Response of Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) parasitized by the nematode Metaparasitylenchus hypothenemi Poinar (Tylenchida: Allantonematidae) to different colors of light.

Metaparasitylenchus hypothenemi is a nematode that naturally parasitizes Hypothenemus hampei in a coffee-producing region in Chiapas, Mexico. This study investigated changes in the attraction of parasitized borers to light. We compared the attraction of adult H. hampei females (parasitized and uninfected) to 14 different light wavelengths (350-670 nm) with a control (570 nm, yellow) under laboratory conditions. The response ranges of non-parasitized and parasitized borers were 370-650 nm and 340-650 nm, respectively. The attraction curve showed a similar shape in both borer groups (parasitized and non-parasitized), but a wide wavelength range (380-590 nm) attracted more parasitized than non-parasitized borers. The maximum response of the uninfected borers occurred at 520 nm (green), while parasitized borers exhibited three response peaks (380 nm, violet; 460 nm, blue; 520 nm, green). Parasitized borers were significantly more attracted to green light (520 nm) than to the control. The altered attraction to light in borers parasitized by M. hypothenemi is discussed from the perspective of possible host manipulation and the natural prevalence of this parasite.

Predicted distribution of Metaparasitylenchus hypothenemi (Tylenchida: Allantonematidae), parasite of the coffee berry borer.

Metaparasitylenchus hypothenemi is an endoparasitic nematode of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei. The nematode has only been recorded across a limited geographical range in coffee-growing areas of southeastern Mexico. Because of its confined geographical distribution, the effect of altitude, temperature, and mean annual precipitation on M. hypothenemi's presence/absence in the Soconusco region of Mexico was investigated. The geographical distribution of this parasite was predicted based on current data, using geographical information systems (GIS), the MaxEnt algorithm, and historical data to improve the prediction accuracy for other Neotropical regions. In Soconusco, the presence of this parasite is directly related to annual precipitation, especially in the areas with the highest annual rainfall (4000 - 4700 mm/year). Four species distribution models were generated for the Neotropical region with environmental variables for sites with parasite presence data, predicting a range of possible distribution with a high probability of occurrence in southeastern Mexico and southwestern Guatemala and a low probability in areas of Central and South America. Characterization of the abiotic habitat conditions suitable for M. hypothenemi development allows us to predict its distribution in the Neotropics and contributes to our understanding of its ecological relationship with environmental variables.