Parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea and Platygastroidea) on mealybug pests (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) from Southern Brazil: molecular and morphological characterization.

DIDIER CROCHARD; FERRAN, PALERO; PACHECO DA SILVA, VITOR; THIBAUT MALAUSA; AQUINO, DANIEL A.; MARCOS BOTTON

NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC BRASIL

Lugar: BRASIL; Año: 2021

1519-566X

Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are important fruit pests, damaging crops and spreading virus and toxins. Natural biological control is needed to keep mealybugs in low densities, but little is known about their natural enemies. A survey for primary and secondary parasitoids (Hymenoptera) of Planococcus ficus (Signoret), Pseudococcus sociabilis Hambleton and Pseudococcus viburni (Signoret) was conducted during 2013?2016 in fruit growing areas (apple, grapes, persimmon and strawberry) along Southern Brazil. An integrative approach, with the combination of morphological identification and molecular methods, was used to identify the parasitoids. Sixteen species were recorded, belonging to the Aphelinidae, Encyrtidae, Platygastridae and Signiphoridae. The species Acerophagus flavidulus (Brèthes), Anagyrus calyxtoi Noyes, Chartocerus axillaris De Santis and the genus Zaplatycerus Timberlake are new records for Brazil. Different parasitoid taxa were found in each mealybug species (e.g. Blepyrus clavicornis parasitizing Ps. viburni and Blepyrus schwarzi (Howard) parasitizing Ps. sociabilis) which suggests parasitoid specificity and successful biological control.