Cambomba caroliniana (Water Fanwort)

Cabomba caroliniana, is a submerged plant native in Argentina. It has become an invasive weed in Australia. The weevil Hydrotimetes natans has been exported to quarantine facilities in Brisbane to continue with the specificity tests. Our objective is to improve mass rearing techniques, and to study its population dynamics.

Cabomba caroliniana (Cabombaceae) is a common plant in streams and lakes with clear, deep waters, native to the Americas. It has become invasive in Australia, southeast Asia, China, India, and parts of Europe and North America. Like most aquatic weeds it affects water use in all its forms, as well as native aquatic flora and fauna. The Curculionidae Hydrotimetes natans feeds on the stems and leaves of C. caroliniana. The results obtained so far are very promising. H. natans has been exported to quarantine facilities in Brisbane, Australia, where specificity studies continue. Our efforts have been devoted to improve small-scale laboratory rearing methods and also achieve large-scale mass rearing of H. natans. Furthermore, we are studying the population dynamics of the weevil, and its relationship with environmental and seasonal variations.

Personal a cargo:
Marina Oleiro, Guillermo Cabrera Walsh, Mariel Guala

Cooperadores:
Raghu Sathyamurthy, CSIRO