J. Env. Bio-Sci., 2015: Vol.

29 (2):389-391
(389) ISSN 0973-6913 (Print), ISSN 0976-3384 (On Line)

DIVERSITY OF MYLLOCERUS SPECIES (COLEOPTERA : CURCULIONIDAE)

ASSOCIATED WITH PROSOPIS JULIFLORA
Seema Kumar1 and Sanjeev Kumar2
1
Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur, 342005
2
Desert Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, 342005
[Corresponding author E-mail2: dr.kumarsanjeev@gmail.com]
Received: 13-07-2015 Accepted: 03-10-2015
The present paper records Prosopis juliflora as a new host for ten Myllocerus spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) for the first time.

Prosopis juliflora is an Invasive alien/exotic plant species of
Fabaceae family. In the present study, Prosopis juliflora has
been found to harbour very large population of Myllocerus spp.
in Rajasthan. Prosopis juliflora is reported to host a wide
spectrum of insects world over1-13. The genus Myllocerus
Schoenherr, 1823 is distributed world over14. So far no species
of Myllocerus have been reported to host on or cause damage
to Prosopis juliflora. This is the first record of Myllocerus
species diversity found associated with Prosopis juliflora.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Adults of Myllocerus spp. were collected from Prosopis juliflora
in different districts of Rajasthan during 2010-2015. Adults
were collected from the Prosopis juliflora trees by spreading
a white sheet below it and then shaking/tapping the branches.
They were also collected directly from the leaves, stem and
thorns of the tree by hand picking and also by using light trap
with mercury bulb of 160 W at night in thick plantation areas
of Prosopis juliflora thickets. The specimens were killed using
ethyl acetate as killing agent and preserved dry in butter paper
envelops in storage boxes with dichlorobenzene. The
specimens were also directly killed and preserved in 70%
alcohol. The specimens were pinned for identification. The
species was taxonomically determined and confirmed by the
experts.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Adults of Myllocerus spp. were observed feeding on leaves of
Prosopis juliflora in different districts of Rajasthan during 2010-
2015. Myllocerus spp. are mainly foliage feeders. Adults mainly
feed on leaves and sometimes cause severe defoliation. The
short snouted curculionid Myllocerus spp. are widely
distributed and recorded from various trees, horticulture and
NAAS Rating (2016)-4.20
agro-forestry plants and many are also reported as pests of
plant species14-33. Although in case of Prosopis juliflora no
mortality was recorded in the field either at plants sapling or
tree stage but population density was very high on an individual
tree. The present paper reports for the first time Prosopis
juliflora sustaining/supporting diversity of ten Myllocerus spp.
of class Insecta under order Coleoptera and family
Curculionidae.
These beetles are normally polyphagous in nature but have a
selected host range. The adults are small 2.5 mm to 6.2 mm
long, some are with various blackish spots or lines on thorax
and elytra. The colour varies from yellowish-green, light to
dark green, grey to brown which helps them camouflage with
the colour of the leaves, stem and thorns and thus escape
notice of their presence. The adults were found singly on the
under-surface of leaves, on the upright shoot tips, the base of
the stem near ground level and clinging at the base of the
thorns. In general the eggs are laid in the soil. Larvae feed on
roots and rootlets of various seedlings and young plants. Adults
emerge from the soil and feeds on foliage. The adults were
active throughout the year with maximum activity by the end
of July to last week of September. The species are diurnal
but also attracted to light. The adults feign death for a short
period of 30 to 50 sec. Many species of insectivorous birds
and lizard Calotes versicolor (Daudin, 1902) feed on Myllocerus
adults which serves as natural food for these biological control
agents thus keep their population in check. It was also
recorded that the agriculture fields having Prosopis juliflora
as fencing were not infested by Myllocerus spp. The
systematic account of the species and host range is
discussed below:
 DIVERSITY OF MYLLOCERUS SPECIES
SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Curculionidae
Subfamily: Otiorrhynchinae
Genus: Myllocerus Schoenherr, 1823
1. Myllocerus dalbergiae Ramamurthy and Ghai, 1988
Reported Host range: Azadirachta indica, Dalbergia sisoo,
Moringa oleifera, Tecomella undulata. New Host: Prosopis
juliflora.
Remarks: Also collected from Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta
indica, Dalbergia sisoo, Moringa oleifera, Prosopis cineraria,
Tectona grandis.
2. Myllocerus discolour Boheman, 1834
Reported Host range: Acacia caesia (Syn. Acacia intsia),
Acacia spp., Aegle marmelos, Ficus spp., Dalbergia
lanceolaria paniculata, Dalbergia sissoo, Mangifera indica,
Moringa oleifera, Morus alba, Populus spp., Tamarindus
indica, Tectona grandis, Tecomella undulata, Zizyphus jujuba,
Carica papaya, Citrus spp., Corchorus spp., Eriobotrya
japonica, Glycine max, Helianthus spp., Litchi spp., Oryza
sativa, Psidium spp., Pyrus pashia, Prunus spp. (Almond,
Apricopt), Saccharum spp., Solanum melongena, Triticum
spp., Vitis spp., Zea mays. New Host: Prosopis juliflora.
3. Myllocerus dorsatus (Fabricius, 1798)
Reported Host range: Azadirachta indica, Cedrela toona,
Dalbergia sissoo, Leucaena leucocephala, Morus alba,
Prosopis cineraria, Santalum album, Tectona grandis, Toona
australialis, Toona ciliata, Cajanus cajan, Canavalia, Citrus
spp., Gossypium spp., Solanum tuberosum, Vicia faba, Vigna
unguiculata. New Host: Prosopis juliflora.
Remarks: Also observed and collected from Prosopis cineraria.
4. Myllocerus laetivirens Marshall, 1916
Reported Host range: Acacia arabica, Acacia nilotica,
Accaia senegal, Azadirachta indica, Dalbergia sissoo,
Mangifera indica, Moringa oleifera, Tecomella undulata,
Tectona grandis, Ziziphus jujuba, Ziziphus mauritiana,
Abelmoschus esculentus, Alcea spp., Cajanus cajan, Cajanus
indicus, Citrus spp., Crotolaria juncea, Fragaria spp., Glycine
max, Grewia asiatica, Gossypium spp., Malus spp.., Medicago
(390)
sativa, Morus alba, Pennisetum glaucum, Phaseolus
aconitifolius, Prunus spp. (Plum, Apricot), Prunus persica,
Prunus dulcis, Pyrus spp., Punica granatum, Ricinus
communis, Rosa spp., Sesamum indicum, Tamarix, Tephrosia
spp., Vigna catjung, Vigna unguiculata, Vigna spp., Zea mays.
New Host: Prosopis juliflora.
5. Myllocerus nepalensis Ramamurthy and Ghai, 1988
Reported Host range: Dalbergia sissoo, Cassia siamea.
New Host: Prosopis juliflora.
6. Myllocerus subfasciatus (Gruérin-Méneville, 1843)
Reported Host range: Prosopis cineraria, Alcea spp., Arachis
hypogaea, Boehmeria nivea, Corchorus spp., Gossypium spp.,
Malus spp., Prunus spp., Solanum melongena, Solanum
tuberosum. New Host: Prosopis juliflora.
Remarks: Also collected from Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta
indica, Dalbergia sisoo, Prosopis cineraria, Tectona grandis.
7. Myllocerus tenuicornis Faust, 1891
Reported Host range: Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta indica,
Dalbergia sisoo, Acalypha spp., Prunus spp., Psidium spp.
New Host: Prosopis juliflora.
Remarks: Also observed and collected from Acacia nilotica,
Azadirachta indica, Dalbergia sissoo, Prosopis cineraria,
Santalum album, Zizyphus jujuba, Zizyphus mauritiania.
8. Myllocerus fabricii Gruérin-Méneville, 1843
Reported Host range: Acacia spp., Casuarina equisetifolia
and cultivated crops. New Host: Prosopis juliflora.
Remaks: Also recorded from Acacia nilotica, Acacia senegal,
Acacia tortilis and Azadirachta indica.
9. Myllocerus severini Marshall, 1916
Reported Host range: Shorea robusta and cultivated crops.
New Host: Prosopis juliflora.
10. Myllocerus undecimpustulatus Faust, 1891
Reported Host range: This includes Acacia nilotica, Acacia
senegal, Albizia lebbeck, Acacia tortilis, Azadirachta indica,
Casuarina equisetifolia, Cassia siamea, Dalbergia sisoo,
Leucaena leucocephala, Mangifera indica, Moringa oleifera,
Pongamia pinnata, Litchi chinensis, Prunus spp., Psidium
spp., Punica granatum, Pyrus spp., Zizyphus jujuba, Zizyphus
mauritiana, Abelmoschus esculentus, Cajanus cajan,
(391) KUMAR AND KUMAR

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