Phenotypic differences between thelytokous and arrhenotokous Trichogramma minutum from Zeiraphera canadensis

Abstract

AbstractBoth thelytokous and arrhenotokous Trichogramma minutum were collected from eggs of the spruce budmoth, Zeiraphera canadensis in New Brunswick, Canada and their phenotypic traits compared for use in biological control. The lower threshold temperature for development of thelytokous and arrhenotokous parasitoids was 9.7 and 10.1 °C, respectively; the former required significantly higher degree‐days for development from egg to adult (x̄ ± SE = 165.1 ± 5.8 °D) than the latter (128.1 ± 4.9 °D). Thelytokous and arrhenotokous parasitoids had similar forewing length (0.49 ± 0.01 vs. 0.49 ± 0.01 mm) and adult lifespan (13.3 ± 0.7 vs. 14.0 ± 1.1 days), but significantly different fecundity and sex ratios. Thelytokous females produced fewer offspring (89.5 ± 6.6 vs. 173.9 ± 6.4) and fewer female progeny (77.2 ± 5.4 vs. 109.8 ± 3.3) despite an overall higher proportion of females (91.6 ± 1.1% vs. 65.4 ± 2.8%) than their arrhenotokous counterparts. Ovarian dissections showed that the number of eggs increased with parasitoid age in arrhenotokous parasitoids but remained steady in thelytokous parasitoids. The variation in ovarian development of the two forms was the major factor contributing to the differences in fecundity. Thelytokous parasitoids were more host‐specific than arrhenotokous ones; when offered eight host species, the former rejected three whereas the latter rejected only one. Thelytokous parasitoids survived better than arrhenotokous ones when stored from 30 to 150 days at 4 °C. Thelytokous females were slower at initiating flight after emergence than arrhenotokous females but maintained flight activity longer (6 h). These results indicate that thelytokous T. minutum are different from their arrhenotokous counterparts physiologically, biologically and ecologically and that they may play different roles in the field. The potential for using thelytokous parasitoids in biological control programs is discussed.