The genus Lixus Fabricius has a nearly worldwide distribution with over 150 species in the Palaearctic region [Csiki 1934]; [Ter-Minassian 1967]. Some species of Lixus are actual [Şengonca 1981] or potential pests of agriculture [Scherf 1964], [Nikulina 1989], [Volovnik 1994] and some can be used potentially for biological control of weeds [Briese 1996], [Gültekin 2004], [Gültekin et al. 2004]. However, the biology of most species of this genus is little known. Recently some ecological investigations were performed on the genus by Gültekin in eastern Anatolia [Gültekin 2006; 2007].
The taxonomic status of Lixus scolopax Boheman, 1835 was clarified by Gültekin [Gültekin 2010]. This species has a wide geographic distribution including: southern Europe, Russia, Turkey, Caucasus and North Africa [Csiki 1934], [Ter-Minassian 1967]. Cynara scolymus L. (artichoke), Carlina corymbosa L., Carthamus lanatus L., Echinops bovei Boiss., and Galactites tomentosa Moench. were reported as host plants of L. scolopax by Hoffmann [Hoffmann 1954]; Centaurea solstitialis L., Centaurea diffusa Lam. and Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. by Campobasso et al. [Campobasso et al. 1999] and several Compositae without generic information by Ter-Minassian [Ter-Minassian 1967]. According to Isart, Lixus scolopax was observed attacking artichoke (Cynara) in the province of Madrid in 1966-67, but it was not abundant [Isart 1967]. The weevil has one generation per year in Spain. Unlike the adults of other Lixus species observed in the area, those of Lixus scolopax overwinter in the stalks, and the removal and destruction of the latter, which is generally carried out when the crop has been harvested, affords considerable control. In contrast, recent literature records indicate that Lixus scolopax is one of the natural enemies of Centaurea solstitialis in Turkey [Cristofaro et al. 2002], [Uygur 2004]. - This article presents new host plant records and a brief description of the ecology of Lixus scolopax.
Extensive surveys were conducted for ecological and taxonomical revisions of the Anatolian Lixini (Curculionidae: Lixinae) during 2003-2009 at eastern, southeastern, central Anatolia, Black Sea and Mediterranean regions in Turkey. A confirmation of host plant records and observations were performed in the field by checking plant organs where adults were associated with plants. A criterion was to find any immature stages (e.g. egg, larva, pupa) in plant tissue and by this to try to confirm the host plant status/suitability. Three samples of plants per species were cut and prepared for herbarium identification.
For ecological observations 10 individuals (5 male and 5 female) were collected from Bingöl Province: 17 km NE of Bingöl, Hamamlar Village environs, 1250 m, 8.VI.2003 (southeastern Anatolia) and released to a cage (35 x 50 x 40 cm) covering Centaurea solstitialis at Atatürk University in Erzurum, Turkey.
Centaurea solstitialis L. [Tab. W55.1]:1, C. iberica Trevir. ex Spreng. [Tab. W55.1]:2, C. carduiformis DC. [Tab. W55.2]:3, C. kurdica Reichardt [Tab. W55.2]:4, C. behen L. [Tab. W55.2]:5, C. urvillei DC. [Tab. W55.3]:7, C. polypodifolia Boiss. [Tab. W55.3]:8, Picnomon acarna L. (Cass.) ( [Tab. W55.2]:6), Cardopatium corymbosum (L.) Pers. ( [Tab. W55.4]:9), Carthamus lanatus L. [Tab. W55.4]:10), Crupina crupinastrum (Moris) Vis., and Echinops sphaerocephalus L. [Tab. W55.5]:11, 12 were determined as host plants of Lixus scolopax in 29 locations representing 13 provinces in Turkey [Tab. W55.9]. Of these host plants, the weevil was found most commonly on Centaurea solstitialis and Echinops sphaerocephalus, occurring at ten locations. The next most common host plant was Centaurea carduiformis, which was found at three different locations. All other host plants were observed to be infested by Lixus scolopax in only one location. Immature stages of the weevil (mostly eggs) were found in the stems of all above-mentioned plant species except for Carthamus lanatus. However, the latter plant was not examined as carefully as the others because of lack of time, so it may have contained eggs, too.
Adult activities were seen from the end of May to the beginning of July during field surveys. Feeding damage marks have different features depending on the host plant. While adults feed on upper tissue of Echinops sphaerocephalus
[Fig. W55.7]
:13 and Picnomon acarna, they create a round hole on the leaves of Centaurea kurdica, C. behen and Centaurea kurdica. Typical adult feeding damage on Crupina crupinastrum, Centaurea solstitialis, C. carduiformis, C. urvillei and Cardopatium corymbosum were holes chewed in stem tissue, which turned brown. Mating occurred on host plants and usually the male preferred to try to mate while the female chewed an oviposition hole
[Fig. W55.7]:14. Furthermore, some males disturbed females laying eggs in holes and waited on females. Eggs were laid solitarily in stems. There were some differences in oviposition marks among the host plants, which may depend on plant morphology and physiology. On Centaurea solstitialis
[Tab. W55.6]:15 and Cardopatium corymbosum the female closed the oviposition hole with a liquid secretion that hardened in time, turning to dark color. This feature is distinctly and easily seen in the latter species, where the color is brownish. There was much less secretion on Centaurea carduiformis, C. kurdica, C. behen, C. urvillei, C. kurdica, Picnomon acarna and Crupina crupinastrum, and there was no secretion on Echinops sphaerocephalus.
Yellowish eggs
[Tab. W55.6]:16 were observed from the end of May to the third week of June in the field surveys. Larvae created a longitudinal gallery by feeding on pith tissue in the stem. Larvae continued growing and feeding till the end of August or beginning of September. They pupated inside the stem
[Fig. W55.8]:17-18. The pupal stage lasted about two weeks, and the new generation of adults were seen in the third week of September. Consequently, Lixus scolopax could complete its generation in one season, thus having one generation per year and it hibernated in the stem of the host plant in the adult stage.
I wish to express my cordial thanks to Professor Vladimir I. Dorofeyev (Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg) and Professor Hüseyin Zengin (Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey) for identification of plants; Dr. Lincoln Smith (USDA-ARS, California) and Dr. Peter Sprick (Hannover, Germany) for review of the manuscript. The study was supported by the Collaborative Linkage Grant No. 978845 and NR-CLG–981318 of the NATO Life Science and Technology Programme and a BBCA grant.
According to the weeds’ catalogue [Uluğ et al. 1993], there are over 1400 species of weeds in Turkey. Eight host plants of Lixus scolopax, namely Centaurea solstitialis, C. behen, C. iberica, Picnomon acarna, Cardopatium corymbosum, Crupina crupinastrum, Carthamus lanatus and Echinops sphaerocephalus are weeds in cereal fields, leguminous crops, pastures, meadows, at airports, along railways and highways in Turkey. In addition, Picnomon acarna is a weed of sunflower fields [Zengin 1999], Centaurea solstitialis and C. iberica are important weeds in pastures and meadows of Turkey, which have harmful alkaloids that are toxic to livestock such as cattle and sheep [Balabanlı et al. 2006]. In spite of that there is no literature record about Centaurea carduiformis, C. kurdica, C. urvillei whether these are all weeds, obviously they were not preferred by eating in meadows. Furthermore, it was noticed during field trips that Centaurea kurdica commonly invaded fallow fields in Karakoçan (Elazığ) and margins of vineyards and olive groves in Halfeti (Şanlıurfa).
It is understandable from this paper that Lixus scolopax is an oligophagous weevil, not found on any cultivated plants inside the research territory, in contrast all above-mentioned host plants are weeds in Turkey. However, these plants play an important role for biodiversity by serving food, ecological niches and harbor for many insect species such as pollinator, natural enemies and herbivores. For instance, Centaurea behen and C. kurdica have 6 different Lixini weevil species and some of them are new species in southeast Anatolia. Thus, Lixus scolopax can be regarded as a natural regulator species of these rangeland herbs.
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