Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius)

Liu, Lan-Yu, 2021, An annotated synopsis of the powder post beetles (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) of Mainland China, Zootaxa 5081 (3), pp. 389-419 : 406

Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) ( Fig. 8I )

Synodendron dominicum Fabricius, 1792: 359 .

Distribution in mainland China: AH, FJ, GD, GS, GX, GZ, HA, HB, HE, HJ, HN, JS, JX, NM, NX, QH, SC, SD, SH, SN, YN, ZJ ( Hua 2002).

Other distribution. Cosmopolitan. CABI (2017) gives details of the worldwide distribution. The species probably originated on the Indian subcontinent ( Nardi & Mifsud 2015), but has been spread worldwide by commerce.

Biology. The species is a serious pest of stored products throughout the tropics and can also be found in temperate countries ( CABI 2017). It is a pest of stored grain of all kinds and the flour of the same and starchy food-substances generally ( Beeson & Bhatia 1937; Kenis & Branco 2010; Edde 2012; CABI 2017). This species originally bred in dead wood, and Beeson & Bhatia (1937) recorded the species from caged logs of twelve plant families in India.

This species is one of the most difficult stored product insect pests to control using insecticide grain protectants. Prevention is by far the best control option, but may be impractical given the ability of R. dominica to migrate into grain storage containers ( Liu et al. 2016). The biology and control of the species have recently been reviewed by Edde (2012). Liu et al. (2016) has listed Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard) and Theocolax elegans (Westwood) ( Hymenoptera : Pteromalidae ) as parasitoids of the pupae. Edde & Phillip (2006) suggested the predator, Zelus tetracanthus Stål ( Hemiptera : Reduviidae ) could be employed for biological control.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Dorsal view of subfamily Dinoderinae. A. Dinoderus bifoveolatus (Wollaston, 1858). B. D. brevis Horn, 1878. C. D. favosus Lesne, 1911, Type (NHML). E. D. japonicus Lesne, 1895. E. D. minutus (Fabricius, 1775). F. D. ocellaris Stephens, 1830, lateral view. G. D. ochraceipennis Lesne, 1906, Type (NHML). H. D. speculifer Lesne, 1895. I. Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius, 1792). J. Prostephanus truncatus (Horn, 1878). K. Stephanopachys linearis (Kugelann, 1792). L. S. himalayanus Lesne, 1932.