First reports of Dryocosmus kuriphilus, Oligonychus perseae and Phoracantha recurva in the Azores (PT)
As a result of ongoing inventory and monitoring efforts conducted in the Azores (Portugal), 13 arthropod species are reported for the first time in the Archipelago. Among these, the following insect species were first recorded in the Azores, and all were found on the Island of Terceira:
- Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae – EPPO A2 List) has been found on chestnut (Castanea sativa) trees in the localities of Terra-Chã and Biscoitos.
- Oligonychus perseae (Acari: Tetranychidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) has been found in avocado orchards in the localities of Terra-Chã and São Pedro. It is noted that avocado orchards are scarce in the Azores and that the impacts of this new pest still need to be quantified.
- A single specimen of Phoracantha recurva (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) has been found in the Campus of the University of Azores where several trees of Eucalyptus globulus are growing.
Sources
Boieiro M, Varga-Szilay Z, Costa R, Crespo L, Leite A, Oliveira R, Pozsgai G, Rego C, Calado H, Teixeira M, Lopes DH, Soares A, Borges PAV (2024) New findings of terrestrial arthropods from the Azorean Islands. Biodiversity Data Journal 12, e136391. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.12.e136391