Microlarinus lypriformis | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
Order: | |
Family: | |
Genus: | |
Species: | M. lypriformis
|
Binomial name | |
Microlarinus lypriformis (Wollaston, 1861)
|
Microlarinus lypriformis is a weevil of the family Curculionidae.[1] It lays eggs in the stems of the puncturevine, Tribulus terrestris, and the larvae feed on the pith of the plant. After pupation, the adult emerges through holes bored in plant.[2] Along with the seed-feeding Microlarinus lareynii it has been introduced as a biological control agent in the United States of America[2] and Canada[3] against Tribulus terrestris.