Dynamic population, hosts plants, distribution and identification key for Platypodinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) associated with the cacao agroecosystem in Tabasco, Mexico

Abstract

The ambrosia beetle dynamic population, hosts and distribution were studied in the cacao agroecosystem in Tabasco, Mexico during 2007. The insects were collected in four localities with ethanol and light traps and by direct collecting in their host plants. Five species were collected with Teloplatypus excisus (Chapuis) being the most abundant with a total of 346 specimens. T. excisus and Tesserocerus dewalquei Chapuis are new records for Tabasco. Spondias mombin is recorded as a new host to Platyscapulus pulchellus (Chapuis) and T. excisus. The most efficient method of captured was the ethanol trap where which 459 specimens captured. The populational dinamic of the species through the year of study stayed in low levels in most of the towns studied, with exception of Teapa where market populational pick was seen in May and July through use the ethanol traps and in its hosts; and in the months of July and November with the light traps.