New guinea sugarcane weevil - Rhabdoscelus obscurus
EEffective: April 2, 2013
Taxonomic Position:
Coleoptera : Curculionidae
Pest Type:
Insects
Pest Code (NAPIS):
INASDHA
This pest is a member of the following lists:
These Approved Methods are appropriate for:
2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015
Major Hosts identified in the Host Matrix:
Sugarcane
This list includes important economic or environmental hosts but does not represent all major hosts of the pest. Check CAPS pest datasheet for complete list of hosts.
Human and Animal Pathogens Transmitted:
Not known to transmit any human or animal pathogens.
Plant Pathogens and Organisms Vectored:
Not known to vector any pathogens or other associated organisms but damage may lead to invasion by secondary pests.
Identification
ID/Diagnostic: Morphological
Morphological. The genus Rhabdoscelus can be identified through morphological characteristics. Key characteristics include: mesocoxae separated by more than the width of a mesocoxa, spotted or blotched elytra, pile raised in irregular vittae and pustules, and moderately large elytral strial punctures (Zimmerman, 1993).
Brodel (2013a) provides important morphological characters of Dryophthoridae, showing how to differentiate this family from Curculionidae.
A Dryophthoridae key by Zimmerman (1968) as modified by C. F. Brodel (2013) is found in Brodel (2013b).
A key to domestic and PPQ-intercepted genera of Dryophthorinae can be found in Brodel (2002). This key includes several genera of importance, including Metamasius, Rhabdoscelus, and Rhynchophorus.
Mistaken Identities:
Rhabdoscelus obscurus resembles in shape, size, and coloration other sugarcane- and palm-attacking dryophthorid weevils distributed throughout the Americas and Southeast Asia. See the CPHST Pest Datasheet for a detailed list.