you. There are still a lot of taxonomic problems with these weevils but I hope with the help of Charlie and Lourdes we will solve this taxonomic problem..
Best wishes,
Luis Miguel
I neglected to mention that Compsus viridivittatus is also a pest species on citrus. I believe that the rapid expansion of agriculture in the tropical regions requiring the cutting of forests and the native plants for land for crops leaving no plants for the insects native there, and presenting monocultures of plants on which some insects thrive and become pest species for the first time. This occurs in the US too and is a frequent and commonplace problem since often the species in question is rare in collections and even new to science.
In Colombia Compsus viridivittatus has several natural enemies on citrus including this egg parasitoid of the genus Fidobia sp. (Platygasteridae) that control de populations of Compsus
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