The stenomatine moth, Stenoma catenifer Walsingham: a pre-dispersal seed predator of Greenheart (Chlorocardium rodiei (Schomb.) Rohwer, Richter & vander Werff) in Guyana

Stenoma catenifer Walsingham, a neotropical pest of avocado, is newly recor ded from a wild host, the Guyanese endemic member of the Lauraceae, Chloroc ardium rodiei (Schomb.) Rohwer, Richter & van der Werff, an economically ve ry important timber source. This is a new record for both the host and for the country. The life cycle of S. catenifer on this host is described and c ompared with that previously documented for avocado. The different life sta ges are described and illustrated, and ecological and biological observatio ns are given. Infestation levels were always less than 10%, in comparison w ith up to 80% found for avocado in Venezuela. The known hymenopteran parasi toids are discussed.