Sunday, December 10, 2006 - 4:23 PM
0186

Ernobius libanensis n. sp. (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) colonizes the buds of Lebanese cedars (Cedrus libani) in Lebanon

Nabil M. Nemer, nn04@aub.edu.lb1, Maya Nehme, men151@psu.edu1, Nasri S. Kawar1, Brigitte Frerot, frerot@versailles.inra.fr2, and Alain Roques, Alain.Roques@orleans.inra.fr3. (1) American University of Beirut, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, FAFS- AUB, Riad El Solh 11072020, Beirut, Lebanon, (2) Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Route de saint-Cyr, Versailles Cedex, Versailles, France, (3) Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, INRA Zoologie Forestiere, Ardon-BP 20619, F-45166, Olivet, France

The cedar bud beetle, Ernobius libanensis n.sp. (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) is considered an important insect in the cedar forest because of its relative abundance and specific colonization and consumption of the summer buds of Cedrus libani. E. libanensis n.sp. differs from the abietis group in the Ernobius genus by its antennal segments and the relatively short tarsal segments. This species differs largely from the other Ernobius species known on cedars namely E. anatolicus and E. mulsanti fructuum from the abietis-group, and E. syriacus from the nigrinus-group. In order to study the beetle-bud relationship and to detect presence of volatile compounds from cedars regulating this behavior, new and one-year old summer buds were compared for attractiveness toward virgin and mated females and males of E.libanensis, respectively. Males and virgin females of E.libanensis were found to be highly attracted to the two types of summer buds, with percentage attraction ranging from 60% to 100%. After mating, females were specifically directed toward the new green summer buds for oviposition, with 80% attraction. Myrcene and alpha-Pinene were relatively highly attractive to the mated females, with attraction ranging from 30% to 60%.


Species 1: Coleoptera Anobiidae Ernobius Libanensis n.sp (cedar bud beetle)

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