VIII Trilateral Committee MeetingVIII Trilateral Committee MeetingInvasive Species as a Trilateral ChallengeInvasive Species as a Trilateral Challenge

AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque

April 29April 29, 2003, 2003

Jorge Soberón, Laura Arriaga, Elizabeth Moreno, Jorge Soberón, Laura Arriaga, Elizabeth Moreno, and Jesús Alarcónand Jesús Alarcón

TThe possible expansion of he possible expansion of the cactus moth, the cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorumCactoblastis cactorum,, in the USA and Mexico in the USA and Mexico

Response Actions of the Ministry of Agriculture (SAGARPA) Response Actions of the Ministry of Agriculture (SAGARPA)

2003 2003 Contigency Program to Contigency Program to AAvoid the Introduction of void the Introduction of Cactoblastis Cactoblastis cactorumcactorum

Includes 20 Mexican states and the corridors between Tamaulipas Includes 20 Mexican states and the corridors between Tamaulipas and the Peninsula of Yucatán. More productive states and wild and the Peninsula of Yucatán. More productive states and wild plantations.plantations.

Training workshops (3) in collaboration with the State Governments Training workshops (3) in collaboration with the State Governments and State Committees for Plant Health and State Committees for Plant Health to ato aware of the problem and ware of the problem and learn learn techniques to identify the species and plant damage. techniques to identify the species and plant damage.

State State GGovernments have assigned overnments have assigned a a budget to prevent the budget to prevent the introduction of the speciesintroduction of the species..

Project with the Atomic Energy AgencyProject with the Atomic Energy Agency. Includes training workshops . Includes training workshops with Drs. Zimmermann and Blum.with Drs. Zimmermann and Blum.

Policies and regulations: Policies and regulations: “Dispositivo Nacional de Emergencia”“Dispositivo Nacional de Emergencia”

Imports of cactus pear from the USA have been eliminatedImports of cactus pear from the USA have been eliminated..

General Direction of Plant HealthGeneral Direction of Plant Health

Opuntia amyclaea

Opuntia atrispina

Opuntia atropes

Opuntia azurea

Opuntia bensonii

Opuntia bravoana

Opuntia cantabrigiensis

Opuntia decumbens

Opuntia depressa

Opuntia durangensis

Opuntia excelsa

Opuntia fuliginosa

Opuntia guilanchi

The analysis included 63 species of The analysis included 63 species of Opuntia,Opuntia, distributed in Mexico and / or the USA distributed in Mexico and / or the USA

Opuntia huajuapensis

Opuntia hyptiacantha

Opuntia jaliscana

Opuntia joconostle

Opuntia lagunae

Opuntia lasiacantha

Opuntia leucotricha

Opuntia megacantha

Opuntia megarhiza

Opuntia neochrysacantha

Opuntia pilifera

Opuntia pubescens

Opuntia pycnacantha

Opuntia rastrera

Opuntia rileyi

Opuntia robusta

Opuntia spinulifera

Opuntia spraguei

Opuntia streptacantha

Opuntia tapona

Opuntia tehuantepecana

Opuntia tomentosa

Opuntia velutina

Opuntia wilcoxii

35 species with distribution only in Mexico

35 species with distribution only in Mexico

Opuntia hyptiacantha

Opuntia huajuapensis

Opuntia durangensis

Opuntia lasiacantha

Opuntia arbuscula

Opuntia arenaria

Opuntia erinacea

Opuntia fragilis

Opuntia humifusa

Opuntia pinkavae

Opuntia polyacantha

Opuntia pusilla

Sixteen species distribute only in the USA

Opuntia stricta

Opuntia strigil

Opuntia triacantha

Opuntia x basilaris

Opuntia x columbiana

Opuntia x curvispina

Opuntia x fosbergii

Opuntia x vaseyi

Opuntia erinacea

Opuntia stricta

Opuntia basilaris

Opuntia californica

Opuntia chlorotica

Opuntia dillenii

Opuntia engelmannii

Opuntia littoralis

Opuntia macrocentra

Opuntia macrorhiza

Opuntia microdasys

Opuntia oricola

Opuntia phaeacantha

Opuntia x occidentalis

Twelve species are shared between Mexico and the USA

Opuntia dillenii

Opuntia engelmannii

The 63 resulting maps were added to obtain the Opuntia hot spots.

Opuntia lagunaePhotos by Jon Rebman and George Lindsay

http://www.oceanoasis.org/fieldguide/opun-lag-sp.html

Ecological similarity areas for Ecological similarity areas for Cactoblastis cactorumCactoblastis cactorum

Mature larvaehttp://www.geocities.com/granacochinilla/fotos02.html

Sampling points in Argentina provided by SISampling points in Argentina provided by SI

Potential overlapping areas between the Opuntia and the moth, Cactoblastis cactorum, in North America

Orange and yellow lines:Orange and yellow lines: Similar Similar ecological areas for the mothecological areas for the moth

Areas in blue:Areas in blue: Species Species accumulation of accumulation of OpuntiaOpuntia

ConclusionsConclusions

1.1. The cactus moth is a threat not only for the Mexican species The cactus moth is a threat not only for the Mexican species of of Opuntia,Opuntia, but also for the native species of USA. but also for the native species of USA.

2.2. Preventive actions are needed to be established by the USA Preventive actions are needed to be established by the USA government to avoid the dispersion of this invasive species to government to avoid the dispersion of this invasive species to Central and Western USA.Central and Western USA.

3.3. We would like to enhance the Department of InteriorWe would like to enhance the Department of Interior,, or the or the USA governmental agencies in charge of addressing the USA governmental agencies in charge of addressing the wildlife issueswildlife issues,, to promote and coordinate some preventive to promote and coordinate some preventive actions in collaboration with the Mexican agencies to avoid the actions in collaboration with the Mexican agencies to avoid the dispersion of the cactus moth. dispersion of the cactus moth.

Acknowledgements

Conabio Conabio would like to thankwould like to thank Drs. Salvador Arias, Héctor Drs. Salvador Arias, Héctor Hernández, Raúl Puente, Jon Rebman, and Ana Weitzman, Hernández, Raúl Puente, Jon Rebman, and Ana Weitzman, for providing their data, expertise, and specimens information.for providing their data, expertise, and specimens information. Dr. Townsend Peterson for providing digital covers for North Dr. Townsend Peterson for providing digital covers for North America.America.

Likewise, Likewise, 15 herbaria from the USA (15 herbaria from the USA (RSA, A, F, MICH, MO, DES, RSA, A, F, MICH, MO, DES,

NY, POM, LL, SD, CAS, ASU ,UNM ,US ,ARIZNY, POM, LL, SD, CAS, ASU ,UNM ,US ,ARIZ), and 24 Mexican ), and 24 Mexican HerbariaHerbaria ((CHAPA, CE-UNAM, HUAZ, CIIDIR, BCMEX, ENCB, FCME, CHAPA, CE-UNAM, HUAZ, CIIDIR, BCMEX, ENCB, FCME, HCIB, CICY, QMEX, XAL, UAT, UAS, UAMIZ, UADY, INIF, SLPM, HUMO, HCIB, CICY, QMEX, XAL, UAT, UAS, UAMIZ, UADY, INIF, SLPM, HUMO,

MODERN, ZEA, MEXU, INECOL-CRD, IEB, IBUGMODERN, ZEA, MEXU, INECOL-CRD, IEB, IBUG) ) providprovideded OpuntiaOpuntia specimens informationspecimens information compiled in the Mexican National compiled in the Mexican National Biodiversity Information System (SNIB) and through REMIB.Biodiversity Information System (SNIB) and through REMIB.