TY - JOUR
T1 - Novel, non-solanaceous hostplant record for Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera
T2 - Sphingidae) in the Southwestern United States
AU - Mechaber, W. L.
AU - Hildebrand, J. G.
PY - 2000/1/1
Y1 - 2000/1/1
N2 - Field observations in the Tucson, AZ, basin reveal that Manduca sexta (L.) has been incorrectly described in the past as a specialist herbivore that oviposits and feeds exclusively on plants in the family Solanaceae. We present evidence that previously unreported, non-solanaceous host-plants are routinely used by M. sexta females for oviposition. These plants permit successful larval development, through to emergence of the next generation of adults. The novel hostplants. 2 species of the genus Proboscidea, belong to the Martyniaceae, a family taxonomically distant from the Solanaceae. Our observations on oviposition and larval feeding were conducted during 2 consecutive field seasons. During the 2nd field season, we counted M. sexta eggs on native hostplants, both solanaceous (Datura wrightii, Regel) and non-solanaceous (2 Proboscidea species), and found higher abundance of eggs on the Proboscidea spp., in approximately a 3:1 ratio. Our results challenge the commonly held view that M. sexta is a specialist exclusively on solanaceous plants.
AB - Field observations in the Tucson, AZ, basin reveal that Manduca sexta (L.) has been incorrectly described in the past as a specialist herbivore that oviposits and feeds exclusively on plants in the family Solanaceae. We present evidence that previously unreported, non-solanaceous host-plants are routinely used by M. sexta females for oviposition. These plants permit successful larval development, through to emergence of the next generation of adults. The novel hostplants. 2 species of the genus Proboscidea, belong to the Martyniaceae, a family taxonomically distant from the Solanaceae. Our observations on oviposition and larval feeding were conducted during 2 consecutive field seasons. During the 2nd field season, we counted M. sexta eggs on native hostplants, both solanaceous (Datura wrightii, Regel) and non-solanaceous (2 Proboscidea species), and found higher abundance of eggs on the Proboscidea spp., in approximately a 3:1 ratio. Our results challenge the commonly held view that M. sexta is a specialist exclusively on solanaceous plants.
KW - Manduca sexta
KW - Novel hostplant
KW - Proboscidea spp.
KW - Solanaceae
KW - Sphingidae
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034516023&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034516023&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1603/0013-8746(2000)093[0447:NNSHRF]2.0.CO;2
DO - 10.1603/0013-8746(2000)093[0447:NNSHRF]2.0.CO;2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0034516023
VL - 93
SP - 447
EP - 451
JO - Annals of the Entomological Society of America
JF - Annals of the Entomological Society of America
SN - 0013-8746
IS - 3
ER -