BIOLOGY OF MOZENA-OBTUSA (HEMIPTERA, COREIDAE), A CANDIDATE FOR THE BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL OF MESQUITE, PROSOPIS SPP. (FABACEAE)

The leaf-footed bug Mozena obtusa Uhler is an important natural enemy of honey mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa Torrey var. glandulosa, in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The nymphs and adults severely damage mesquite by feeding on new vegetative and reproductive growth. The temporal distribution of all life stages indicated that M . obtusa has five nymphal instars and is bivoltine in central Texas. I n the laboratory, the generation time for IM. obtusa on honey mesquite was ca. 70 days: 12.7 days for the egg stage, 32.7 days for the nymph al stage, and a preovipositional period of 24.7 days. Adult longevity was ca. 167 days for females and 144 days for males. Females produced an average of 510 eggs in 39 masses with 13 eggs per mass during their lives. Mozena obtusa also developed normally on the Argentine vinal, Prosopis ruscifolia Grisebach, although the nymphal stage was longer ( 49.5 days). In the field, a complex of hymenopterous egg parasitoids [ Anastatus semiflavidus Gahan (Eupelmidae), Ooencyrtus johnsoni (Howard ) (Encyrtidae), and Gryon atrum Masner (Scelionidae)] and the tachinid fly Trichopoda pennipes F. appeared to be the principal biotic mortal ity factors regulating populations of M. obtusa. Parasitism of all lif e stages of M. obtusa was found to be 40%, Because it has the potentia l to significantly reduce seed production, this insect may be a good c andidate for introduction into other countries for classical biologica l control of mesquite (Prosopis spp.) providing host range tests demon strate that it does not damage beneficial or nontarget plant species. (C) 1998 Academic Press.