Development, oviposition, host feeding and sex determination inEpidinocarsis lopezi(De Santis) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)

Abstract

AbstractEpidinocarsis lopezi(De Santis) was found to parasitize and complete development in all developmental instars of its host,Phenacoccus manihotiMatile-Ferrero. However, parasitoid mortality was high (15·8%) when development took place in the first nymphal instar of the host. Complete development from egg to adult emergence was prolonged in smaller hosts, and developmental periods recorded were 18·8, 17·4, 16·1 and 14·9 days for the first, second, third and fourth nymphal instars, respectively. Irrespective of the age of the host parasitized (with which size is strongly correlated),E. lopezicompleted only one life-cycle during one life-cycle ofP. manihoti. Oviposition commenced within 24 h of emergence and lasted effectively for six days, during which 95% of its eggs were laid and 10·8 large hosts were killed through host feeding. Unmated females ofE. lopeziare arrhenotokous, laying only male eggs; eggs laid by mated females produced males and females in the ratio of 1:3 in favour of females.