Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Merobruchus major (Fall)
Orig. Comb: Bruchus major Fall 1912
Explanation of Names
largest sp. in this genus.
(1)Range
s. TX (Corpus, RGV) / Mex. -
Map (3)Habitat
highly specialized on a Texas Ebony
Season
mostly: May-Oct. (BG data)
Food
Adults visit flowers, probably consuming nectar or pollen
Life Cycle
Larvae develop within the pods of Texas Ebony -
Ebenopsis ebano (=
Pithecellobium ebano) (Fabaceae)
Remarks
Type Locality: Esperanza Ranch, Brownsville, Cameron Co., Texas
Both
Merobruchus major and
Stator beali are seed predators of
Ebenopsis (=Pithecellobium) ebano; however,
S. beali also attacks other species of
Ebenopsis whereas
M. major is an obligate predator of
E. ebano.
(1)See Also
Gibbobruchus mimus (Say)

- Range: e. US, Calif, not known from s. TX
Det. M. A. Quinn, 2013
Print References
Fall, H.C. 1912. A new Tetropium, two new Bruchidae, with brief notes on other Coleoptera. Entomological News 23: 320–323.
Kingsolver, J.M. 1988. Biosystematics of the genus Merobruchus of the continental North America and the West Indies. ARS. United States Department of Agriculture, Tech. Bull. No. 1744. 63 pp.
Johnson, C.D. & D.H. Siemens. 1997. Oviposition behavior, guilds, host relationships and new host and distribution records for the genus Merobruchus Bridwell (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Coleopterists Bulletin. 51(1): 13-21.
Southgate, B.J. 1979. Biology of the Bruchidae. Annual Review of Entomology, 24: 449-473.
White, B. E. 1941. A new species of Bruchus with notes on Bruchus major Fall and julianus Horn (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist 17: 189–190.