The phytophagous insect fauna associated with Acacia nilotica ssp. indica (Mimosaceae) in Australia

Abstract

A survey of the phytophagous insect fauna associated with the exotic weed 'Acacia nilotica' ssp. 'indica' (Benth.) Brenan was conducted throughout Queensland from 1979-89. Forty-two species, many of which are also associated with native 'Acacia' spp., were found on this plant. The more important species included the wattle cicada 'Cicadetta oldfieldi' (Distant), that may be implicated in 'dieback' of 'A. nilotica', the seed-feeding bruchids 'Caryedon serratus' (Olivier) and 'Bruchidius sahlberghi' Schilsky, the cerambyeid twig girdlers 'Platyomopsis' spp, and 'Anciti marginicollis' (Boisduval) and the termites 'Mastotermes darwiniensis' Froggatt and 'Coptotermes' sp. Two exotic species released during the study period, 'B. sahlberghi' in 1982 and the graciliariid 'Cuphodes profluens' (Meyrick) in 1983, have not impacted on the abundance of the host plant.