Morphometric Identification of Red Flour Beetle ( tribolium castaneum, Herbst) of Bambara Groundnut ( Vigna subterranean L.) in selected Area Council of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

Abstract

The study was carried out in the selected Area council (ACs) of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to determine the diversity of Tribolium castaneum. The four selected ACs for the study were Abaji, Bwari, Kuje and Kwali. Three markets were surveyed in each of the four ACs to get 1 kg measure of infested Bambara groundnut and three (3) insects (Tribolium castaneum) were selected randomly from each sampling unit and kept separately in a covered jar containing ethanol solution. The samples were taken to Insect Museum at the Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State for identification. MI scope was used to measure some features of the insects which were converted to millimeter 9mm) and subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% probability (p<0.05). Result obtained indicated that samples collected from Bwari AC had longer hind limb, shorter fore limb and smaller Femur width of the feature of Tribolium castaneum followed by Alhaji AC having longer forelimb and shorter antennae. Only Tribolium castaneum species was identified in all the four ACs in FCT. Therefore, further study should be carried out on Tribolium castaneum in other markets and more Area councils of Abuja in searching or new species of this insect and information on the features variation observed should be used as a tool for insect taxonomist in bringing out new genus and/or species of Tribolium castaneum. The study was carried out in the selected Area council (ACs) of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to determine the diversity of Tribolium castaneum. The four selected ACs for the study were Abaji, Bwari, Kuje and Kwali. Three markets were surveyed in each of the four ACs to get 1 kg measure of infested Bambara groundnut and three (3) insects (Tribolium castaneum) were selected randomly from each sampling unit and kept separately in a covered jar containing ethanol solution. The samples were taken to Insect Museum at the Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State for identification. MI scope was used to measure some features of the insects which were converted to millimeter 9mm) and subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% probability (p<0.05). Result obtained indicated that samples collected from Bwari AC had longer hind limb, shorter fore limb and smaller Femur width of the feature of Tribolium castaneum followed by Alhaji AC having longer forelimb and shorter antennae. Only Tribolium castaneum species was identified in all the four ACs in FCT. Therefore, further study should be carried out on Tribolium castaneum in other markets and more Area councils of Abuja in searching or new species of this insect and information on the features variation observed should be used as a tool for insect taxonomist in bringing out new genus and/or species of Tribolium castaneum.