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14 June 2019 Metamasius callizona (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Fertility and Larval Survival to the Third Instar in the Laboratory
Teresa M. Cooper, Ronald D. Cave
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Abstract

Metamasius callizona (Chevrolat) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an invasive bromeliad-eating weevil destroying native bromeliad populations in Florida. We measured the weevil's fecundity and fertility with pineapple leaf pieces as food. Eighty percent of females that paired with males laid eggs. Average adult longevity for egg-layers was 210.6 ± 7.5 d (SE). Average adult longevity for non-egg-layers was 23.8 ± 3.8 d. Average pre-oviposition period was 26.6 ± 1.3 d. The average number of eggs per female per d laid inside the leaf was 0.4 ± 0.03 eggs, and laid outside the leaf was 0.1 ± 0.01 eggs. The number of eggs laid inside the leaf declined with age, whereas the number of eggs laid outside the leaf increased with age. Egg-laying females began dying on d 80, and continued to die regularly until 305 d after adult emergence. The hatch rate of eggs laid inside leaves was 79%. Daily hatch rate was consistently around 80%. Ninety-seven percent of the larvae that emerged from eggs laid inside leaves survived to the third instar. The hatch rate of eggs laid outside leaves was 3.9%, and no larvae survived beyond second instar.

Teresa M. Cooper and Ronald D. Cave "Metamasius callizona (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Fertility and Larval Survival to the Third Instar in the Laboratory," Florida Entomologist 102(2), 413-417, (14 June 2019). https://doi.org/10.1653/024.102.0219
Published: 14 June 2019
KEYWORDS
bromeliads
egg hatch rate
fecundity
invasive species
weevil
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