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Species Cyrtobagous salviniae - Salvinia Weevil

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga

No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)

Superfamily Curculionoidea

Family Brachyceridae

Subfamily Erirhininae (Marsh Weevils)

Subtribe Stenopelmina

Genus Cyrtobagous

Species salviniae (Salvinia Weevil )

Other Common Names

Kariba Weed Biocontrol Weevil (1)

Explanation of Names

Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder & Sands 1985

Size

2 mm

Range

established along Gulf Coast (e.TX-FL) - Map (2)(3), native to South America

Food

giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta, S. minima; Salviniaceae), an invasive aquatic weed (Goolsby et al. 2001)

Remarks

first found in FL in 1962(4)

in 2001, imported from Australia and released in TX & LA to control S. molesta

the weevil can clear salvina infestations by 90% or more in under one year

Print References

Calder A.A., Sands D.P.A. (1985) A new Brazilian Cyrtobagous Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) introduced into Australia to control salvinia. J. Aust. Entomol. Soc. 24: 57-64.

Goolsby J.A., Tipping P.W., Center T.D., Driver F. (2001) Evidence of a new Cyrtobagous species on Salvinia minima in Florida. Southw. Entomol. 25(4): 299-301. (Full text)

Kissinger, D.G. 1966. Cyrtobagous hustache, a genus of weevils new to the United States fauna (Coleoptera: Cuculionidae: Bagoini). Coleopt. Bull. 20: 125-127.

O'Brien C.W. (1995) Curculionidae, premiere biocontrol agents (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Mem. Ent. Soc. Wash. 14: 119-128.

Parys, K.A. and S.J. Johnson. (2013) Biological Control of Common Salvinia (Salvinia minima) in Louisiana using Cyrtobagous salviniae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Florida Entomologist 96(1):10-18. (BioOne)

Tipping P.W. 2004. Giant salvinia. Pp. 174-177. In: E.M. Coombs, J.K. Clark, G.L. Piper, and A.F. Cofrancesco, (eds.). Biological control of invasive plants in the United States. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis.

Tipping P.W., Center T.D. (2003) Cyrtobagous salviniae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) successfully overwinters in Texas and Louisiana. Fla. Entomol. 86: 92-93. (Full text)

Internet References

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. A Guide to Mass Rearing the Salvinia Weevil for Biological Control of Giant Salvinia

Works Cited

1.	iNaturalist

2.	A distributional checklist of the beetles (Coleoptera) of Florida. Peck & Thomas. 1998. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville. 180 pp.

3.	Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

4.	Insects and other arthropods that feed on aquatic and wetland plants Center T.D., Dray F.A., Jubinsky G.P., Grodowitz M.J. 2002. USDA ARS, Technical Bulletin 1870. 200 pp.

Contributed by Tim Loh on 10 February, 2011 - 7:22pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, v belov
Last updated 28 June, 2023 - 7:50pm

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