BioControl (2015) 60, 747-760

Shahar Samra, Murad Ghanim, Alex Protasov and Zvi Mendel (2015)
Spatial distribution and niche partitioning in the Ooencyrtus spp. complex parasitizing the eggs of Stenozygum coloratum
BioControl 60 (6), 747-760
Abstract: The way in which species coexist is an important ecological question. Often, several parasitoid species may share a common host species. Five species of Ooencyrtus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) co-inhabit the egg clusters of Stenozygum coloratum Klug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), in the East Mediterranean region. Their relative abundance and spatial and seasonal occurrence were investigated. Parasitism and parasitoid male ratios gradually increased to about 50 and 26.8 %, respectively, from May to October. O. telenomicida Vassiliev was dominant in Mediterranean climatic regions and absent from arid areas, O. fecundus Ferrière and Voegelè dominated semi-arid areas, and O. near nigerrimus was the commonest in hot-arid areas. O. near fecundus occurred everywhere but was most abundant in the more extreme weather conditions. O. pityocampae Mercet was uncommon in most areas and absent from arid ones. O. telenomicida abundance was positively, and that of O. fecundus negatively, correlated with annual rainfall. O. near fecundus and O. near nigerrimus abundance was positively correlated with temperature extremes. The results display a clear picture for climatic based spatial niche partitioning, although there is evidence that interspecific competition also plays a significant role in the frequency of occurrence of the studied Ooencyrtus spp.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Shahar Samra, Zvi Mendel, Murad Ghanim, Alexey Protasov

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Stenozygum coloratum	Caper (Capparis)	Israel
Ooencyrtus pityocampae (parasitoid)	Stenozygum coloratum	Caper (Capparis)	Israel
Ooencyrtus telenomicida (parasitoid)	Stenozygum coloratum	Caper (Capparis)	Israel