Myllocerus viridanus explained

Myllocerus viridanus, often known as sweet potato beetle,^[1] pod borer^[2] or ash weevil,^[3] is a species of weevil native to India and Sri Lanka.^{[4] [5]}

Description

This species has a body length is about 3 to 4.5 mm. Body black, with dense uniform light green scales. Sometimes color varying to pale greenish white with chalky-white efflorescence. Head with yellow and with metallic green scales at the apex of the rostrum. Head narrowed from back to front. Eyes dorsal. Forehead with a rounded impression. Rostrum evidently longer than the head. Mandibles reddish brown. Antennae black or piceous. Prothorax subconical. Elytral striae are very narrow and covered with fine longitudinal punctures. Legs black, with green scales.^[6]

Biology

Adult weevils have been observed in numerous plants as they are known to defoliate the tender leaves and shoots extensively.^[7] Grubs feed on roots resulting in wilting of plants. Hence considered as serious polyphagous pest of economic importance.^{[8] [9]}

Adults can be destroyed by using Beauveria bassiana, an entomopathogenic fungus.^[10]

Host plants

• Acacia auriculiformis^[11]
• Anacardium occidentale
• Arachis hypogaea
• Breynia retusa
• Calliandra calothyrsus
• Cassia aurantifolia
• Cassia fistula
• Citrus aurantifolia
• Citrus reticulata
• Corchorus olitorius
• Desmodium
• Erythrina stricta
• Eucalyptus robusta
• Eugenia jambolana^[12]
• Eupatorium odoratum
• Ficus exasperata
• Gliricidia sepium
• Gloriosa superba
• Helianthus annuus
• Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
• Ipomoea batatas
• Macaranga peltata
• Mallotus philippensis
• Malpighia emarginata
• Mangifera indica
• Millettia pinnata
• Moringa pterygosperma
• Morus alba^[13]
• Murraya koenigii
• Mussaenda frondosa
• Plumbago
• Populus deltoides
• Rosa × odorata
• Sapindus trifoliatus
• Senna auriculata
• Senna hirsuta
• Senna tora
• Sida acuta
• Sida rhombifolia
• Solanum melongena^[14]
• Solanum violaceum
• Sorghum bicolor^[15]
• Spinacia oleracea^[16]
• Tamarindus indica
• Tectona grandis^[17]
• Terminalia arjuna^[18]
• Terminalia tomentosa
• Theobroma cacao
• Ziziphus oenoplia

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pherobase Invasive :: Species Detail - Myllocerus viridanus . 2021-08-18 . www.pherobase.com.
2. Web site: Insect Pest Information . 2021-08-18 . cib.res.in.
3. Web site: Sharma . S. P. . Kishore . Ram . Gupta . Rakesh . Sinhadeo . S. N. . Sinha . B. R. R. P. . 2003-10-01 . Evaluation of Azadirachtin Against Immature Stages of Myllocerus viridanus Fab. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a Pest of Primary Tasar Food Plants . 2021-08-18 . Indian Forester . 1217–1221.
4. Web site: Myllocerus viridanus . 2021-08-18 . www.cabi.org . en.
5. Web site: Myllocerus - an overview: ScienceDirect Topics . 2021-08-18 . www.sciencedirect.com.
6. Web site: THE FAUNA OF BRITISH INDIA, INCLUDING CEYLON AND BURMA: COLEOPTERA. RHYNCHOPHORA :-CURCULIONIDaE . 2021-08-15 . faunaofindia.
7. Web site: TNAU Agritech Portal :: Crop Protection . 2021-08-18 . agritech.tnau.ac.in.
8. Web site: New Record of Host Plants of Myllocerus viridanus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a major polyphagous pest from Kerala, India . 2021-08-18 . Journal of Entomological Research 43(2):189-192.
9. Web site: Dna barcoding and evolutionary lineage of grey weevil, myllocerus viridanus (fabricius) (coleoptera: curculionidae) International Journal of Recent Scientific Research . 2021-08-18 . recentscientific.com.
10. Web site: Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill., a possible biocontrol agent against Myllocerus viridanus Fabr. and Calopepla leayana Latreille in south India . 2021-08-18 . www.cabdirect.org.
11. S. Pachaiyappan . S. Durairaj . 2018-05-02 . Nutritional Indices as an Index to Assess the Feeding Potentials of Forest Insect Pests, Dereodus Denticollis and Myllocerus Viridanus . 2021-08-18 . International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education . 514–518 . 10.5281/zenodo.1239810.
12. Web site: Ahmad . Mukhtar . 1989-11-01 . Feeding Diversity of Myllocerus viridanus Fab. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from South India . 2021-08-18 . Indian Forester . 832–838.
13. Web site: SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF WEEVILS MYLLOCERUS SPP. ON MULBERRY IN KOLHAPUR REGION . 2021-08-18 . International Journal of Science, Environment ISSN 2278-3687 (O) and Technology, Vol. 3, No 1, 2014, 203 – 207.
14. Web site: BRINJAL ::MAJOR PESTS::ASH WEEVILS . 2021-08-18 . eagri.org.
15. Web site: ENTO 331 :: Lecture 03 :: Pests of Sorghum . 2021-08-18 . eagri.org.
16. Web site: Pod Borer . 2021-08-18 . projectnoah.
17. Web site: Ahmad . M . 1989 . Feeding diversity of Myllocerus viridanus Fab. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from South India . 2021-08-18 . Indian Forester 115(11): 832-838.
18. Web site: P.k . Mishra . R.n . Singh . J . Jayswal . K . Thangavelu . 1995 . First report of Myllocerus viridanus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) as a pest of Terminalia arjuna Bedd. and Terminalia tomentosa W. and A. . 2021-08-18 . Sericologia . English.