A NEW RECORD FOR TÜRKİYES INVASIVE EXOTIC INSECT FAUNA Aclees taiwanensis Kôno, 1933 (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE: MOLYTINAE)

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

An insect species is considered invasive if it is non-native, introduced either intentionally or unintentionally, and poses or is likely to pose environmental, economic, or human-related harm. An invasion is completed in four steps. These are an introduction, establishment, spread, and naturalization. During the faunistic research in September 2024 in Bahçeköy-Sarıyer to determine insect species, a species belonging to the Curculionidae family, which attracted attention with its size, was seen on a fig tree. Ten adult beetles were caught, placed in plastic containers, and brought to the laboratory. Through laboratory examination and literature review, it was identified that the species is Aclees taiwanensis Kôno, 1933 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae). Although it prefers Ficus carica L. as its primary host, it also occurs on F. benjamina L., F. microcarpa L.f., F. pandurata Hance, and F. retusa L. species. A. taiwanensis native distribution area is Taiwan. It was introduced to France, Italy, Slovenia, and Poland. This study reports A. taiwanensis for the first time in Türkiye. It is not inside the List of Agricultural Quarantine Species, Republic of Türkiye, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Since Türkiye ranks first in the world in fig production, it is necessary to investigate the distribution areas of this species and start eradication efforts.