Insects associated with the soursop (Annona muricata L.) crop in Nayarit, Mexico

Abstract

The objective of the study was to identify the entomofauna associated with soursop cultivated commercially in the municipalities of Compostela and San Blas in the state of Nayarit, Mexico. The entomofauna obtained from samples taken from Nov 2016 to Dec 2017 were morphologically identified using taxonomic keys. A total of 3,674 insects were collected, with 20 species being phytophagous, including the pink hibiscus mealybug Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and an armored scale Pinnaspis sp. (Hemiptera: Diaspididae). There were 12 species of predators in the families Coccinellidae (Azya orbigera {[}Mulsant], Chilocorus sp., Cryptolaemus montrouzieri {[}Mulsant], Cycloneda sanguinea L., Cyclonedo sp., Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville, Olla v-nigrum {[}Mulsant], Poronedo pallidula guticollis {[}Mulsant], and Stethorus pinachi {[}Gordon \& Chapin]), and Chrysopidae (Ceraeochrysa valida {[}Banks], Ceraeochrysa sp., and Chrysoperla externa {[}Hagen]), and 5 species of parasitoids of the genera Aphytis, Coccophagus, Encarsia (all Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Anagyrus, and Gyranusoidea (both Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). The ladybird beetle P pallidula guticollis was recorded for the first time in the state of Nayarit. Also, 9 phytophagous species are new records for soursop in Mexico.