Biology and host preference of Selitrichodes neseri: A potential biological control agent of the Eucalyptus gall wasp,Leptocybe invasa |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa;2. Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa;3. Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa;1. Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Quinta do Marquês, 2780-159 Oeiras, Portugal;2. Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal;1. Department of Agroecology and Biometeorology, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Prague 6, Suchdol, Czech Republic;2. Department of Biological Science, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais, Ubá, Minas Gerais, Brazil;3. Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Kakuganji 246-2, Mizukami, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata, Japan;4. Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic;1. Departament de Dinàmica de la Terra i de l’Oceà and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Facultat de Ciències de la Terra, Universitat de Barcelona, c/ Martí i Franquès s/n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain;2. Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (Museo Geominero), c/ Cirilo Amorós 42, 46004, Valencia, Spain;3. Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB - UMR 7205 – CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 50, Entomologie, F-75005, Paris, France |
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| Abstract: | Selitrichodes neseri (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a parasitoid of the invasive gall-forming wasp Leptocybe invasa (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), which has caused serious damage to Eucalyptus plantations in many parts of the world. S. neseri is a recently discovered parasitoid considered to be a potentially important biological control agent of L. invasa. The aim of this study was to provide the first basic data on the biology of S. neseri, which is essential for its application in biological control. S. neseri was shown to be a biparental ectoparasitoid. Observation from dissected galls indicated that the parasitoid developed on late larvae, pupae and callow adults, although development did occur in a range of gall ages. Observed nominal parasitism in captivity ranged from 9.7% to 71.8%. Adult S. neseri specimens, fed with honey-water and galled Eucalyptus leaves, survived an average of 26 days at 26 °C. The average developmental time from oviposition to emergence was 19.3 days ± 0.2 days. There was no pre-oviposition period. A single female produced a maximum of thirty-nine offspring, with a maximum of ten per day. Dissection of the ovaries showed that twelve ovarioles were present. The sex ratio of S. neseri observed in this study was 1:3.43 males:females. Galls of native insects most closely related to L. invasa and to galls of similar morphology to L. invasa-induced galls, were not suitable for S. neseri oviposition. S. neseri showed considerable potential as a biological control agent of L. invasa due to its relatively short developmental time, long adult life span when supplemented with carbohydrates, ability to utilize a range of gall ages and the fact that it has a high level of host specificity. |
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| Keywords: | Host specificity Adult longevity Ectoparasitoid Parasitism rate Developmental time Galls |
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