Journal of Applied Entomology (2009) 133, 181-188

J. Cancino, L. Ruiz, P. Montoya and E. Harris (2009)
Biological attributes of three introduced parasitoids as natural enemies of fruit flies, genus Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Journal of Applied Entomology 133 (3), 181-188
Abstract: The biological attributes of three introduced species of parasitoids which attack the fruit fly Anastrepha ludens were evaluated. Larvae and eggs of A. ludens were exposed to larval parasitoids Diachasmimorpha longicaudata and D. tryoni and the egg parasitoid Fopius arisanus. Parasitoid longevity and fecundity were determined using larvae and eggs of A. ludens. Likewise, the parasitism rates of these parasitoid species in infested host fruits were recorded. The intrinsic rate of increase for F. arisanus was 0.1019 followed by D. tryoni with a rate of 0.1641 and D. longicaudata with the highest rate of 0.2233. Although F. arisanus females had the highest levels of fecundity, only 50% of them remained alive until reproductive age. These results in combination with the longer generation time (in comparison with D. longicaudata and D. tryoni), can be considered as the most important factors explaining F. arisanus reduced rate of increase. However, we note that oviposition activity caused egg mortality which reduced Anastrepha egg hatch by ca. 20%. This result suggests that F. arisanus has a high potential as a natural enemy of A. ludens, in accordance with our research efforts to develop a new F. arisanus strain specialized for development in Anastrepha eggs. The results show that D. tryoni is not a good candidate for biological control of Anastrepha. Meanwhile, D. longicaudata continues to be the most important exotic parasitoid for suppression of Anastrepha fruit fly populations.
(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, Ernest J. Harris

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
Fopius arisanus (parasitoid)	Anastrepha ludens
Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (parasitoid)	Anastrepha ludens
Diachasmimorpha tryoni (parasitoid)