Host adaptation of the fruit piercing moth, Eudocima fullonia

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2005

Abstract

The fruit piercing moth, Eudocima fullonia (Clerck) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), whose larval host plants are vines of the family Menispermaceae in Asia, Africa and Australia, is thought to have adapted to Erythrina spp. in the Pacific and Papua New Guinea and has been designated as a separate biotype from the Australasian and African biotype. To test the hypothesis that the Pacific population of E. fullonia is a biotype, feeding trials with the host plants Tinospora homosepala Diels (Menispermaceae) and Erythrina variegata Linn. (Fabaceae) were conducted in Guam. The results indicate that the Guam population of E. fullonia is a biotype that has expanded its host range from its normal Menispermaceae plants to Erythrina species, possibly due to genetic changes and/or the presence of closely related alkaloids in both the species and paucity of menisperms. © 2005 The Royal Entomological Society.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Physiological Entomology

First Page

398

Last Page

401

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