The association between mites and the Agave L. snout weevil, more than phoresis

Abstract

Objective: to identify the phoretic mites associated with the Agave (Maguey) snout weevil Scyphophorus acupunctatus. Materials and methods: manual collections of Scyphophorus acupunctatus were carried out in Agave plantations. The daily behavior of mite-infested weevils was documented. The latter were observed and classified according to specialized taxonomic keys. Results and Conclusions: there was an anomalous behavior of the agave weevil possibly favored by the infestation by mites, which can play an important role in the detriment of the vitality of that pest. Scyphophorus acupunctatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) interacted with three groups of mites; Macrocheles merdarius (Acari: Mesostigmata: Macrochelidae), Tridiplogynium sp. (Acari: Mesostigmata: Diplogyniidae) and Curculanoetus sp. (Acari: Sarcoptiformes: Histiostomatidae). Implications: this study is the first to document the presence of phoretic mites on S. acupunctatus. It is the first report to document the association between the agave weevil and the aforementioned arachnids (Acari: acari) that participate and play a desirable role in the biological control of S. acupunctatus.