Oviposition biology, behavior, and avocado cultivar preferences of Heilipus lauri Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Heilipus lauri is a specialist avocado seed feeding weevil native to parts of México and is an invasive pest in Colombia. This weevil is considered an incursion risk because possible unintended introductions into areas outside of its native range can result in establishment, which threatens avocado production in invaded regions. Despite being a well-recognized pest of avocados, relatively little is known about oviposition biology, behavior, and cultivar preferences of this weevil. Field studies in commercial Hass avocado orchards in México and laboratory studies in a quarantine facility in California (USA) indicated that H. lauri prefers to oviposit into middle and bottom thirds of fruit. In the laboratory, an average of 1.7 eggs (range 1-6 eggs) are laid over a 24-h period in oviposition chambers by individual females. Conspecifics add eggs to these clutches, with up to 17 eggs being recorded in 1 oviposition chamber. This finding suggests that H. lauri does not use an oviposition deterring pheromone. Female weevils readily oviposit in artificial holes representing mechanical wounds on fruit. In comparison to the commercially dominant Hass variety, fruit from Lamb Hass and G22, a native Guatemalan variety, and to a lesser extent Gem, may be less preferred for oviposition when females have a choice of fruit in which to oviposit. Videography studies indicated that H. lauri exhibits predominantly diurnal activity with respect to oviposition behaviors, feeding, and walking.

Assessment of Age, Gender, Mating Status, and Size on Single and Repeat Flight Capabilities of Heilipus lauri Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Heilipus lauri Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a specialist pest of avocado fruit and is considered an incursion risk for U.S. avocado producers. At the time work reported here was undertaken the flight capabilities of H. lauri were unknown. Consequently, proactive studies were undertaken to quantify aspects of this pest's flight capabilities to inform potential future control efforts. Flight mill studies were conducted in a quarantine laboratory to measure the dispersal capacity of H. lauri with respect to gender, mating status, and size on the single and repeat flight capabilities of weevils. Gender, mating status, and size did not significantly affect measured flight parameters. Average total distances flown and flight velocity, and mean maximum flight bout distances and durations significantly declined as weevil age increased and when weevils engaged in repeat flights. Survivorship rates were significantly reduced as the number of successive flights undertaken increased. The distribution of total average flight distances flown and total cumulative flight distances flown was platykurtic. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of developing incursion management plans.

New records of oribatid mites from Mexico with description of a new species.

The present taxonomic study was carried out with material collected in the Michoacn state, Mexico, during one year of sampling. Ten new records of oribatid mites are reported for Mexico. Also, a new species, Gustavia mexicana sp. nov., is described, which differs from Gustavia fusifer (Koch, 1841), G. transylvanica Mahunka, 2006, G. latolamellata Hammer, 1977 and G. magnifica Golosova et Karppinen, 1984 by the absence of setal alveolus c, shape of sensillum, size and shape of rostrum, shape of lamella and presence of sejugal suture, respectively. A detailed description, schemes and photographs of the new species and an identification key for the species of the genus are provided.

Synergus Hartig species group (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) with partially smooth mesopleurae from the New World.

Inquiline oak gall wasps from the genus Synergus Hartig (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) that occur in the New World should be classified into the following morphological groups: i) species with the radial cell of fore wings open; ii) species with the radial cell of fore wings closed and mesopleurae completely sculptured, always with transversal striae covering its surface; iii) species with the radial cell of fore wings closed and mesopleurae partially smooth, with the speculum always shiny and not sculptured. The latter group, which appears to be unique to the New World's fauna, is the focus of this study. An exhaustive taxonomical revision of all the Synergus species within this morphological group is carried out for the first time after the initial treatment by Lobato-Vila Pujade-Villar (2017). Redescriptions, images and new distribution and biological data are provided. A new species from Mexico, Synergus aurofacies Lobato-Vila Pujade-Villar, sp. nov., is here formally described and illustrated. Synergus variegatus McCracken Egbert, 1922 is a junior synonym of S. flavens McCracken Egbert, 1922 syn. nov.; S. profusus McCracken Egbert, 1922 is a junior synonym of S. pacificus McCracken Egbert, 1922 syn. nov.; and S. flavus Kieffer, 1904 and S. varicolor Fullaway, 1911 are junior synonyms of S. pomiformis (Ashmead, 1885) syn. nov. A key to species of this group is provided. The morphological traits of the species with partially smooth mesopleurae are discussed.

Revision of the Amphibolips species of the 'nassa' complex from Mexico and central America (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae).

The cynipid gall wasp species of Amphibolips (Cynipidae: Cynipini) belonging to the "nassa" complex are reviewed for Mexico and Central America. Five new species are described: A. bassae Cuesta-Porta Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. bromus Pujade-Villar Cuesta-Porta n. sp., A. kinseyi Cuesta-Porta Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. rulli Pujade-Villar Cuesta-Porta n. sp., and A. turulli Pujade-Villar Cuesta-Porta n. sp. Amphibolips quercuspomiformis (Bassett) comb. nov. is redescribed and Amphibolips malinche Nieves-Aldrey Maldonado is proposed as a new synonym of A. hidalgoensis Pujade-Villar Melika. The validity of A. dampfi is discussed. Diagnostic characters, distribution, host-plant relationships, and biology are provided. Also new diagnostic characters and new distribution data for earlier described species are given. Keys to adults and galls for all known "nassa" complex species from Mexico and Central America are presented.

A New Genus of Oak Gall Wasp, Striatoandricus Pujade-Villar (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) from America with Descriptions of Two New Mexican Species.

A new genus of cynipid oak gall wasp, Striatoandricus Pujade-Villar (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), is described. Striatoandricus gen. nov. includes four previously described species, Andricus nievesaldreyi n. comb., A. georgei n. comb., A. maesi n. comb., and A. barriosi n. comb., which induce pubescent leaves or twig galls on Quercus belonging to Quercus section. Two new species from México are also described: S. cuixarti Pujade-Villar n. sp. and S. sanchezi Pujade-Villar n. sp. in Quercus section. Descriptions of the genus and diagnostic characters, including DNA sequence data, are presented. This new genus is supported by both morphological and molecular data.