Morphological caracterization of the fruitborer Sesiidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera) of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), found in the coastal region of Aragua State, Venezuela

Abstract

Description of adult and immature stages of Carmenta theobromae (Busck), 1910 and C. foraseminis Eichlin 1995; the cocoa fruit borers in the coastal region of Aragua State, Venezuela was made. Specimens were obtained from bored cocoa pods collected at the Cocoa germplasm bank (INIA-Ocumare de la Costa) and La Sabaneta (a locality near Choroní) between the years 2000 and 2003. Breeding under laboratory conditions provided enough material for the description of eggs, larvae, pupae and adult stages of each species. Differentiating adult characters were: color of the scales of the vertex and frons of the head, wings and abdomen; number and color of longitudinal bands on mesonotum; color of maxillary palpi and forecoxae. The eggs differ in color, shape, size, and texture of the corion. Last instar larvae presented differences in: body color, cephalic width, thoracic shield shape, color of abdominal setae and anal shield, and the photofobic grade. Pupae presented the greater number of diagnostic characters: Color, galea shape, texture of pronotum, mesonotum, and first abdominal segment, the shape of alar furrow, second abdominal spiracle, and the apical abdominal region (anal and genital). Hence we propose the use of pupal characters to diagnose the presence of both species in the field, using the pupal exuviae found in the bored pods.