Thermal development of Cephalonomia tarsalis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) parasitoid of the saw-toothed stored product beetles of the genus Oryzaephilus sp. (Coleoptera: Sylvanidae)

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The effect of temperature on the development and survival of Cephalonomia tarsalis (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), larval ectoparasitoid of beetles of Oryzaephilus sp. (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) was studied in the laboratory. Durations of the development of the egg, larva and pupa were measured in eight constant temperatures (15, 17.5, 20, 25, 30, 32.5, 35 and 37.5°C) parasitizing larvae of the saw-toothed beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae). The duration of development was decreased with temperature increase within the range 17.5–32.5°C. Survival was higher when immatures were exposed to medium temperatures (20–30°C) compared with those lived in a more extreme temperature regime (<20 and >30°C). Wasps failed to complete their development at 15 and 37.5°C. Thermal parameters (upper, lower and optimum developmental threshold, thermal constant) were estimated by fitting the linear and a non-linear (Logan I) model to our data. Upper and lower developmental thresholds ranged between 35.1–37.0°C and 13.2–13.8°C, respectively. The optimum temperature for development was estimated between 33.6°C and 34.6°C. Tests for developmental rate isomorphy (DRI) showed that change in the average proportion of time spent in each developmental stage was marginally significant, proving that development of C. tarsalis is probably incompatible with DRI. However, this conclusion is questionable given that lower developmental thresholds did not differ significantly among various developmental stages (bootstrap test). Thermal constant for total development was calculated 212.4 degree-days. Our results are discussed not only on the basis of thermal biology, but also of improving the efficiency of C. tarsalis as biocontrol agent.