THE PHYTOPHAGOUS ARTHROPODS ASSOCIATED WITH LANTANA-CAMARA, L-HIRSUTA, L-URTICIFOLIA, AND L-URTICOIDES (VERBENACEAE) IN NORTH-AMERICA

A survey of the phytophagous arthropod fauna associated with four clos ely related species of Lantana (L. camara, L. urticifolia, L. urticoid es, and L. hirsuta) was undertaken in Mexico and the southern United S tates between 1988 and 1992 to find biological control agents for L. c amara, a serious weed in Australia and elsewhere. Some 261 phytophagou s insect or mite species (and two rust fungi) were found. Records of s pecies collected during three previous entomological surveys were adde d to produce a more complete data set of 550 phytophagous species coll ected throughout North America. Twenty-six of these were considered to have host ranges confined to the subfamily Verbenoideae and thus to b e prospective or actual biological control agents. (C) 1995 Academic P ress, Inc.