Strelitzia nicolai (Strelitziaceae), new host plant for Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera Curculionidae) in Sicily.

Abstract

The Red Palm Weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier, 1790) (Coleoptera Curculionidae), is con- sidered the main palm pest in the Mediterranean basin. This species is native to Southeastern Asia and is now widely spread throughout Oceania, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean (MURPHY & BRISCOE, 1999; EPPO, 2008, 2012; CHEBBI et al., 2011; RODA et al., 2011). Moreover, in North America the pest was found in California, where it is now considered eradicated (CDFA, 2010; IPPC, 2015). In Italy the first registered sightings were on nursery palms in Tuscany (SACCHETTI et al., 2005, 2006) and on ornamental palms in urban areas in Sicily (LONGO & TAMBURINO, 2005; LO VERDE & MASSA, 2007). Afterwards, the pest colonized all the Italian Regions in which palms were present, including many small islets such as Lampedusa and Linosa (pers. obs). The species was seen to be invasive and very difficult to control, due to its adaptability to devel- op on several palm species, to its concealed living habits and to its lack of natural enemies in the newly colonized regions. The Red Palm Weevil has been reported to attack more than 20 species of palms, which are listed in the 2010/467/EU Commission Decision regarding susceptible plants and the measures to be taken when the species is detected. In Italy almost 40,000 palms had been infested and killed as of February 2010 (almost 20,000 in Sicily, LO VERDE et al., 2011), mostly Phoenix canariensis H. Wildpret, 1882, a species native to the Canary Islands. This palm species is widely present in Sicily both in private gardens and public green areas (BAZAN et al., 2005; BARBERA & ROMANO, 2009). Moreover, in Sicily the Red Palm Weevil has been found in urban gardens on several other Are- caceae: Phoenix dactylifera L., Washingtonia spp., Chamaerops humilis L., Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) Glassman, Jubaea chilensis (Molina) Baill., Howea forsteriana (F. Muell.) Becc., and Livis- tona chinensis (Jacq.) R. Br. ex Mart. (LONGO & COLAZZA, 2009), and most recently its presence was also recorded on Chamaerops humilis in natural conditions (GIOVINO et al., 2012).