Phelypera schuppeli (Boheman, 1834)

Fikáček, Martin, Skuhrovec, Jiří, Šípek, Petr & Fikáček, for abstracts see, 2011, Abstracts of the Immature Beetles Meeting 2011, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 51 (2), pp. 731-756 : 752-753

Immatures of Phelypera schuppeli (Boheman, 1834) with comments on natural history ( Coleoptera : Curculionidae : Hyperinae )

Sergio A. VANIN 1), Daniela de Cássia BENÁ 2) & Fabiano F. ALBERTONI 3)

1) Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, Travessa 14,

101, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brasil; e-mail: [e-mail]

2) Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Cidade Universitária, Rodovia Dourados – Itahum, km 14, 79804-970, Dourados, MS, Brasil; e-mail: [e-mail]

3) Rua Peixoto Gomide, 742, ap. 93, Bela Vista, CEP 01409-000, São Paulo, SP, Brasil ;

e-mail: [e-mail]

The knowledge on taxonomy and natural history of the Cepurini , tribe to which the genus Phelypera Jekel, 1865 is asigned, is scanty. As immatures of Phelypera are poorly described, we decided to provide a detailed morphological description of the last instar larva and the pupa of P. schuppeli (Boheman, 1834) and compare with immatures of Hyperini described. The material studied was collected in the Midwest (Dourados, MS and Pirenópolis, GO) and Southeast Brazil (Bauru, SP). Unlike other groups of Curculionidae , the larvae of Hyperinae do not leave inside plant tissue, but instead they spend all their development time on or under their host leaves surface (CAPIOMONT 1868, LIMA 1956, BONDAR 1943). The known larvae of Phelypera species are exophytic, brightly colored, eruciform, provided with abdominal ambulatory ampullae, and resemble larvae of Lepidoptera . The mature larvae can spin globular wide-laced cocoons where pupation takes place. The host plant of Phelypera schuppeli is Pachyra aquatica Aubl. (Bombacaceae) (LIMA 1956, BONDAR 1943). Some data achieved during field work, and also obtained under laboratory conditions, confirmed previously published biological observations on P. schupelli (FERREIRA & CAMARGO 1989,

DINIZ & MORAIS 1996). Furthermore, additional information is reported, mainly on defensive behavior, process of cocoon construction and natural enemies that contribute to the natural regulation of P. schuppeli populations, as the larva predator Supputius cincticeps (Stål, 1860)

( Hemiptera : Pentatomidae ) and the prepupa and pupa parasitoid Jeliscoa sp. ( Hymenoptera :

Pteromalidae ).

BONDAR G. 1943: Notas Entomológicas da Bahia XII. Revista Entomológica 14(1–2): 85–134.

CAPIOMONT G. 1868: Révision de la tribu des Hypérides, Lacordaire, et en particulier des genres Hypera Germ., Limobius Schönh. , et Coniatus Schönh. renfermant la description de plusiers genres nouveaux et de 85 espèces nouvelles. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, Serie 4 7: 417–560.

DINIZ I. R. & MORAIS H. C. 1996: Herbivory by the weevil Phelypera schuppeli , feeding on the tree Pachira aquatica and parasitoid attack. Revista de Biologia Tropical 44: 919–921.

FERREIRA M. J. & CAMARGO S. S. 1989: Ciclo evolutivo de Phelypera schuppeli Boheman, 1834 ( Coleoptera , Curculionidae , Hyperinae ) em laboratório. Anais da Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil, 18: 221–228.

LIMA A. M. DA C. 1956: Insetos do Brasil. 10. Escola Nacional de Agronomia, Série Didática n° 12, Rio de Janeiro, 373 pp.