Abstract
Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Anacardiaceae), is an ornamental shrub from South America that is invasive in Florida, California, Hawaii and Texas, USA and has become a global invader. Exploratory surveys were conducted in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay to discover natural enemies as possible biological control agents. One of the insects collected was subsequently identified as the stem boring weevil Apocnemidophorus pipitzi (Faust). The weevil was found at several localities in Paraguay in April 2007 and transported to Florida, USA, for biological and host range studies. Laboratory no- choice, and multiple-choice tests were performed to determine if A. pipitzi was suitably host specific for release as a biological control agent of Brazilian peppertree in Florida. In total, 79 North American plant species in 40 families and 28 Orders were tested. In the no-choice tests, complete development was significantly higher on Brazilian peppertree, Hardee peppertree, Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera & I.M. Johnst., the invasive ornamental Chinese pistache, Pistacia chinensis Bunge and cultivated pistachio nut, Pistacia vera L. Both Pistacia spp. are chemically related to Brazilian peppertree. However, when given a choice, the stem boring weevil A. pipitzi reproduced only on Brazilian peppertree and the invasive congeneric Hardee peppertree. Overall, results of laboratory host range testing showed the stem boring weevil A. pipitzi is a Schinus specialist. This finding is consistent with field observations, museum records, and the preference-performance hypothesis, where larval survival, growth and normal development are maximised on plants selected for oviposition by the females.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
The collected insect was identified as Apocnemidophorus pipitzi.
- Taxon
- Brazilian peppertree
Schinus terebinthifoliae1 - Interactor
- Apocnemidophorus pipitzie0herbivore
- Outcome
- identified as the stem boring weevil Apocnemidophorus pipitzie0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“One of the insects collected was subsequently identified as the stem boring weevil Apocnemidophorus pipitzi (Faust)”
e1“Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi”
Claim · model-written summary
A. pipitzi was found at several Paraguayan localities.
- Taxon
- Brazilian peppertreeSchinus terebinthifoliae2
- Interactor
- Apocnemidophorus pipitzie1herbivore
- Outcome
- The weevil was founde0
- Setting
- Paraguaye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The weevil was found at several localities in Paraguay in April 2007”
e1“the stem boring weevil Apocnemidophorus pipitzi”
e2“Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi”
Claim · model-written summary
No-choice tests showed significantly higher complete weevil development on Brazilian peppertree.
- Taxon
- Brazilian peppertreeSchinus terebinthifoliae0
- Interactor
- A. pipitzie1herbivore
- Outcome
- complete developmente0
- Direction
- highere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“complete development was significantly higher on Brazilian peppertree, Hardee peppertree, Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera & I.M. Johnst., the invasive ornamental Chinese pistache, Pistacia chinensis Bunge and cultivated pistachio nut, Pistacia vera L.”
e1“if A. pipitzi was suitably host specific”
Claim · model-written summary
No-choice tests showed significantly higher complete weevil development on Hardee peppertree.
Verbatim
e0“complete development was significantly higher on Brazilian peppertree, Hardee peppertree, Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera & I.M. Johnst., the invasive ornamental Chinese pistache, Pistacia chinensis Bunge and cultivated pistachio nut, Pistacia vera L.”
e1“if A. pipitzi was suitably host specific”
Claim · model-written summary
No-choice tests showed significantly higher complete weevil development on Schinus polygama.
- Taxon
- Schinus polygama
Schinus polygamae0 - Interactor
- A. pipitzie1herbivore
- Outcome
- complete developmente0
- Direction
- highere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“complete development was significantly higher on Brazilian peppertree, Hardee peppertree, Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera & I.M. Johnst., the invasive ornamental Chinese pistache, Pistacia chinensis Bunge and cultivated pistachio nut, Pistacia vera L.”
e1“if A. pipitzi was suitably host specific”
Claim · model-written summary
No-choice tests showed significantly higher complete weevil development on Chinese pistache.
Verbatim
e0“complete development was significantly higher on Brazilian peppertree, Hardee peppertree, Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera & I.M. Johnst., the invasive ornamental Chinese pistache, Pistacia chinensis Bunge and cultivated pistachio nut, Pistacia vera L.”
e1“if A. pipitzi was suitably host specific”
Claim · model-written summary
No-choice tests showed significantly higher complete weevil development on cultivated pistachio.
- Taxon
- Pistacia vera
Pistacia verae0 - Interactor
- A. pipitzie1herbivore
- Outcome
- complete developmente0
- Direction
- highere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“complete development was significantly higher on Brazilian peppertree, Hardee peppertree, Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera & I.M. Johnst., the invasive ornamental Chinese pistache, Pistacia chinensis Bunge and cultivated pistachio nut, Pistacia vera L.”
e1“if A. pipitzi was suitably host specific”
Claim · model-written summary
Given a choice, A. pipitzi reproduced on Brazilian peppertree.
- Taxon
- Brazilian peppertreeSchinus terebinthifoliae0
- Interactor
- A. pipitzie0herbivore
- Outcome
- reproduced only on Brazilian peppertreee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the stem boring weevil A. pipitzi reproduced only on Brazilian peppertree and the invasive congeneric Hardee peppertree”
Claim · model-written summary
Given a choice, A. pipitzi reproduced on Hardee peppertree.
Verbatim
e0“the stem boring weevil A. pipitzi reproduced only on Brazilian peppertree and the invasive congeneric Hardee peppertree”
Claim · model-written summary
Host range tests indicated that A. pipitzi is a Schinus specialist.
SchinusOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the stem boring weevil A. pipitzi is a Schinus specialist”
Claim · model-written summary
Larval survival, growth and normal development were maximized on plants chosen by female weevils for oviposition.
- Taxon
- Brazilian peppertreeSchinus terebinthifoliae2
- Interactor
- A. pipitzie1herbivore
- Outcome
- larval survival, growth and normal developmente0
- Direction
- maximisede0
- Qualifier
- plants selected for oviposition by the femalese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“larval survival, growth and normal development are maximised on plants selected for oviposition by the females”
e1“Overall, results of laboratory host range testing showed the stem boring weevil A. pipitzi”
e2“Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi”