Sexual dimorphism of pupae and adults of the cocoa pod borer, Conopomorpha cramerella

Francisco J. Posada1a*, Ike Virdiana2b, Maisin Navies3c, Monica Pava-Ripoll4d, Prakash Hebbar5e

1IPM, Tropical Pernnial Crop Consultant, Laurel, MD. USA
2Sumatra Bioscience. Bah Lias Research Station. Jl Jend A Yani No 2 PO Box 1154. Medan 20111 Indonesia
3Malaysian Cocoa Board, Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia, Cocoa Research and Development Center, 60237, Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia
4University of Maryland, Department of Entomology. 4112 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, MD. 20742
5US Department of Agriculture-APHIS-PPQ, Riverdale, MD, USA

Abstract

This paper describes the main distinguishing characteristics of female and male pupae and adults of cocoa pod borer, Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae). Two pairs of tubercles present on the sterna of segments IX and X of the female pupae are useful in differentiating female from male pupae. The female genital opening is located anterior to the first pair of tubercles and forms a plateau in which the center has a light brown longitudinal depression that indicates the female genital opening. The male genital opening is a conspicuous, brown, longitudinal slit located between the two pairs of tubercles. The sex of the adult moth can be determined by examining the ventrocaudal segments of the abdomen. The last segment of the female abdomen is white, compressed laterally and at the tip, and the hairy anal papillae can be seen. In the male, the ventrocaudal end of the abdomen is black and robust. This information will be useful for laboratory and field diagnosis and while working on sex ratios of this important pest of cocoa.

Keywords: Nephelium lappaceum, south Asia, Theobroma cacao

Correspondence: a* fjavierposada@hotmail.com, b ike.virdiana@sumatrabioscience.com, c navie@koko.gov.my, d monicapavaripoll@hotmail.com, e prakash.hebbar@aphis.usda.gov, *Corresponding author

Received: 10 February 2010 | Accepted: 14 October 2010 | Published: 18 April 2011

ISSN: 1536-2442 | Volume 11, Number 52

Posada FJ, Virdiana I, Navies M, Pava-Ripoll M, Hebbar P. 2011. Sexual dimorphism of pupae and adults of the cocoa pod borer, Conopomorpha cramerella. Journal of Insect Science 11:52 available online: insectscience.org/11.52


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