Immature stages of Spodoptera cosmioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): developmental parameters and host plants

Alexandre Specht,Vânia F Roque-Specht

doi:10.1590/s1984-4689zool-20160053

Abstract

The goal of this study was to detail the temporal and morphological parameters of the immature stages of Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker, 1858) and to gather information about their larval host plants. Larvae were reared on artificial diet and under controlled conditions (25 ± 1°C, 70 ± 10% RH and 14 hour photophase). The viability of eggs, larvae (pre-pupae period inclusive) and pupae were 98.97, 97.33, 97.95 and 94.76%, respectively. The average duration of egg, larval, pre-pupal and pupal stages was 3.82, 19.24, 3.20 and 14.81 days, respectively. A small proportion of females (9.48%) passed through seven instars, and female development was significantly slower than male development. The female larvae that developed through six and seven instars exhibited a mean growth rate of 1.63 and 1.49, respectively. Overall, female pupae were significantly larger, exhibiting slower development than males. One hundred and twenty six plants belonging to 40 families are listed as hosts of S. cosmioides , mainly including Solanaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Poaceae.

Highlights

The moth Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker, 1858) is a native polyphagous crop pest in South America (Pogue 2002)
Spodoptera cosmioides occurs from Panama to southern South America, whereas S. latifascia occurs from Panama to southern United States, including Costa Rica and the Caribbean, except Trinidad (Silvian & Lalanne-Cassou 1997, Pogue 2002)
The total development time of the female larvae that went through six instars was significantly longer than the total development time of male larvae (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

The moth Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker, 1858) is a native polyphagous crop pest in South America (Pogue 2002). Spodoptera cosmioides occurs from Panama to southern South America, whereas S. latifascia occurs from Panama to southern United States, including Costa Rica and the Caribbean, except Trinidad (Silvian & Lalanne-Cassou 1997, Pogue 2002). After the distinction between S. cosmiodes and S. latifascia (Silvian & Lalanne-Cassou 1997) was made, other studies on S. cosmioides have followed, elaborating on its occurrence periods, morphology and biology (e.g., Specht & Corseuil 2002, Bavaresco et al 2002, 2003, 2004, Specht et al 2005, Zenker et al 2007, 2010, Cabezas et al 2013). Following the guidelines of the studies above mentioned, here the biology of S. cosmioides is described in detail including information about their host plants

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Conclusion