Abstract
The flat-headed borer, Capnodis tenebrionis (Linnaeus, 1760) , dispersed extensively in various geographical regions; it is extremely harmful and a dire threat to most stone fruit cultivars, and once the larva enters under the host tree crown, the infested host tree will gradually dry and eventually die. In this study, specimens were collected from several sites in Erbil province, Kurdistan Region- Iraq; then the fully grown larvae were selected for morphological study. In addition, clarification of morphological consequential and implication for most diagnostic characters were studied in all dissected parts. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to further analyze the hidden features of the selected characteristics; those were not shown in the primary mounting. The results impressively presented new conclusive evidence for the descriptive illustration of C. tenebrionis, and it confirmed a precise identification of this species in the larval stage.
Highlights
The genus Capnodis Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) is a widely distributed genus that consists of 21 species (Löbl and Löbl, 2016), of which around 10 species recorded in Iraq (Ali, 2007)
This due to the damage which this larva cause starts from neonate instar and it is the capability of boring the host plant root systems
This research investigated the morphological characteristics of the last larval instar of Capnodis tenebrionis (L. 1758)
Summary
The genus Capnodis Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) is a widely distributed genus that consists of 21 species (Löbl and Löbl, 2016), of which around 10 species recorded in Iraq (Ali, 2007). It is highly important to recognize this species in the larval stage and differentiate it from other borers in the region of this study- Iraq, as it destroys the roots of both saplings and mature trees of cultivated stone-fruits. Perhaps, this due to the damage which this larva cause starts from neonate instar and it is the capability of boring the host plant root systems.
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