Journal of Hymenoptera Research (2000) 9, 385-394

Eric Conti, Pio F. Roversi and Ferdinando Bin (2000)
Morphofunctional adaptations of parasitoids attacking concealed eggs of two arboreal mirids in Italy
Journal of Hymenoptera Research 9 (2), 385-394
Abstract: The morphofunctional adaptations of the egg parasitoids of two arboreal mirids (Heteroptera: Miridae) for reaching the concealed eggs of their hosts, Calocoris quadripunctatus (Villers) and Calocoris trivialis (Costa), were studied in a natural ecosystem (oak forest) and in an agroecosystem (orange groves), respectively. Calocoris quadripunctatus is a predator of immature stages of Tortrix viridana (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in deciduous oak forests, Quercus spp., in Tuscany. Eggs are laid in clusters and concealed among the scales of dead buds, where they are exploited by two parasitoid species. Chaetostricha walkeri (Förster) (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) has a long ovipositor which is inserted between the scales to reach the host eggs, and is therefore an "ovipositor prober". Instead, Telenomus sp. laricis Walker group (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) has a depressed metasoma which is introduced between the scales, and is therefore a "metasomal prober". Calocoris trivialis is a phytophagous species that damages orange groves, Citrus sinensis (L.), and other Citrus spp. in Sicily. The eggs are concealed in the soft, decaying wood of old pruning wounds and are attacked by at least two parasitoids. Aprostocetus n. sp. near miridivorus (Domenichini) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is probably both an "ovipositor prober" and an "ovipositor driller", as it can also drill through the wood. Telenomus lopicida Silvestri (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) has a long ovipositor and a compressed metasoma, which is introduced into the host incision, and is therefore a "metasomal prober". Such morphological adaptations appear to be linked to the host oviposition sites and explain some aspects of parasitoid exploitation efficiency; they may also help interpret other host-parasitoid associations that are unknown or questionable.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Eric Conti, Pio Federico Roversi

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.
	Tortrix viridana	Oak (Quercus)	Italy
	Closterotomus trivialis	Citrus (genus)	Italy
Calocoris quadripunctatus (predator)	Tortrix viridana	Oak (Quercus)	Italy
Telenomus lopicida (parasitoid)			Italy