PROCEEDINGS of the ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY of WASHINGTON A NEW SPECIES OF HISTURA RAZOWSKI (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE: POLYORTHINI) FROM GUATEMALA ATTACKING AVOCADOS (PERSEA AMERICANA) (LAURACEAE) JOHN W. BROWN AND MARK S. HODDLE PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 112(1), 2010, pp. 10–21 A NEW SPECIES OF HISTURA RAZOWSKI (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE: POLYORTHINI) FROM GUATEMALA ATTACKING AVOCADOS (PERSEA AMERICANA) (LAURACEAE) JOHN W. BROWN AND MARK S. HODDLE (JWB) Systematic Entomology Laboratory, PSI, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, c/o National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013 U.S.A. (e-mail: john.brown@ars. usda.gov); (MSH) Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 U.S.A., and Center for Invasive Species Research, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 U.S.A. (e-mail: [email protected]) Abstract.—Histura perseavora Brown, new species, from Guatemala, is described and illustrated. It is compared with Histura curvata (Meyrick) from Brazil and Histurodes costaricana Razowski from Costa Rica. All specimens of H. perseavora were reared from either fruit, fruit pedicels, or young green branches of avocados (Persea americana Mill.; Lauraceae) during efforts to identify lepidop- teran pests of this commodity in Guatemala. Coincidentally, we discovered museum specimens of H. costaricana reared from avocados in Costa Rica. We present a brief review of the fragmentary knowledge of the larval stages of Polyorthini, the tribe to which H. perseavora is assigned. Key Words: Histurodes, Central America, Chlidanotinae, pest species DOI: 10.4289.0013-8797.112.1.253.10 Avocado (Persea americana Mill.; 2007). In the U.S., avocados were Lauraceae) is a semi-deciduous tree introduced into Florida before 1850 and reaching a maximum height of about 20 into California before 1856. Commercial m. It is native to Mexico and Central varieties of avocados were introduced to America, ranging from the eastern and Chile from California in 1928. Other central highlands of Mexico south countries in South America with com- through Guatemala to the Pacific Coast mercial avocado industries include Bra- of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. zil, Peru, and Venezuela. Currently, U.S. There is evidence that avocado fruit has avocado fruit production is concentrated been used by indigenous peoples in primarily in California and to a much Mexico for nearly 10,000 years. The tree lesser extent in Florida and Hawaii. In was introduced into Indonesia around California the Hass cultivar is a high- 1750, Israel in 1908, and South Africa, value agricultural commodity and an New Zealand, and Australia in the late iconic crop readily identifiable with this 19th century (Index Fresh Avocado U.S. state (Hoddle et al. 2003). Fresh avocado fruit imports from * Accepted by Michael W. Gates Mexico and Central America into the VOLUME 112, NUMBER 1 11 U.S. became illegal under a federal ban and damaging California-grown avoca- imposed in 1918 to protect U.S. avoca- dos is perhaps more worrisome. Three do growers from the unwanted intro- of the last five folivorous pests to duction of specialist fruit-feeding in- become established on avocados in Cal- sects (e.g., tephritids, curculionids, and ifornia were all species new to science lepidopterans) that had evolved with at the time of first detection in the U.S. avocados in the home range of this plant This is remarkable given the long (Hoddle 2007a). However, after the history of avocado domestication and North American Free Trade Agreement commercialization in Mexico and Cen- (NAFTA) became law in 1994, barriers tral America (Hoddle 2004). to fresh avocado fruit exports were One of the most important pests lowered, allowing Mexico to legally attacking avocado fruit in Central and export avocados (mainly Hass variety) South America is the avocado seed to the U.S. Because of concerns about moth, Stenoma catenifer Walsingham the potential introduction and establish- (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae), a species ment of unwanted invasive species, that is a specialist on members of the primarily fruit flies (Diptera: Tephriti- plant family Lauraceae. Larvae feeding dae), Mexican avocados initially were internally can cause premature fruit imported only into the northeastern U.S. drop and disfigurement of harvestable during winter. The rationale for this fruit, and production losses of 45–95% time-limited and highly geographic im- can result (e.g., Nava et al. 2005). Con- portation window was that semi-tropi- sequently within the home range of this cal fruit-feeding pests accidentally im- pest, intensive management with broad ported with fruit that escaped into the spectrum insecticides is practiced to environment would be unable to with- minimize economic losses despite sub- stand extreme winter cold, thereby stantial natural enemy activity against preventing the establishment of peren- eggs by trichogrammatid parasitoids nial populations. However, by the end and larvae by braconids and ichneumo- of 2005, Mexican avocados were grant- nids (Wysoki et al. 2002; Nava et al. ed entry into every U.S. state except 2005; Hoddle 2007a, b; Hoddle and California, Florida, and Hawaii which Hoddle 2008a, b). have commercial avocado industries. During survey work for S. catenifer On 1 February 2007, fresh avocados and other lepidopteran pests of avoca- were allowed to be exported from dos in Guatemala, a variety of micro- Mexico to California, the largest avo- lepidoptera were reared from field- cado producing and consuming state collected fruit. Among these was a in the U.S. High volumes of fruit large number of specimens of a tortricid (.130,000 tons) now are shipped an- moth, which inflicted considerable nually to all 50 U.S. states (Herald damage on avocado fruit but, only in Tribune 2007). orchards above about 1,450 m eleva- Given the enormous flow of avocado tion. After studying the material, it be- fruit into the U.S. from Mexico, there is came clear that these specimens repre- now the expectation that unwanted sented a new species in the tribe fruit-feeding pests eventually will es- Polyorthini. The generic assignment tablish in California. While the invasion was not immediately clear, and a review risk posed by known fruit pests is of morphological features of Histura identifiable and possibly can be miti- Razowski and Histurodes Razowski gated to a certain extent, the threat of suggested that the two genera may previously unknown species entering not be clearly defined and/or differ- 12 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON entiated. A comparison of larval fea- under organic management in Santa tures of the new species with those Lucia Miplas Altas, Sacatepe´quez, Gua- previously described for other Poly- temala (14835.6470N; 90840.0270W, orthini revealed a high degree of 2275 m elevation). This orchard was variation in the chaetotaxy, suggesting ;3 Ha consisting of ;300 10–12-year- that no features of the larvae alone can old trees that were ;6–8 m in height be used to unambiguously assign them with interlacing canopies. On 25 and 30 to this tribe. November 2007, 11 and 27 fruit, The purpose of this paper is to respectively, showing lepidopteran describe and illustrate this new species feeding damage were harvested at this that feeds on avocado, which may have site and returned to the laboratory for the potential to become a significant rearing. avocado pest in areas outside of its The new species of Histura also was natural range. In addition, information reared from unmanaged non-Hass fruit. is presented on its biology, and the On 11 December 2006, 354 fruit were fragmentary information on the larval purchased from a roadside vendor in stages of Polyorthini is reviewed. Santiago Atitlan, Solola´, Guatemala (14837.5810N; 91813.5570W, 1,592 m MATERIALS AND METHODS elevation). These fruit had been har- Study sites.—Avocado fruit used in vested from backyard trees by the this study was collected from commer- vendor in the immediate vicinity of cial Hass avocado orchards and from the purchase site. The second site with non-Hass trees that were growing along non-Hass avocados that yielded the roadsides, in backyards, or as shade new species was in Sumpango, Saca- trees in coffee plantations. Fruit collec- tepe´quez, Guatemala (14840.2920N; tions were part of a much larger survey 90843.1950W, 1,825 m elevation). Over being conducted for fruit-feeding Lep- the period 14–23 November 2007, 81 idoptera in Guatemala (Hoddle and fruit were harvested from one tree at Hoddle 2008a). The new species de- this site. scribed herein was reared from fruit Rearing methods.—Hass and non- collected from two commercial Hass Hass avocados were returned to the orchards. The first orchard was located laboratory and kept for 10–14 days in in San Miguel Duen˜as, Sacatepe´quez, collapsible ventilated insect rearing Guatemala (14831.4610N; 90846.5790W, cages (Bug-Dorm-2120 [60 cm 3 60 1,494 m elevation). This orchard was cm 3 60 cm], MegaView, Taiwan) that ;5 Ha consisting of ;800 trees; trees were labeled by collecting date and were ;5 years old and ;4–5 m in location. Rearing of larvae was con- height, and canopies were separated by ducted in a well-lit room under natural ;5–7 m of clear ground allowing full daylight and lengths (;12 h) at 22.148C sun exposure. Trees were subjected to 6 0.13 (temperature measured with a monthly rotating applications of mala- Hobo data logger [Onsett Corp., MA] at thion and endosulfan. Over the study 30 min intervals). Fruit were inspected period (24 January–23 February 2007), daily, and mature Lepidoptera larvae 2080 fruit showing damage (e.g., frass searching for pupation sites were iso- accumulations, perseitol exudates, and lated and kept in clear labeled plastic tunnel openings) from Lepidoptera cups with ventilated lids that were lined feeding were picked from trees and with paper towel to provide a pupation returned to the laboratory for rearing of substrate.