''Sternochetus mangiferae'' is a

weevil Weevils are beetles belonging to the superfamily Curculionoidea, known for their elongated snouts. They are usually small – less than in length – and herbivorous. Approximately 97,000 species of weevils are known. They belong to several fa ...

commonly known as the mango seed weevil, mango stone weevil, or mango weevil. It is a compact weevil typical of the

Cryptorhynchinae Cryptorhynchinae is a large subfamily of weevils (Curculionidae), with some 6000 species. They are found in most zoogeographic regions, although they are most diverse in the Neotropics, Australia, and Oceania. They are distinguished by having ...

.Shukla, R.P., Tandon, P.L. & Singh, S.J. (1984). Baculovirus – A new pathogen of Mango nut weevil, ''Sternochetus mangiferae'' (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Current Science. Vol 53. No. 11. 593-594. It was first described in 1775 in the genus ''

Curculio ''Curculio'' is a genus of weevils belonging the family Curculionidae The Curculionidae are a family of weevils, commonly called snout beetles or true weevils. They are one of the largest animal families with 6,800 genera and 83,000 specie ...

''. The adults are 7.5-9.5 mm long and 4 mm in width. Mango seed weevil 1

Their colour varies and they may be covered with black, greyish, reddish, or yellowish scales. In Australia, adult weevils are dark brown to black with grey markings. When disturbed, an adult presses its legs to its body, and fits its beak into a ventral groove. Females have an elevated ridge at the

pygidial The pygidium (: pygidia) is the posterior body part or shield of crustaceans and some other arthropods, such as insects and the extinct trilobites. In groups other than insects, it contains the anus and, in females, the ovipositor. It is composed o ...

apex, while it is rounded in the male. The adults are not strong fliers and are not found far from fallen fruit. New areas are infested by human transport of infested fruit. Eggs are elongated, creamy white, and covered by a protective brown coating with two tiny tails at one end. It is widespread and occurs in most countries, especially where

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast As ...

es are grown. The adult female lays eggs on the surface of the mango fruit. Larvae and pupae develop inside the fruit and adults emerge, cutting their way out of the seed and

pericarp Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Fruitlike structures may develop directly from the seed itself rather th ...

after the fruit falls and decays. Adults enter a

diapause In animal dormancy, diapause is the delay in development in response to regular and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions.Tauber, M.J., Tauber, C.A., Masaki, S. (1986) ''Seasonal Adaptations of Insects''. Oxford University Press It ...

until the next fruiting season. The mango seed weevil is considered a pest on mangoes.

Distribution

Mangoes (''

Mangifera indica ''Mangifera indica'', commonly known as mango, is an evergreen species of flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is a large fruit tree, capable of growing to a height and width of . There are two distinct genetic populations in modern m ...

'') originated in Myanmar and north-east India, where ''S. mangiferae'' probably originated. This species is distributed in nearly all of the world's mango-growing regions: Australasia and Oceania, Asia, Africa, North America (Hawaii), Caribbean, South America (French Guiana and Brazil). It does not occur in the Canary Islands (Spain), Italy, Israel, Egypt, and Western Australia, where mangoes are grown to a limited but increasing extent.

Control

A study from Australia reported that the

weaver ant Weaver ants or green ants are eusocial insects of the Hymenoptera family Formicidae belonging to the tribe Oecophyllini. Weaver ants live in trees (they are obligately arboreal) and are known for their unique nest building behaviour where wor ...

, ''Oecophylla smaragdina'', acted as predator and deterrent to limit ''S. mangiferae'' damage on fruit.Peng RenKang, Christian K, 2007. The effect of the weaver ant, ''Oecophylla smaragdina'' (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), on the mango seed weevil, ''Sternochetus mangiferae'' (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in mango orchards in the Northern Territory of Australia. International Journal of Pest Management, 53(1):15-24. A

baculovirus ''Baculoviridae'' is a family of viruses. Arthropods, among the most studied being Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera, serve as natural hosts. Currently, 85 species are placed in this family, assigned to four genera. Baculoviruses are known ...

is also known to be a natural enemy of this weevil.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2957612 Cryptorhynchinae Beetles described in 1775 Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius