Aspectos Biológicos y Nuevos Registros Estatales de Cylindrocopturus biradiatus Champion1 en México

Abstract

The cactus spine weevil, Cylindrocopturus biradiatus Champion, is a species of agricultural interest associated with Opuntia spp. in a large part of the Mexican territory. In this study we observed that adults have solitary habits and feed on cladodes in the spring. The female lays an egg at the base of the spines and the larva feeds on internal tissue of the cladode from which a spine originates, spending the winter inside as larva. Our results showed that C. biradiatus has three larval stages. There is a gallery chamber under the spine built by the larva to pupate inside and emerge as an adult in early spring. Guerrero, Hidalgo, and Oaxaca are new distribution sites for C. biradiatus.