Recent spread of the Sida Leafbeetle, Calligrapha pantherina Stål, 1859 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae) in New Caledonia

Christian Mille (1) , F. Rigault (2) , S. Cazeres (1) , Herve Jourdan (2, 3)

1 IAC - Institut Agronomique Néo-Calédonien
2 IMBE - Institut méditerranéen de biodiversité et d'écologie marine et continentale
3 IRD [Nouvelle-Calédonie] - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement

We report the recent arrival and subsequent spread of the Sida Leafbeetle, Calligrapha pantherina Stål, 1859, in the archipelago of New Caledonia. The species seems to have a rapid spread as it is now recorded all along the west coast and also have spread to the Loyalty Islands. The first specimen was caught in November 2012. This is a biocontrol agent which was introduced in the Pacific Region against invasive Malvaceae (Sidaspp.). This accidental arrival would help to control the alien weed, Sida acuta Burm. f., in New Caledonia. But this establishment raises some questions about potential threats on the two endemic New Caledonian Sidaspecies. We also discuss this arrival and subsequent installation in the context of global change and biosecurity issues, particularly in such a biodiversity hotspot.

Mots clés: biological invasion; biocontrol agent; biosecurity; weed control

Domaines: Biodiversité et Ecologie

Christian Mille, F. Rigault, S. Cazeres, Herve Jourdan. Recent spread of the Sida Leafbeetle, Calligrapha pantherina Stål, 1859 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae) in New Caledonia. Check List, 2016. ⟨hal-01473798⟩