Chlumetia transversa, the mango shoot borer,[1] is a moth of the family Euteliidae. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1863.[2] It is a widely distributed across Indo-Australian tropical countries far east to Solomon Islands.

Chlumetia transversa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Euteliidae
Genus: Chlumetia
Species:
C. transversa
Binomial name
Chlumetia transversa
(Walker, 1863)
Synonyms
  • Nachaba transversa Walker, 1863
  • Chlumetia guttiventris Walker, [1866] 1865
  • Chlumetia guangxiensis Wu & Zhu, 1981

Distribution

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It is well distributed in Indo-Australian tropical countries of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka,[3] Bangladesh towards China, Korea, and Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Andaman Islands, Nicobar Islands and Solomon Islands.[4]

Description

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Adult wingspan is 1.5 cm. Forewings shining gray, whereas hindwings light gray. Submarginal band of forewing is broken. Reniform open anteriorly. Dark grayish subbasal shading visible. Valves of male genitalia slender and curved upwards. Short uncus is broad and polygonal. Caterpillar has dull violaceous dorsum and greenish ventrum. Head brownish, which becomes testaceous in late instars. Spiracles narrow. Legs and prolegs short.[5] Final instar is dark pink.[6]

Pest attack

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The caterpillar is a serious pest of Mangifera indica. It eats young leaves and then bores into the midrib and terminal shoots. Heavy infestation results in leaf abscission and wilting of shoots.[6] Other larval host plants include Litchi chinensis,[7][8] Buchanania, Mangifera foetida and Solanum erianthum.[9]

Control

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Pests can be controlled by light traps, pheromone traps, hand picking, pruning,[10] or application of several pesticides such as carbaryl, quinalphos, monocrotophos, fenvalerate or cypermethrin.[6]

Larvae of the parasitoid Megaselia chlumetiae is known to parasitize shoot borer caterpillars by laying eggs on the integument of the caterpillar. Emerged fly larvae then enter the caterpillar and feed on its internal tissues. Finally the pupation occurs within the dead caterpillar.[11]

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References

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  1. ^ "Studies on Incidence and Control of Chlumetia transversa Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Mango". Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  2. ^ "Species Details: Chlumetia transversa Walker, 1863". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  3. ^ Koçak, Ahmet Ömer; Kemal, Muhabbet (20 February 2012). "Preliminary list of the Lepidoptera of Sri Lanka". Cesa News (79). Centre for Entomological Studies Ankara: 1–57. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  4. ^ "The Euteliinae (Lepidoptera: Euteliidae) of Papua Indonesia". Papua-Insects.nl. The Papua Insects Foundation. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Chlumetia transversa Walker". The Moths of Borneo. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  6. ^ a b c "Shoot Borer (Chlumetia transversa)". Bitterroot Restoration. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  7. ^ Herbison-Evans, Don & Crossley, Stella (8 August 2012). "Chlumetia transversa (Walker, 1863) Shoot Borer". Australian Caterpillars and their Butterflies and Moths. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  8. ^ "Chlumetia transversa (Walker)". ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  9. ^ "HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants". The Natural History Museum. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  10. ^ "Mango shoot borer controlling measures". Peat. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  11. ^ "A new parasitoid (Diptera: Phoridae) of the mango shoot borer, Chlumetia transversa (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in India". Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
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