Parasitoid community of the loreyi leaf wormMythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi: Novel host-parasitoid associations and their efficiency in the eastern mediterranean region of Turkey

The loreyi leaf worm,Mythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi Duponchel (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), is a pest of gramineous crops and causes significant economic damage to maize. In field surveys on maize to determine the parasitoid community and its impact on the pest in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey, nine parasitoid species were found associated with immature stages ofM. loreyi: The hymenopteran (Braconidae and Ichneumonidae) parasitoidsCotesia (=Apanteles) ruficrus (Haliday),Chelonus oculator Panzer,Meteorus ictericus Nees,Hyposoter didymator (Thunberg),Sinophorus sp.; and the dipteran (Tachinidae) parasitoidsPseudogonia rufifrons Wiedeman,Exorista rossica Mesnil,Gonia picea (Robineau-Desvoidy) andLinnaemya vulpina (Fallen) — the last three recorded for the first time as parasitoids ofM. loreyi in Turkey.C. ruficrus was the dominant parasitoid species, being recovered from 38.5% of the larvae collected and was also the most prevalent species, existing in 91.0% of the fields in whichM. loreyi was found. Total parasitism levels achieved by braconid species was 41.4%, by ichneumonid parasitoids 4.8%, and by tachinid parasitoids 1.9%. In a separate field experiment, seasonal population fluctuations and natural efficiency ofC. ruficrus onM. loreyi were found to be 35.1% and 42.4%, respectively. Population levels ofC. ruficrus were closely related to fluctuations in the population ofM. loreyi, with parasitism ranging between 0 and 77.3% during the study. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Aug. 28, 2005.     

Tachinid parasitoids (Diptera: Tachinidae) of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spodoptera exigua</Emphasis> in cotton fields in Diyarbakır,Turkey

Tachinid parasitoidsExorista xanthaspis (Wiedemann),Nemorilla maculosa (Meigen),Palesisa maculosa (Villeneuve) andDrino imberbis (Wiedemann) were obtained fromSpodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Noctuidae) larvae collected from cotton fields in Turkey.S. exigua is a new host record forN. maculosa, andP. maculosa is recorded from Turkey for the first time. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 14, 2004.     

The parasitoid complex ofLiriomyza cicerina on chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

Liriomyza cicerina (Diptera: Agromyzidae) is an important pest on chickpea in Turkey. The objective of this study was to determine the parasitoids and rates of parasitism ofL. cicerina on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) during the 2005 and 2006 seasons in ?anl?urfa province, Turkey. Leaves with mines were sampled weekly and kept in the laboratory to observe and count emerging leafminer and parasitoid adults. Eight parasitoid species were collected: the braconidsOpius monilicornis Fischer andOpius tersus Foerster and the eulophidsDiaulinopsis arenaria (Erdös) andNeochrysocharis formosa (Westwood), which occurred in both the winter and summer seasons;Diglyphus crassinervis Erdös,Neochrysocharis ambitiosa Hansson,Neochrysocharis sericea (Erdös) andPediobius metallicus (Nees), which occurred only in the summer growing areas.Diaulinopsis arenaria was the predominant parasitoid with 4–7.7% parasitism rate whileN. ambitiosa andO. monilicornis were the second and third most predominant species. The results of these trials show that sinceDia. arenaria occurred throughout every season, it could potentially be used for control of the leafminerL. cicerina.     

Note: Tachinid parasitoids of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ancyrosoma leucogrammes</Emphasis> and notes on parasitization rates of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clytiomya dupuisi</Emphasis>

The study deals with the tachinid parasitoids ofAncyrosoma leucogrammes (Gmelin) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae):Clytiomya dupuisi Kugler,Clytiomya sola (Rondani) andGymnosoma clavatum (Rohdendorf) (Diptera: Tachinidae). All species are recorded for the first time as parasitoids ofA. leucogrammes, andC. dupuisi was reared for the first time from a host. The parasitization rates ofC. dupuisi on adults ofA. leucogrammes varied from 7% to 9% between 1994 and 1999.C. sola andG. clavatum were reared in only small numbers. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 10, 2003.     

Egg and larval parasitoids of the beet armyworm<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spodoptera exigua</Emphasis> on maize in Turkey

The present study was conducted to determine egg and larval parasitoids of the beet armywormSpodoptera exigua Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which is an important but sporadic pest in Turkey. High beet armyworm population levels were recently observed in fields of first and second crop maize in the southeast Mediterranean region of Turkey. The parasitoid species complex and its impact on the pest were analyzed in a 4-year study in first and second crop maize. The braconid larval parasitoidsMicroplitis rufiventris Kokujev,M. tuberculifer Wesmael,Meteorus ictericus Nees,Chelonus obscuratus (Herrich Schäffer) (an egg-larval parasitoid),Apanteles ruficrus (Haliday); the ichneumonid larval parasitoidsHyposoter didymator (Thunberg) andSinophorus xanthostomus Gravenhorst; and the egg parasitoidTrichogramma evanescens (Westwood) were found to be the natural enemies attacking the pest. Among the parasitoid species the solitary endoparasitoidH. didymator was the most prevalent species, being reared from 40.5% of the parasitized larvae found. Higher parasitism rates were recorded on first crop than on second crop maize in every year. Possible reasons for this difference in larval parasitism between two growing seasons include lower population of the pest and reduced insecticide applications in first crop maize fields which permitted higher parasitism. However, parasitoid activity was insufficient to counterbalance the population growth of the pest on subsequent second crop maize.     

Natural enemies of the pear psylla<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cacopsylla pyri</Emphasis> in treated<Emphasis Type="Italic">vs</Emphasis> untreated pear orchards in Antalya,Turkey

Populations of pear psylla,Cacopsylla pyri (L.) (Rhynchota: Psyllidae), and its natural enemies were sampled on pears in Antalya province during the years 2000–2002. Thirty-two species of predators and three species of parasitoids were detected to be associated withC. pyri in Antalya province. The heteropterans (especially anthocorid species) were the most abundant predator group. Among the anthocorids,Anthocoris nemoralis (Fabricius) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae), whose population was closely related to the dynamics of the pear psylla population, was generally the principal antagonist ofC. pyri. Other species recorded during the study were the miridDeraeocoris spp., the chrysopidChrysoperla carnea L., and many coccinellid species. Although these predators are polyphagous, as are theOrius species, their populations were related to the psylla fluctuations. Among the parasitoid complex belonging to the order Hymenoptera, the encyrtidTrechnites psyllae (Ruschka) was the only primary parasitoid. Two hyperparasites,viz., Syrphophagus mamitus (Walker) andPachyneuron aphidis (Bouché) (Encyrtidae and Pteromalidae, respectively), were detected in the surveys. Also, this study revealed new information concerning the pear psylla parasitoid complex in Turkey. WhileT. psyllae andS. mamitus are new records to Turkish parasitoid fauna,C. pyri is a new host record forP. aphidis. The population development and abundance of pear psylla and its natural enemies, as well as the parasitization rates in treated and untreated pear orchards, are presented here. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 6, 2004.     

Investigation of mealybug (hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) species from Turkey by RAPD

Molecular markers are commonly used for determining the relationship between insect species. In this study, we investigated the relationship of six mealybug species,Planococcus citri (Risso),Planococcus ficus (Signoret),Planococcus vovae (Nasonov),Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni Tozzetti),Pseudococcus viburni (Signoret) andPhenacoccus aceris (Signoret), sampled from Turkey, using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). Of the 50 RAPD primers tested, 18 identified a total of 256 fragments of which all were polymorphic. Sufficient discrimination betweenP. citri andP. ficus was provided by several RAPD primers. The genetic distance values calculated for each pair-wise comparison ranged from 0.156 to 0.504. Cluster analyses of RAPD data clearly separated the species into two groups. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 4, 2007.     

A survey of the Eriococcidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of Ankara Province,Turkey

The Coccoidea of cultivated and non-cultivated areas of Ankara Province, in central Anatolia, Turkey, were surveyed between 1999 and 2001. Eleven species of Eriococcidae were collected, of which nine are new records for Turkey:Acanthococcus greeni Newstead,A. micracanthus Danzig,A. munroi Boratynski,A. roboris (Goux),A. zernae Tereznikova,Rhizococcus cingulatus (Kiritchenko),R. cynodontis (Kiritchenko),R. herbaceus Danzig andR. pseudinsignis (Green). http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Sept. 30, 2003.     

Identification and pathogenicity of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium</Emphasis> spp. from stem bases of winter wheat in Erzurum,Turkey

Four-hundred-sixty-eightFusarium andFusarium-like isolates were obtained from crowns and subcrown internodes of winter wheat grown in Erzurum, Turkey. Of these isolates, 34.8% wereFusarium acuminatum, 32.3% wereF. equiseti, 16.9% wereF. oxysporum, 15.0% wereMicrodochium nivale (formerlyFusarium nivale), 0.6% wereF. tabacinum and 0.4% wereF. solani. In pathogenicity tests on wheat, the highest disease severity was caused by isolates ofM. nivale, whereas isolates ofF. acuminatum, F. equiseti, F. oxysporum andF. solani were slightly virulent; isolates ofF. tabacinum were nonpathogenic. This is the first report ofM. nivale andF. tabacinum from wheat in Turkey. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Jan. 29, 2003.     

Note: Life history of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lixus bardanae</Emphasis> on curly dock (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rumex crispus</Emphasis>) in Turkey

The biology ofLixus bardanae (F.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on curly dock (Rumex crispus L.) in northeastern Anatolia (Bayburt, Erzurum and Kars Provinces), Turkey, was studied during the years 2000 and 2001.L. bardanae completes one generation in a year, overwintering as an adult. It feeds on leaves of the host plant. Females lay eggs individually into stems and the young larvae create galleries in stems while feeding. Pupation occurs inside stems in cells fashioned from frass. In late September, adults move into soil and overwinter in an upright position around the roots of the host plant. Infestation levels were found to range between 34% and 84%. Two parasitoids,Exeristes roborator F. andEndromopoda phragmitidis Perve (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), were reared fromL. bardanae. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 21, 2003.     

Two new species of egg parasitoids (hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) of wood-boring beetle pests from China

Oobius agrili sp.n. andAvetianella xystrocerae sp.n. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) are described from China. Morphological characters of the new species are illustrated.O. agrili is an egg parasitoid of the emerald ash borerAgrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) andA. xystrocerae is an egg parasitoid of the wood borerXystrocera globosa (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). The two new species are potential biocontrol agents of economically important pest insects. The type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (IZCAS). http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 17, 2005.     

Parasitoids Associated with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mussidia</Emphasis> spp. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Kenya

The pyralid Mussidia nigrivenella, a pest of cotton, maize and Phaseolus bean in West Africa, has never been reported as a crop pest in East and Southern Africa, although reportedly it exists in the wild. It is hypothesized that the difference in pest status of M. nigrivenella between western and eastern Africa was either due to differences in natural enemy compositions or that there exist several populations and/or species of Mussidia, which vary in their host plant range. Thus, a catalogue of parasitoids of Mussidia spp. was established through surveys in mid-altitude and coastal Kenya, between 2006 and 2007. Mussidia spp. eggs, larvae and pupae were collected from fruits of plants known to host Mussidia spp. and were examined for parasitoid-related mortality. The trichogrammatid Trichogrammatoidea sp. nr. lutea was obtained from eggs of Mussidia fiorii. A braconid egg-larval parasitoid, Phanerotoma sp., was reared from the larvae of unknown species of Mussidia (which we are referring to as Mussidia “madagascariensis”, Mussidia “quanzensis”) and M. fiorii, while the bethylid Goniozus sp. and the braconid Apanteles sp. were obtained from Mussidia nr. nigrivenella. Moreover, the ichneumonid larval parasitoid Syzeuctus sp. was obtained from M. fiorii, while the tachinid Leskia sp. was obtained from Mussidia “madagascariensis”. Overall, mortality caused by parasitoids was negligible; hence they were not considered key mortality factors in the population dynamics of the Mussidia spp. in Kenya.     

Interactions between the introduced fungal pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga and indigenous tachinid parasitoids of gypsy moth Lymantria dispar in Bulgaria

Interactions between the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), pathogenic fungus Entomophaga maimaiga, and the tachinid parasitoid (Diptera: Tachinidae) complex in gypsy moth larvae were investigated in Bulgaria, where E. maimaiga was recently released as a biological control agent. Gypsy moth larvae were collected in oak stands where E. maimaiga was originally introduced (nine sites) and in sites where the pathogen has invaded by natural extension of the range (ten sites). In total, 4,375 host larvae were examined and 401 tachinid larvae emerged from parasitized hosts. Host mortality caused by tachinids varied from 0 to 48.5% among sites, with an overall average of 9.2%. Emerging adult tachinid parasitoids included 54 individuals belonging to six species: Compsilura concinnata, Exorista larvarum, Senometopia separata, Senometopia excisa, Drino incospiqua and Zenilia libatrix; the remaining parasitoids (86.5%) died in the pupal stage. E. maimaiga azygospores were observed on puparia surfaces, an indication that the gypsy moth host larvae were infected with the fungus. No azygospores were observed in parasitoid tissues. The high parasitoid mortality may be the result of the competition with E. maimaiga during development in the same host.     

Parasitism and development of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trissolcus simoni</Emphasis> in eggs of different host species

A scelionid egg parasitoid,Trissolcus simoni (Mayr), was investigated by exposing different host eggs to parasitism by females in order to assess the role of this alternative host species in the biological control of the sunn pestEurygaster integriceps Puton. Egg masses of laboratory colonies of four field-collected host species were used in the experiments. Parasitism rates ofE. integriceps, Dolycoris baccarum (L.),Graphosoma lineatum L. andCarpocoris pudicus (Pd.) averaged 86.8%, 81.6%, 82.8% and 84.0%, respectively. The parasitoid sex ratio and the percent of adult emergence did not differ significantly among the four hosts. The average development period was shorter inD. baccarum andC. pudicus, with respective mean times of 10.3 and 10.8 days for females, and 9.2 and 9.6 days for males, than inE. integriceps andG. lineatum. According to these results, all the tested eggs were adequate hosts forT. simoni development. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 19, 2003.     

Bark-Beetle Parasitoids Population Surveys Following Storm Damage in Spruce Stands in the Vosges Region (France)

This paper presents the results of a long-term study designed to follow the population dynamics of hymenopteran parasitoids associated with Ips typographus L. (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in northeastern France (Alsace and Vosges) in spruce stands devastated by the December 1999 storms. Population densities were estimated by periodic samplings in the pre-emerging insect populations developing under the bark of attacked trees. Data were collected between July 2000 and October 2001. I. typographus population density (per m²) increased respectively by 28%, 105%, and 212% in one year in the three sites surveyed. Six hymenopteran ectoparasitoids were found: Coeloides bostrichorum Giraud and Dendrosoter middendorffi Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera: Braconidae); Rhopalicus tutela (Walker), Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg), Roptrocerus mirus (Walker) and Dinotiscus eupterus (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). After two years, the parasitoid populations increased in terms of average density but parasitism rates remained at a relatively low level, ranging from 0% to 40%, with 60% of the trees having a parasitism rate below 5%. Data outlined the recurrent coexistence of competing parasitoid species.     

Description ofPauesia (Pauesia)anatolica (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae) sp. nov., a parasitoid of the cedar aphidCinara cedri

The first parasitoid species reared from a population of the cedar aphid,Cinara cedri Mimeur, 1935 (Hemiptera: Aphididae), from the peninsula of Anatolia in Turkey is described.Pauesia anatolica (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae) is closely related to some species of thelaricis group ofPauesia from which it differs in the number of antenomers, the propodeum and features of the female genitalia. Its potential use as a natural enemy in areas where the aphid has been introduced is discussed. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Aug. 28, 2005.     

基于DNA条形码对粘虫四种近缘种的鉴定与亲缘关系分析

为开发快速、准确的粘虫Myth imna separata (Walker)近源种鉴定技术,通过线粒体COI基因DNA条形码技术对在野外采集的4种粘虫近缘种——白点粘夜蛾Leucania loreyi、淡脉粘夜蛾L.roseilinea、瘠粘夜蛾 L.pallidior和虚研夜蛾Aletia pseudaletiana的COI基因片段进行序列分析,并对4种粘虫近缘种同粘虫和GenBank中其它6种粘虫近缘种之间的亲缘关系进行了分析.结果表明,克隆得到白点粘夜蛾、淡脉粘夜蛾、瘠粘夜蛾和虚研夜蛾大小为658 bp的COI基因片段,与粘虫COI基因片段的核苷酸序列同源性依次为93.31％、92.86％、91.95％和90.88％,遗传距离分别为0.067、0.071、0.081和0.091;所编码的219个氨基酸序列同源性依次为100.00％、100.00％、99.09％和99.09％.与其它6种粘虫近缘种的COI基因片段序列分析中,白点粘夜蛾和淡脉粘夜蛾与粘虫、一点粘虫Mythimna unipuncta、仿劳粘夜蛾L.insueta、白脉粘夜蛾L.venalba聚为1个亚群,亲缘关系较近;瘠粘夜蛾和虚研夜蛾与白杖研夜蛾A.lalbum、角线研夜蛾A.conigera、秘夜蛾M.turca聚为1个亚群,亲缘关系较近.表明4种近缘种与粘虫的亲缘关系由远到近依次为白点粘夜蛾、淡脉粘夜蛾、粘瘠粘夜蛾和虚研夜蛾.     

On the species ofRhyacionia Hübner [1825] (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Turkey

Three forest pest species of the genusRhyacionia Hübner [1825] (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) that are known to damagePinus species are found in Turkey:R. buoliana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775),R. pinicolana, (Doubleday, 1849) andR. pinivorana (Lienig & Zeller, 1846).R. pinivorana is recorded for the first time from Turkey.R. pinicolana, first recorded in 1999, is now reported for the second time from Turkey. Photographs are presented of adult males and their genitalia of all taxa and the species distribution is shown on a map.     

Parasitism of egg-batches of the cedar processionary moth<Emphasis Type="Italic">Traumatocampa ispartaensis</Emphasis> in Turkey

Studies were carried out on the egg material ofTraumatocampa ispartaensis Doganlar & Avcı (Lep.: Notodontidae) collected onCedrus libani A. Rich. A total of 95 egg-batches were sampled over two annual generations ofTr. ispartaensis. The number of eggs in each egg-batch varied between 39 and 245 and the length of the batches varied between 7 and 36 mm. The mean number of eggs per batch was found to be 119 and 122 in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Based on field data the oviposition period continued from mid August to mid September. The mean hatching rate of the host was found to be 85.8% and 88.9%, whereas the impact of egg parasitoids accounted for 11.3% and 7.4%, respectively in the 2 years.Ooencyrtus pityocampae (Mercet) was observed as the most abundant egg parasitoid, followed byOoencyrtus sp. nearmasii (Mercet) andTrichogramma brassicae Bezdenko. Based on the emergence dynamics of the egg parasitoids in the laboratory, it seems thatO. pityocampae emerged mainly in June whereasO. sp. nearmasii andT. brassicae emerged mainly in May. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Feb. 3, 2003.