Biocontrol Science and Technology (2003) 13, 683-690

Pablo Montoya, Betty Benrey, Juan F. Barrera, Mauricio Zenil, Lia Ruiz and Pablo Liedo (2003)
Oviposition behavior and conspecific host discrimination in Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a fruit fly parasitoid
Biocontrol Science and Technology 13 (7), 683-690
Abstract: We studied conspecific host discrimination and oviposition behavior of Diaschasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead), in third instar Anastrepha ludens (Loew) under laboratory conditions. The complete process of oviposition in D. longicaudata required an average of 29-11.7 s (Mean-SE), during which time the female remained completely immobile. This contrasts with attempts to oviposit for lesser durations (2-4 s), during which the female constantly moved her antennae and abdomen. In order to determine the host discrimination ability of this species (i.e., the capacity to distinguish between parasitized and non-parasitized hosts), third-instar A. ludens non-parasitized or parasitized 24 h earlier, were exposed simultaneously to individual female wasps with or without previous oviposition experience. An identical test was performed using larvae parasitized 48 h earlier. Both types of females showed a similar behavioral pattern of oviposition, but with significant differences in the number of eggs laid in parasitized and non-parasitized larvae. Experienced females showed reduced incidence of oviposition in parasitized larvae as well as a greater number of probes that did not lead to parasitism (rejection), although this difference was only significant in the 24-h test. This suggests that the host discrimination capacity of this parasitoid is innate and that previous oviposition experience increases the discrimination ability of females.
(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): Pablo Montoya, Betty Benrey, Juan F. Barrera

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anastrepha ludens
Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (parasitoid)	Anastrepha ludens