Primer Captura de Phoracantha Recurva1 Newman, 1840 en Condiciones Naturales en México e Información Sobre Su Distribución en México

Abstract

Phoracantha recurva,_Newman, 1840, is a beetle native to Australia. Adults of this species have a bright body, with dark brown and yellow to cream areas on the elytra, antennae as long or longer than the body, pronotum with discs or protuberances on the back, and lateral spines; elytra with at least one spine or process in the apical margin. P. recurva is an important pest, because it causes severe damage to trees belonging to the Myrtaceae family, such as Eucalyptus and Angophora. The National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity in Mexico (CONABIO) has published the list of high-risk exotic insects and arachnids for Mexico. Of the 20 species of insects associated with eucalyptus trees in Mexico, the genus Phoracantha is not registered, probably because reports of this species are only incidental. Here, we report the occurrence of P. recurva, in Mexico based upon captured and observed specimens.