Neochetina

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Neochetina
CSIRO ScienceImage 2703 Waterhyacinth weevil Neochetina bruchi.jpg
Neochetina bruchi
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Brachyceridae
Subfamily: Brachycerinae
Tribe: Erirhinini
Genus: Neochetina
Hustache, 1926
Species

N. eichhorniae
N. bruchi

Neochetina is a genus of weevils known as water hyacinth weevil which are native to South America.

Neochetina feed almost exclusively on the highly vigorous water hyacinth ( Eichhornia spp.). There are at least two species: N. eichhorniae or mottled water hyacinth weevil which gets its name from the plant it feeds on and N. bruchi or chevroned water hyacinth weevil which is characterized by a chevron–shaped marking on its back.

Both weevils have been introduced extensively in countries around the world to help control water hyacinth growth which threatens to choke numerous waterways and lakes worldwide.

Related Research Articles

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Pontederiaceae Family of aquatic plants

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Vine weevil Species of beetle

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The mottled water hyacinth weevil, Neochetina eichhorniae, is a beetle that has been introduced as a biological pest control herbivore agent to waterways and lakes in countries worldwide to control the spread of the invasive noxious weed species Eichhornia crassipes, the water hyacinth, an aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin.

<i>Diaprepes abbreviatus</i> Species of beetle

Diaprepes abbreviatus is a species of weevil that is native to the Caribbean, where in Spanish it is colloquially called chichí. It is an agricultural pest in several Caribbean countries. In 1964 this weevil was accidentally introduced in the US, state of Florida, where it is at present a major pest of citrus. It was first discovered in southern California in 2005, where it is a pest of citrus, avocado, and nursery stock. It is also known to infest sugarcane, tuber-bearing crops such as potatoes, and ornamental plants. Common names for the insect include diaprepes root weevil, citrus root weevil and sugarcane rootstock borer weevil.

<i>Eichhornia crassipes</i> Aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin

Pontederia crassipes, commonly known as common water hyacinth, is an aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin, and is often a highly problematic invasive species outside its native range. It is the sole species of Pontederia subg. Oshunae.

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<i>Niphograpta</i> Genus of moths

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Lilaeopsis masonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae known by the common names mudflat quillplant and Mason's lilaeopsis. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and nearby shores of San Francisco Bay.

Eccritotarsus catarinensis is a species of plant bug from Santa Catarina, Brazil. It is a sap-feeding mirid that removes a considerable amount of chlorophyll from water hyacinth.

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<i>Samea multiplicalis</i> Species of moth

Samea multiplicalis, the salvinia stem-borer moth, is an aquatic moth commonly found in freshwater habitats from the southern United States to Argentina, as well as in Australia where it was introduced in 1981. Salvinia stem-borer moths lay their eggs on water plants like Azolla caroliniana, Pistia stratiotes, and Salvinia rotundifolia. Larval feeding on host plants causes plant death, which makes S. multiplicalis a good candidate for biological control of weedy water plants like Salvinia molesta, an invasive water fern in Australia. However, high rates of parasitism in the moth compromise its ability to effectively control water weeds. S. multiplicalis larvae are a pale yellow to green color, and adults develop tan coloration with darker patterning. The lifespan, from egg to the end of adulthood is typically three to four weeks. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1854.

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Water hyacinth has become a major invasive plant species in Lake Victoria and while it is native to the continent of South America, human activity has introduced the greenery to Lake Victoria, where it is claimed to have negatively affected local ecosystems.

<i>Salvinia minima</i> Species of aquatic plant

Salvinia minima is a species of aquatic, floating fern that grows on the surface of still waterways. It is usually referred to as common salvinia or water spangles. Salvinia minima is native to South America, Mesoamerica, and the West Indies and was introduced to the United States in the 1920s-1930s. It is classified as an invasive species internationally and can be detrimental to native habitats. This species is similar to but should not be confused with giant salvinia, Salvinia molesta.

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<i>Neochetina bruchi</i> Species of beetle

Neochetina bruchi, the chevroned waterhyacinth weevil, is a species of marsh weevil in the beetle family Brachyceridae. It is found in North America and Africa.

References