Ranyse B. Querino

Diversity and Hosts of Trichogramma in the New World, with Emphasis in South America

The diversity and hosts of Trichogramma in the New World, with emphasis in South America, is presented. All the 94 Trichogramma species recorded in the Americas and their habitats were listed. Sixty species are recorded in North America, 22 in Central America and 41 in South America. Also, a list of the South American species with their respective host insects, distribution and associated plants was updated. In South America, Brazil is the country with the highest number of native species known. Trichogramma species are mainly associated to lepidopterous economically important, mostly in the family Noctuidae.

Systematics of the Trichogrammatidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) with a Focus on the Genera Attacking Lepidoptera

The Trichogrammatidae are represented by 89 genera and more than 800 species distributed worldwide, both in terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Fifty-six genera occur in the New World. Most South American records to the family are concerned to Trichogramma and Trichogrammatoidea, whose species are commonly used in biological control. The New World genera of Trichogrammatidae associated with Lepidoptera are Lathromeris Forster, Paracentrobia Howard, Paratrichogramma Girault, Trichogramma Westwood, Trichogrammatoidea Girault, Trichogrammatomyia Girault, Tumidiclava Girault and Xenufens Girault. A key and a brief synopsis of these genera are presented; however, a thorough discussion on Trichogramma is made. In spite of recent advances, the local fauna of many regions of the South America remains poorly known, although this knowledge is important to foster the use of Trichogramma in biological control programs.

Parasitoid diversity (Hymenoptera: Braconidae and Figitidae) on frugivorous larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae) at Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve, Central Amazon Region, Manaus, Brazil

This study aimed to identify parasitoid species of frugivorous larvae and to describe the tritrophic interactions involving wild fruits, frugivorous insects and their natural enemies at Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve (RFAD) (Manaus, AM, Brazil). Collections were performed in four 1 km2 quadrants in the corners of the RFAD. The wild fruits were collected inside the forest in access trails leading to each collection area and in trails that surrounded the quadrants, up to five metres from the trail on each side. The fruits were placed in plastic containers covered with thin fabric, with a vermiculite layer on the base to allow the emergence of flies or parasitoids. Seven Braconidae species were collected, distributed among Opiinae: Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti, 1911), Utetes anastrephae (Viereck, 1913), and Opius sp., and Alysiinae: Asobara anastrephae (Muesebeck, 1958), Phaenocarpa pericarpa Wharton and Carrejo, 1999, Idiasta delicata Papp, 1969, and Asobara sp. Parasitism rates by braconids and figitids are presented. Doryctobracon areolatus was the most frequent, parasitizing the highest number of fly species, and showing the highest parasitism percentage in larvae feeding on Micropholis williamii fruits. The collected figitids belong to Aganaspis nordlanderi Wharton, 1998 and A. pelleranoi (Brethes, 1924). All 15 tritrophic associations are new records for the Brazilian Amazon region. The RFAD is an important natural reservoir of frugivorous larvae parasitoids.

Caracterização morfológica de dez espécies de Trichogramma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) registradas na América do Sul

Ten species of Trichogramma (T. acacioi Brun, Moraes & Soares, T. atopovirilia Oatman & Platner, T. exiguum Pinto & Platner, T. fuentesi Torre, T. galloi Zucchi, T. lasallei Pinto, T. lopezandinensis Sarmiento, T. nerudai Pintureau & Gerding, T. pintoi Voegele e T. rojasi Nagaraja & Nagarkatti) were studied based on male morphology. A scanning electronic microscope was used to illustrate the most important characters. New host records are T. acacioi from Hamadryas feronia (L.) eggs (Brazil), T. nerudai from Tuta absoluta Meyrick eggs (Chile) and T. lasallei from Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) eggs (Uruguay, first record in this country).

Geographic pattern of morphological variation of the coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae), using multivariate morphometry.

The coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer, has become one of the most important pests of coconut in the Americas and Africa and recently in Southeast Asia. Despite the great economic importance of this mite, there is a lack of information on its origin and invasion history that are important to guide the search of biological control agents as well as the adoption of quarantine procedures. This study evaluates morphometric variation among A. guerreronis populations throughout its occurrence area, relates this variation with historical sequence of records, looking for information on its biogeography. Samples of 27 populations from the Americas, Africa and Asia were analysed using Principal Component Analysis and Canonical Discriminant Analysis. Results showed significant morphometric variability of A. uerreronis throughout its distribution area, with a high variability among American populations and otherwise a high similarity among African and Asian populations. The geographic pattern of variation of mite populations observed supports the hypothesis that A. guerreronis originated in the Americas and was introduced into Africa and Asia. Some inferences related to taxonomy of Eriophyoidea mites were included.

An aquatic microhymenopterous egg-parasitoid of Argia insipida Hagen in Selys (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) and biological observations in the Central Amazon, Brazil

The tritrophic interaction Argia insipida Hagen in Selys, the Trichogrammatidae egg parasitoid Pseudoligosita longifrangiata (Viggiani) and the host plant Tonina fluviatilis (Eriocaulacea), which is a substrate for egg deposition of A.insipid, was investigated. The study locality was a stream with rapids where macrophytes such as T. fluviatilis grow. Information on aquatic egg parasitoids is scarce. This is the first record of egg parasitism of A. insipida by P. longifrangiata in Brazil, and the first record of occurrence of P. longifrangiata in the country. Parasitized and unparasitized eggs of A. insipida were observed only on leaves 0-5 cm below the water surface. The maximum number of pairs of A. insipida laying eggs in the study area was observed between 13:00 h and 14:00 h. Leaves of T. fluviatilis become yellowish and dry out when large numbers of eggs of A. insipida are laid on them.

Diversidade de Hemiptera Auchenorrhyncha em citros, café e fragmento de floresta nativa do Estado de São Paulo

The population of Hemiptera Auchenorrhyncha was studied in sweet citrus groves (Citrus sinensis), coffee plantations (Coffea arabica) and a semi-deciduous seasonal forest with shrub physiognomy in Bebedouro, SP, to evaluate the influence of the natural ecosystem on the species composition of the agroecosystems. Monitoring was carried out by using yellow stick cards, which were replaced every 15 days and all Auchenorrhyncha collected were counted and identified. Seven families, 11 subfamilies and 98 species were collected, with Cicadellidae being the most abundant. The native forest presented larger wealth, diversity and equitability of Auchenorrhyncha species, demonstrating to be more stable than the other habitats. The high values of similarities obtained between the agroecosystems and the forest demonstrated that great part of Auchenorrhyncha species occurring in the agricultural habitats was also occurring at the forest, indicating that the last may serve as reservoir of species. The abundance of the taxonomic groups of Auchenorrhyncha collected varied with the evaluated habitats, with Proconiini being the most abundant in the coffee plantation next to the forest, Athysanini, Scaphytopiini, Neocoelidiinae and Coelidiinae in the orange orchard and coffee plantation distant from the forest; Cicadellinae and Agalliinae were not related to any of the habitats. The presence of vector insects and possible vectors of plant diseases in the appraised habitats indicate the need of the implementation of strategies for landscape management.

Hymenopteran Parasitoids Associated with Frugivorous Larvae in a Brazilian Caatinga-Cerrado Ecotone

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate native species of parasitoids of frugivorous larvae and their associations with host plants in commercial guava orchards and in typical native dry forests of a caatinga-cerrado ecotone in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Nine species of parasitoids were associated with larvae of Anastrepha (Tephritidae) and Neosilba (Lonchaeidae) in fruit of Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae), Ziziphus joazeiro Mart. (Rhamnaceae), Spondias tuberosa Arruda (Anacardiaceae), Spondias dulcis Forst. (Anacardiaceae), Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels (Myrtaceae), and Randia armata (Sw.) DC. (Rubiaceae). Doryctobracon areolatus was the most abundant species, obtained from puparia of Anastrepha zenildae, An. sororcula, An. fraterculus, An. obliqua, and An. turpiniae. This is the first report of Asobara obliqua in Brazil and of As. anastrephae and Tropideucoila weldi in dry forests of Minas Gerais State. The number of species of parasitoids was higher in areas with greater diversity of cultivated species and lower pesticide use. The forest fragments adjacent to the orchards served as shelter for parasitoids of frugivorous larvae.

Registro de Trichogramma demoraesi Nagaraja (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) parasitando ovos de Erynnyis ello (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) na Amazônia Central

This paper records the occurrence of Trichogramma demoraesi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in the North Region of Brazil.

Ocorrência de ginandromorfismo em Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

Egg parasitoids of genus Trichogramma can reproduce by arrhenotokous or thelytokous parthenogenesis. Thelytoky is genetically determined or induced by endosymbionts such as bacteria of the genus Wolbachia. In thelytokous Trichogramma populations, gynandromorphism - an individual having both male and female structures - can occur. Gynandromorphism was observed in one specimen of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley in which the individual presented female genitalia and male antennae, a fact never reported before in Trichogramma in Latin America.