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Detailed Morphology of All Life Stages of the Agave Red Worm, Comadia redtenbacheri (Hammerschmidt) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae)

  • Systematics, Morphology and Physiology
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Abstract

The agave red worm, Comadia redtenbacheri (Hammerschmidt), is an important source of food and income in Mexico. Despite its importance, several aspects of its biology, morphology, and behavior remain poorly studied. In this work, we describe and illustrate the morphology of all the life stages that may aid in understanding certain aspects of its biology. To obtain all life stages, last instar larvae were collected from agave plants and allowed to pupate; after the adults emerged, they were allowed to mate and oviposit. The frenulum is longer in males; epiphysis I is longer in females than in males; the abdomen bears two types of tubercles of unknown function. Eggs present a reticulate chorion; primary rosette cells are highly variable in shape; the micropylar formula is (10-14): (12-13). First instar larvae are white, becoming red as they develop; L3 in the prothorax is subprimary; the SV setal group in A1 is comprised of only SV1 on first instar larvae; last instars have several secondary setae. Pupae are adecticous and obtect; there are rows of spines on the dorsum of the abdomen. The biological significance of some of the findings is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología under grant number 166898, “Biología de Comadia redtenbacheri.” We would like to thank Dr. Luis Carrillo-López of the Electron Microscopy Unit of Colegio de Postgraduados for helping us with the SEM operation and Dr. Jesús Romero-Nápoles for reviewing the manuscript.

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  1. Entomología y Acarología, Colegio de Postgraduados, IFIT, Campus Montecillo, Km 36.5 Carretera México-Texcoco, Montecillo, Estado de México, Mexico

    R Castro-Torres & C Llanderal-Cázares

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  1. R Castro-Torres
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  2. C Llanderal-Cázares
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Correspondence to C Llanderal-Cázares.

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Castro-Torres, R., Llanderal-Cázares, C. Detailed Morphology of All Life Stages of the Agave Red Worm, Comadia redtenbacheri (Hammerschmidt) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae). Neotrop Entomol 45, 698–711 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-016-0425-7

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