PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 109(4), 2007, pp. 938-947 A NEW SPECIES OF DICHRORAMPHA (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE: GRAPHOLITINI) FROM JAMAICA: A POTENTIAL BIOCONTROL AGENT AGAINST CHROMOLAENA ODORATA (ASTERACEAE) John W. Brown and Costas Zachariades (JWB) Systematic Entomology Laboratory, PSI, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, c/o National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 168, Washington, DC 20013-7012, U.S.A. (e-mail:
[email protected]); (CZ) ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, Weeds Research Division, Private Bag X6006, Hilton 3245, South Africa (e-mail:
[email protected]) Abstract. — Dichrorampha odorata Brown and Zachariades, new species, is described and illustrated from Jamaica. It is most similar to D. sapodilla Heppner among described species, both superficially and in the male genitalia. However, the two are easily separated by the long costal fold of the male forewing of D. odorata, which is absent in D. sapodilla. The shapes of the valva and cucullus also distinguish the two. The related D. azteca Walsingham, revised status, which shares a distinct male forewing costal fold with D. odorata, is returned to Dichrorampha. Dichrorampha odorata induces galls in the shoot tips of the invasive weed Chromolaena odorata (L.) R. M. King & H. Robinson (Asteraceae), commonly known as triffid, Jack-in-the-bush, bitter bush, Christmas bush, and Siam weed. The new species appears to have considerable potential as a biological control agent against this weedy shrub in South Africa. Key Words: Systematics, Tortricidae, Dichrorampha, new species, biological control, triffid, Jack-in-the-bush, Chromolaena odorata, Jamaica, South Africa With over a dozen common names, to its efficient short-and long-distance including triffid, Jack-in-the-bush, Siam dispersal abilities (Muniappan 2005). In weed, bitter bush, and Christmas bush. South Africa it is a problem primarily for Chromolaena odorata (L.) R. M. King & biodiversity conservation, grazing, and H. Robinson (Asteraceae) (formerly forestry (Goodall and Erasmus 1996). known as Eupatorium odoratum L.) is Invasive populations of C odorata in Asia a perennial shrub native to South and and southern Africa both originated from Central America (Holm et al. 1977). In the Caribbean, although the southern recent decades it has become a serious pest African form (biotype) of C odorata is in the humid tropics of southeastern Asia, distinct from that invading southeastern Africa, and the Pacific Islands. It has been Asia and western Africa (Zachariades et nominated as among the top 100 "world's al. 2004). Plants identical to the South worst" invaders (Wilson 2006). It spreads African biotype have been found only on rapidly in lands used for forestry, pasture, islands in the northern Caribbean, most and plantation crops such as rubber, notably Jamaica and Cuba (Zachariades coffee, coconut, cocoa, and cashew, owing et al. 2004).
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