Bulletin of Entomological Research (2001) 91, 363-368

L.A. Sagarra, C. Vincent and R.K. Stewart (2001)
Body size as an indicator of parasitoid quality in male and female Anagyrus kamali (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)
Bulletin of Entomological Research 91 (5), 363-368
Abstract: The parasitoid Anagyrus kamali Moursi was recently introduced into the Caribbean as a biological control agent against the hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutusGreen. In the laboratory, parasitoid size, as measured by left hind tibia length, was positively correlated with several indicators of the parasitoid's fitness: longevity, mating preference, fecundity, reproductive longevity, progeny emergence and sex-ratio. When fed ad libidum with honey drops, large male parasitoids lived significantly longer (29.1 ± 6.5 days) than small ones (18.4 ±5.7 days). Large females also lived significantly longer (35.4 ± 10 days) than small females (27.9 ± 9.6 days). Females showed no significant mating preference between large and small males. Lifetime fecundity was positively correlated with the size of adult females and ranged from 37 ± 21 eggs for small females to 96 ± 43 eggs for large ones. The reproductive longevity, daily oviposition rate, and number of progeny were also higher among large parasitoids. The sex ratio of progeny from small female parasitoids was higher (0.76 ± 0.24) than that of large individuals (0.47 ± 0.18).
(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): Charles Vincent

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.
	Maconellicoccus hirsutus
Anagyrus kamali (parasitoid)	Maconellicoccus hirsutus