Biology and host range of Ophiomyia camarae, a biological control agent for Lantana camara in South Africa

摘要

The herringbone leaf-mining fly, Ophiomyia camarae Spencer, is a promising candidate agent for the biological control of the alien invasive weed Lantana camara L. in South Africa. During extensive host-specificity tests involving 39 test plant species from 12 families, survival to adulthood was restricted to L. camara, L. trifolia, and four species of the closely-related genus Lippia (Verbenaceae) in no-choice tests. However, survival of the immature stages was significantly lower on L. trifolia and the four Lippia species than on L. camara. In addition, O. camarae displayed very strong oviposition preference for L. camara during paired-choice tests. This narrow laboratory host range suggests that O. camarae will not pose any risks to non-target verbenaceous plants if released in South Africa. Permission to release O. camarae into South Africa was approved by the regulatory authorities in 2001.