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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #379554
Research Project: Systematics of Parasitic and Herbivorous Wasps of Agricultural Importance

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Prodecatoma diospyri Muesebeck (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) reported in Mexico; new distribution records and damage description on black sapote fruits

Author
item RUIZ-MONTIEL, C. - University Of Veracruzana
item GONZALEZ-PEREZ, J.S. - Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua
item VALDEZ-CARRASCO, J. - Campus Montecillo
item LOMELI-FLORES, J.R. - Campus Montecillo
item Gates, Michael
item FRANCO-MORA, O. - Universidad Autonoma Del Estado De Hidalgo
item CASTANEDA-VILDOZOLA, A. - Universidad Autonoma Del Estado De Hidalgo

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/9/2021
Publication Date: 4/28/2021
Citation: Ruiz-Montiel, C., Gonzalez-Perez, J., Valdez-Carrasco, J., Lomeli-Flores, J., Gates, M.W., Franco-Mora, O., Castaneda-Vildozola, A. 2021. Prodecatoma diospyri Muesebeck (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) reported in Mexico; new distribution records and damage description on black sapote fruits. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 123(2):437-442. https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.123.2.437.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.123.2.437

Interpretive Summary: Small tropical fruits, like black sapote, form an important part of local diets and economies, having the potential for breeding efforts leading to wider commercialization. Black sapote is a valuable tree fruit in Mexico, but its fruits are often damaged by a seed-feeding parasitic wasp that causes significant fruit loss. Here we report on the range and degree of damage of this wasp on black sapote in Mexico. This information will be useful to fruit growers in Central and South America, entomologists, and agronomists.

Technical Abstract: Diospyros nigra (Gmel.) Perr., black sapote, is an evergreen tree native to southwest Mexico and Central America. It is grown commercially in small orchards and backyard gardens and valued at over $200,000/year in Mexico. A seed-feeding wasp, Prodecatoma diospyriMuesebeck, is reported damaging the seeds of black sapote. New range extensions of this wasp are reported and a previously published misidentification corrected.