Abstract
The knowledge on ovigeny in parasitoids is important for basic studies on physiology and applied biological control. The ovigeny pattern and type of ovariole of the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) were studied in newly-emerged females at seven, 14, 24 and 48 h intervals after their emergence from Tenebrio molitor L. pupae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Females of P. elaeisis presented ovaries composed by four ovarioles of the meroistic polytrophic type. The yolk accumulation and chorionogenesis in P. elaeisis were concluded 24 h after the female emergence. The 48 h-old females show a high quantity of egg ready for oviposition. These findings can help to improve the mass production of P. elaeisis and the augmentative biological control by using this natural enemy.
Highlights
Parasitoids are studied because of their importance in the biological control of pests and are used in the development of population models and interactions with their hosts in the field (Hassel 2000, Andrade et al 2009, 2010a)
The 48 h-old females show a high quantity of egg ready for oviposition. These findings can help to improve the mass production of P. elaeisis and the augmentative biological control by using this natural enemy
Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Thyrinteina arnobia (Stoll) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) (Bittencourt and Berti Filho 2004, Pereira et al 2008) and Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) (Zanuncio et al 2008). This ability of P. elaeisis to develop in different hosts may be related to immune suppression that occurs with these hosts after the oviposition of parasitoids possibly due to immunoregulatory substances present in the ovary of this parasitoid (Andrade et al 2010b)
Summary
Parasitoids are studied because of their importance in the biological control of pests and are used in the development of population models and interactions with their hosts in the field (Hassel 2000, Andrade et al 2009, 2010a). Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Thyrinteina arnobia (Stoll) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) (Bittencourt and Berti Filho 2004, Pereira et al 2008) and Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) (Zanuncio et al 2008) This ability of P. elaeisis to develop in different hosts may be related to immune suppression that occurs with these hosts after the oviposition of parasitoids possibly due to immunoregulatory substances present in the ovary of this parasitoid (Andrade et al 2010b). Each ovary is composed by a series of ovarioles with a progressive development of oocytes, whose number is genetically determined and dependent on the species reproductive strategy (Klowden 2002). Each ovariole has two areas of oocyte maturation named germarium and vitellarium (Chapman 1998). The deposition of nutritive substances in the oocyte is higher in the vitellarium (Klowden 2002, Lisboa et al 2005)
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