Xylosandrus morigerus, is a species of weevil widespread throughout Afrotropical, Australian, Neotropical, Oceania and Oriental regions. It is also introduced to Palearctic regional countries.[1][2]
It is native to Gabon, Madagascar, Mauritius, Zaire, Australia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysian Peninsula, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Galapagos Islands, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Tobago, Venezuela, Fiji islands, Hawaii, Micronesia, Samoa, and Tonga.[3][4] It is also found in Austria, Czech republic, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Jordan and Lebanon as an exotic species.[5][6]
Body length of the female ranges from 1.5 to 2.0 mm. Body light to dark brown. Antennae and legs are yellowish brown. Antennea with 5 funicular segments and obliquely truncate club. Pronotal vestiture is semi-appressed and with hairy setae. Pronotal base covered with a dense patch of short erect setae that resemble a pronotal-mesonotal mycangium. Pronotal disc is moderately punctate. Pronotum consists with lateral costa and carina. Protibiae with 4 socketed teeth, whereas mesotibiae with 8 to 10 and metatibiae with 10 socketed teeth. In elytra, discal striae and interstriae uniseriate are punctate. Declivital elytral face is convex, steep and abruptly separated from disc.[7]
The species shows successful inbreeding. Mating occurs between siblings and before dispersal, which assures successful insemination of most dispersing females. Females that are not inseminated by a brother called haplodiploid, can potentially mate with a haploid son produced from unfertilized eggs before leaving the nest. The genetic variation suggests that outbreeding is extremely rare in the species.[8]
A polyphagous species, it is found in many plants.[7] It shows a tight symbiosis with ambrosia fungi such as Ambrosiella and occasionally other imperfect ascomycete fungi.[9]
Xylosandrus morigerus, is a species of weevil widespread throughout Afrotropical, Australian, Neotropical, Oceania and Oriental regions. It is also introduced to Palearctic regional countries.
