二化螟盘绒茧蜂触角感器的超微结构

采用扫描电子显微镜对二化螟盘绒茧蜂Cotesia chilonisMunakata触角感器进行了观察和研究。结果表明,二化螟盘绒茧蜂触角上共存在6种感器,分别为板形感器、毛形感器、刚毛型感器、柱形感器、钟形感器、锥形感器。对各种触角感器的形态、分布特点进行了描述,并对两性间的差异及其功能进行了探讨。     

Influence of Adult Size on Mate Choice in the Solitary and Gregarious Parasitoids, Cotesia marginiventris and Cotesia flavipes

Female and male mate choice in relation to adult size were examined for the solitary and gregarious parasitoids, Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) and Cotesia flavipes Cameron, respectively. In addition, male precopulatory behaviors were observed for evidence of male competition or a large-male advantage in mate acquisition. Male parasitoids are not known to offer female mates direct benefits, but females that mate high quality males may obtain indirect benefits, such as offspring that are more successful in obtaining mates. Female choice experiments for C. marginiventris found that large males approached females first more frequently than small males, and that females mated large males significantly more often than small males. Male choice experiments for C. marginiventris did not demonstrate a male preference for female size. In contrast, female choice experiments with C. flavipes found that females mated equally with large or small males, while male choice experiments showed that males attempted copulation and mated more frequently with smaller females. Male competition was not observed in the gregarious species C. flavipes, but competition in this gregarious parasitoid could be moderated by dispersal.     

Cotesia kariyai teratocytes: growth and development

The growth and development of teratocytes was examined in the Cotesia kariyai-Pseudaletia separata system. Cotesia kariyai embryos released an average of 163 teratocytes at the time of hatching, 3.5 days after oviposition. The cells increased in diameter from 30 to 77 μm until 7 days post-parasitization, after which there was no significant increase in average diameter. However, there was significant variation in diameter within the population of teratocytes during the later developmental stages of the parasitoid larvae. The DNA contents increased up to day 7. The ploidy level of teratocytes increased 4-fold (2C to 8C) from days 4 to 7 and thereafter remained the same. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the surface of the teratocytes was covered with microvilli during all developmental stages, although on days 9 to 10 post-parasitization, bleb structures were also observed on a few. In vitro analysis of the proteins secreted from teratocytes following labeling with (35)S-methionine showed that many proteins were synthesized de novo and secreted by the cells until 9 to 10 days post-parasitization. These results indicate that teratocytes in later stages of development maintain their activity and regulate the physiological state of the host.     

Importance of contact chemical cues in host recognition and acceptance by the braconid larval endoparasitoids Cotesia sesamiae and Cotesia flavipes

The ability of the congeneric braconid parasitoids Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) and Cotesia flavipes Cameron to discriminate between stemborer larval cues upon contact was studied using their natural hosts, namely the noctuid Busseola fusca (Fuller) and the crambid Chilo partellus (Swinhoe), respectively, and the pyralid non-host Eldana saccharina (Walker). When the natural host larvae were washed in distilled water, parasitoid behavior was similar to that displayed when in contact with E. saccharina, characterized by the absence of ovipositor insertion. When washed host or non-host larvae were bathed with water extracts of their natural host, the parasitoids showed a significant increase in ovipositor insertions. However, the water extracts of host-larvae deposited on cotton wool balls did not induce ovipositor insertion in either C. sesamiae or C. flavipes. Nevertheless, the extracts enabled the parasitoids to discriminate between natural and non-hosts as indicated by the intensive antennating of the former. For both parasitoids, frass was found to be important in short-range host recognition as indicated by differences in the time spent on antennating between frass sources. In addition, the regurgitants of B. fusca and C. partellus induced ovipositor insertion in C. flavipes only. These results indicated that C. sesamiae and C. flavipes used different chemical cues for acceptation and oviposition in a stemborer larva, and that B. fusca and C. partellus shared the same chemical cues to induce oviposition in C. flavipes.     

The few virus-like genes of Cotesia congregata bracovirus

The origin of the symbiotic association between parasitoid wasps and bracoviruses is still unknown. From phylogenetic analyses, bracovirus-associated wasp species constitute a monophyletic group, the microgastroid complex. Thus all wasp-bracovirus associations could have originated from the integration of an ancestral virus in the genome of the ancestor of the microgastroids. In an effort to identify a set of virus genes that would give clues on the nature of the ancestral virus, we have recently performed the complete sequencing of the genome of CcBV, the bracovirus of the wasp Cotesia congregata. We describe here the putative proteins encoded by CcBV genome having significant similarities with sequences from known viruses and mobile elements. The analysis of CcBV gene content does not lend support to the hypothesis that bracoviruses originated from a baculovirus. Moreover, no consistent homology was found between CcBV genes and any set of genes constituting the core genome of a known free-living virus. We discuss the significance of the scarce homology found between proteins from CcBV and other viruses or mobile elements.     

Sting frequency and progeny production of lab-cultured Cotesia marginiventris

A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the impact of sting frequency on progeny production of Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a solitary, koinobiont endoparasitoid of noctuid pests. In replicated trials, young, mated, host-deprived C. marginiventris females were exposed to three Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) early instar larvae, one at a time, in Petri dish arenas, and observed as they stung these hosts once, twice, or thrice. The average amount of time that elapsed between stinging a host ranged from a minimum of 3 min, when females were exposed to unstung hosts, to a maximum of 8–11 min when females were exposed to previously stung hosts. Sting frequency had no effect on the yield of C. marginiventris progeny; approximately 90% of hosts, in all treatment groups, yielded a parasitoid mature larva, which spun a cocoon. No hosts yielded more than one parasitoid. The percentage of adult female progeny tended to increase with sting frequency; hosts that were stung thrice yielded 60% female C. marginiventris adults. The production of female progeny may depend on the egg allocation pattern of C. marginiventris females as well as the competitive interactions between siblings developing inside a shared host. This study suggests that S. exigua larvae can sustain 2–3 stings without diminishing their ability to yield a C. marginiventris mature larva. Provisioning enclosures with enough hosts to exceed the daily (per capita) oviposition rate of C. marginiventris females might limit the repeated stinging of the same hosts.     

Single-step PCR differentiation of Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) and Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) using polydnavirus markers

Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) and Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are the main larval parasitoids of cereal stemborers in sub-Saharan Africa. Cotesia sesamiae is endemic to eastern and southern Africa, while C. flavipes was introduced into the region for biological control against the exotic lepidopteran Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). The two are sibling parasitoids, difficult to distinguish morphologically. The introduced insect could potentially lead its African biotype to extinction because of their similar ecological niche. In order to distinguish the two species, multiplex primer-specific and PCR-RFLP tests were developed. Rapid identification of the two species was possible using primer-specific tests on DNA extracts as well as on pieces of tissue in a single PCR step followed by gel electrophoresis. The CRV1 gene of the polydnavirus, a symbiont to the wasps, was used as the marker. The results show that the morphological identifications, validated by molecular tests, are accurate in 93% of cases.     

Multiple Parasitism by Cotesia sesamiae and Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Busseola fusca (Fuller) is one of the most important pest of cereals in sub-Saharan Africa. Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) is the predominant parasitoid attacking B. fusca larvae in many parts of Africa. An exotic parasitoid, Cotesia flavipes Cameron, was introduced into Kenya in 1993 for the control of Chilo partellus (Swinhoe). Laboratory studies indicated that although C. flavipes would search for, and attack B. fusca , it was not able to complete its development in this host. The aim of the present study was to investigate the outcome of multiple parasitism of B. fusca by the two Cotesia species. The study showed that when both parasitoid species stung a B. fusca larva at the same time, both parasitoids emerged from more than half of the host larvae, C. flavipes alone emerged from 17%, and C. sesamiae alone emerged from 9%. When the larvae were parasitized by C. sesamiae first, and then 2 h later by C. flavipes , and vice versa, most of the progeny were C. flavipes . However, when B. fusca larvae were stung by C. sesamiae three days before oviposition by C. flavipes , significantly more C. sesamiae emerged from the larvae. When C. flavipes oviposited first, no larvae produced C. flavipes only. The interaction of parasitoids and the host immune system, and the implications of these results for the biological control of stem borers in East Africa are discussed.     

Intraspecific and Interspecific Competition Between Cotesia flavipes and Cotesia sesamiae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Gregarious Larval Endoparasitoids of Lepidopteran Stemborers

Super and multiple parasitism of Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Sesamia calamistis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by Cotesia flavipes Cameron and Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were investigated in the laboratory. Progeny production of Co. flavipes increased as a result of increasing the number of ovipositions, from one to three per one Ch. partellus host larva, then decreased as a result of four and five ovipositions per larva. Cocoon weight, sex ratio and emergence of the parasitoid progeny were not affected by superparasitism. Low progeny production of Co. sesamiae and poor survival of Ch. partellus host larvae were found as a result of superparasitism. When S. calamistis was the host, the duration of immature stages of Co. flavipes , parasitoid emergence, progeny production and sex ratio were not affected by superparasitism, but cocoon weight, adult longevity and the potential fecundity of adult females decreased. Superparasitism of S. calamistis by Co. sesamiae did not affect emergence, longevity or sex ratio of adult progeny of the parasitoid, but prolonged immature development, lowered cocoon weight and decreased potential fecundity of adult female progeny. Co. flavipes out-competed Co. sesamiae when Ch. partellus was parasitized by both species. The potential for local displacement of Co. sesamiae by Co. flavipes in areas dominated by Ch. partellus in East Africa is discussed.     

Egg Load and Body Size of Lab-cultured Cotesia marginiventris

The egg load of lab-cultured Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a solitary koinobiont endoparasitoid of noctuid caterpillars, was determined in this study. Information on egg load may provide clues to more efficient in vivo rearing of C. marginiventris. I tested the hypothesis that egg load, defined as the number of mature oöcytes (i.e., fully chorionated eggs) found in adult females, was related to body size. Cotesia marginiventris females possessed two ovaries and two ovarioles per ovary; mature eggs were found in ovaries and oviducts. Newly-emerged females held an average of 149 mature eggs. Immature eggs were slightly visible in the distal portions of the ovarioles; they were not counted. Egg load was marginally related to body size (i.e., hind tibia length). The results of this study suggest that (1) body size can sometimes predict egg load or potential fecundity of lab-cultured C. marginiventris and (2) an efficient rearing system that exploits the potential fecundity of C. marginiventris might involve using young females and allowing them to oviposit in new hosts, each day, for up to a week.     

Electroantennogram and behavioral responses of Cotesia plutellae to plant volatiles

Plant volatiles have been demonstrated to play an important role in regulating the behavior of Cotesia plutellae, a major larval parasitoid of the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella, but little is currently known about the function of each volatile and their mixtures. We selected 13 volatiles of the DBM host plant, a cruciferous vegetable, to study the electroantennogram (EAG) and behavioral responses of C. plutellae. EAG responses to each of the compounds generally increased with concentration. Strong EAG responses were to 100 μL/mL of trans‐2‐hexenal, benzaldehyde, nonanal and cis‐3‐hexenol, and 10 μL/mL of trans‐2‐hexenal and benzaldehyde with the strongest response provoked by trans‐2‐hexenal at 100 μL/mL. In the Y‐tube olfactometer, C. plutellae, was significantly attracted by 1 μL/mL of trans‐2‐hexenal and benzaldehyde. β‐caryophyllene, cis‐3‐hexenol or trans‐2‐hexenal significantly attracted C. plutellae at 10 μL/mL, while nonanal, benzyl alcohol, cis‐3‐hexenol or benzyl cyanide at 100 μL/mL significantly attracted C. plutellae. Trans‐2‐hexenal significantly repelled C. plutellae at 100 μL/mL. EAG of C. plutellae showed strong responses to all mixtures made of five various compounds with mixtures 3 (trans‐2‐hexenal, benzaldehyde, nonanal, cis‐3‐hexenol, benzyl cyanide, farnesene, eucalyptol) and 4 (trans‐2‐hexenal, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, (R)‐(+)‐limonene, β‐ionone, farnesene, eucalyptol) significantly attracting C. plutellae. These findings demonstrate that the behavior of C. plutellae can be affected either by individual compounds or mixtures of plant volatiles, suggesting a potential of using plant volatiles to improve the efficiency of this parasitoid for biocontrol of P. xylostella.     

Learning of host-infested plant volatiles in the larval parasitoid Cotesia kariyai

The ability to learn plant volatiles in Cotesia kariyai females was examined by wind tunnel bioassays. Searching experience on a host-infested corn plant increased subsequent flight responses of females to the infested plant. Females experiencing host by-products together with the volatiles extracted from infested leaves one time showed an increased response. However, such behavioral changes were not observed in females which experienced only the host by-products or the volatiles. Thus, the increased response is considered to be preference learning. Multiple experiences of C. kariyai with host by-products together with the volatiles did not increase their flight response to the volatiles. Furthermore, this learned response gradually decreased within 2 days. These behavioral modifications based on experience would be advantageous for C. kariyai to locate their polyphagous hosts efficiently.     

菜蛾盘绒茧蜂畸形细胞蛋白质的合成和分泌及细胞超微结构的变化

菜蛾盘绒茧蜂 Cotesia vestalis (Haliday)是小菜蛾的重要幼虫内寄生蜂,该蜂在胚胎发育过程中由浆膜产生畸形细胞,随蜂卵孵化,释放到寄主小菜蛾的血腔中.本文运用蛋白质双向电泳技术、电子显微技术和体外培养技术对菜蛾彘绒茧蜂畸形细胞的蛋白质的合成和分泌以及细胞超微形态结构的变化进行了研究.蛋白质双向电泳图谱显示,该细胞内蛋白合成种类极为丰富,尤以分子量40.98～94.64 kDa的蛋白种类最多.但在寄生后期,畸形细胞的合成能力下降.超微形态结构发生显著变化表现在胞内细胞器数量减少,出现大量空腔,细胞表而微绒毛联合、变大,内容物外倾.随着蜂幼虫的啮出,有些细胞经历分解过程.体外培养证实,成熟畸形细胞可向培养介质中释放脂溶性物质.此外,在不同饲养温度条件下,畸形细胞伴随蜂幼虫的发育,表现为随温度升高,发育加快的趋势,表明畸形细胞的生长趋势与寄生蜂幼虫发育具有同步性.     

螟蛉盘绒茧蜂的生活习性及其在生物防治中的应用

螟蛉盘绒茧蜂是夜蛾科和螟蛾科多种害虫幼虫期内寄生性天敌 ,寄主范围包括水稻、小麦、玉米、棉花等作物的多种重要害虫。该文综述了国内外在螟蛉绒茧蜂的生理生态学、化学生态学、人工繁殖和引种利用等方面的研究进展。螟蛉盘绒茧蜂寄主范围广 ,发育历期短 ,成虫寿命长 ,田间种群数量大 ,人工繁殖简便 ,通过合理保护利用、人工繁殖释放可以有效控制一些重要害虫 ,在生物防治中的具有良好应用前景。     

温度对菜蛾绒茧蜂功能反应的影响

在室内１５℃、２０℃、２５℃、３０℃、３２．５℃下测定了菜蛾绒茧蜂寄生数量随寄主密度的变化情况．结果表明,在１５～３２．５℃范围内的各个温度下的功能反应均能用Ｈｏｌｉｎｇ圆盘方程很好地拟合,但各温度间功能反应的参数存在着显著差异．２５℃、３０℃、３２．５℃下的瞬时攻击率比１５℃、２０℃下显著要高,而处理时间则随温度升高而缩短．各温度下在供寄主的５ｈ内,均有部分雌蜂不产卵寄生小菜蛾幼虫．产卵寄生的雌蜂百分率随温度升高和寄主密度增加而增加     

Cotesia plutellae Bracovirus Genome and Its Function in Altering Insect Physiology

Polydnavirus is a group of animal DNA virus mutually associated with some ichneumonoid wasp. Its relatively large size of genome has been considered as a major source of the parasitoid function to manipulate developmental and immunological processes of target parasitized insects. Cotesia plutellae bracovirus (CpBV) is a polydnavirus derived from C. plutellae, which parasitizes the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Parasitized P. xylostella exhibits altered physiological symptoms in development and immune reactions. Though several other parasitic factors such as ovarian proteins, venom, and teratocytes are identified, CpBV has been more focused on elucidating various host physiological alterations occurring due to the parasitism, which has driven the CpBV genome project. CpBV attains a typical bracovirus structure by its single unit membrane envelope, in which multiple nucleocapsids are enclosed. Its genome DNAs are segmented and located on the genome of C. plutellae. Its replication begins at adult tissue development during pupal stage. An apparent genome size is 471 kb estimated from 27 segments separated on 5% agarose gel. A current work on the genome has been completely sequenced 24 genomic segments and analyzed their genomic structure. The aggregated genome size is 351, 299 bp long and exhibits an average GC content of approximately 34.6%. Average coding density is about 32.3% and 125 putative open reading frames are predicted. Though more than half (52.5%) of predicted genes are annotated as hypothetical, the annotated CpBV genes share amino acid sequence homologies with those of other bracoviral genomes. The annotated genes are classified into the known bracoviral families, in which a family of protein tyrosine phosphatase is the largest including 36 ORFs, suggesting a significant role during parasitization. In addition, 8 and 7 ORFs encode Iκβ-like and EP1-like, respectively. Some predicted genes are known only in Cotesia-associated bracoviral genomes. Finally, two homologous genes, CpBV15α/β, are unique in CpBV genome, which are not matched to any other known polydnaviral genes. Their homology with malarian circumsporozoite toxin and eukaryotic translation inhibition factors suggests their function in host translation inhibitory factor. This review discusses CpBV genes on their putative physiological functions based on the molecular interactions between the host-parasite.     

Effects of selected insecticides on Cotesia plutellae, endoparasitoid of Plutella xylostella

Effects of field dosages ofselected insecticides to Cotesiaplutellae (Kurdjumov) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a larval endoparasitoidof Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), wereinvestigated under laboratory conditions.Emergence of adult C. plutellae frominsecticide-treated pupae was not significantlydifferent from the control treatment. Contacttoxicity to C. plutellae adults variedgreatly among the insecticides in a paperresidue contact bioassay. Threeazadirachtin-based insecticides, Agroneem(4.8 mg a.i.liter^–1), Neemix (20 mga.i.liter^–1) and Ecozin (20 mgai.liter^–1) caused 11.1, 16.7 and 5.6%adult mortality, respectively. Of fourcommercial Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)insecticides examined (all at 1.2 mga.i.liter^–1), Crymax and Xentari had noeffect on adult parasitoids, whereas Mattchcaused 5.6% mortality, and Dipel caused 11.1%mortality. Indoxacarb (53 mg a.i.liter^–1),-cyhalothrin (28 mg a.i.liter^–1) andspinosad (53 mg a.i.liter^–1) caused 100,88.5 and 50% adult mortalities, respectively.Low adult mortality (0–5.6%) was recorded fromingestion of azadirachtin-based, Btinsecticides and indoxacarb, compared with100% adult mortality in treatments of spinosador -cyhalothrin. Compared with the watercontrol, ingestion of azadirachtin-basedinsecticides significantly reduced parasitismby 50–57%, and Bt insecticides by 8–25%.However, ingestion of these insecticides didnot affect longevity of male and femaleparasitoid adults with one exception; femalelongevity was significantly reduced in theindoxacarb treatment. Insecticide residuescaused considerable mortality of C.plutellae adults, 39 and 44% mortality causedby 10 d old indoxacarb and -cyhalothrin,respectively, and 24 and 0% mortality causedby 7 and 10 d old residues of spinosad,respectively.