Courtship, mating behavior, and ovary Histology of the nymph parasitoid Psyllaephagus bliteus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae).

• Autor(a) principal: FAVORETO, A. L.
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: DOMINGUES, M. M., SERRÃO, J. E., RIBEIRO, M. F., SILVA, C. A. D., ZANUNCIO, J. C., WILCKEM, C. F.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da EMBRAPA (Repository Open Access to Scientific Information from EMBRAPA - Alice)
• Texto Completo: http://www.alice.cnptia.embrapa.br/alice/handle/doc/1139815
• topic: Fauna Parasitaria; Acasalamento Controlado; Inseto Para Controle Biológico; Ninfa; Eucalipto; Peste; Inimigo Natural; Parasites; Courtship; Nymphs; Eucalyptus

The potential of the parasitoid Psyllaephagus bliteus Riek for the biological control of the eucalyptus pest Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae) nymphs is high. This research sought to analyze the courtship, male competition, and mating behavior of P. bliteus at the proportions of 1:1 and 2:1 males to female in a Petri dish (5 cm diameter), and to describe the ovary histology of virgin and mated females of this parasitoid. At 1:1, males touch the antennae and thorax?abdomen of females during courtship, but females avoid mate attempts before they are 48 h old. At 2:1, the competition between male parasitoids inhibits mating. The histology of ovaries of virgin and mated P. bliteus females is similar, with two well-defined germarium and vitellarium regions, with oocytes at different developmental stages, including mature ones rich in yolk and with eggshell. A clearer understanding of the reproductive behavior and histology of P. bliteus aids in the use of this parasitoid for the biological control of G. brimblecombei.