Host selection and egg allocation behaviour by Aphytis melinus and A.lingnanensis: comparison of two facultatively gregarious parasitoids

Abstract

Abstract. 1. The ovipositional and egg allocation behaviour of individual females of Aphytis melinus DeBach and A.lingnunensis Compere were compared.2. Both Aphytis species exhibit the same behavioural sequence during oviposition.3. Aphytis melinus laid most of its female eggs on the dorsum of a scale‐insect beneath its cover, and most of its male eggs under the scale‐insect's body. Aphytis lingnanensis also oviposited both dorsally and ventrally on scale‐insect hosts, but female and male progeny arose with equal frequency from eggs laid in both locations.4. Both A.melinus and A. lingnanensis are facultatively gregarious parasitoids. The degree of gregariousness depends on host size, i.e. the larger the host, the more the Iikelihood that several eggs will be deposited at each visit by the parasitoid.5. When two eggs were laid during the same host visit, both A.melinus and A.lingnanensis laid one female and one male egg more often than would be expected under an assumption of random allocation of sexes.6. Because A.melinus successfulIy utilize smaller hosts than A.lingnanensis to produce progeny, these parasitoids should not be considered ecological homo‐logues, as suggested by DeBach & Sundby (1963).