First records of hymenopterous larval-pupal parasitoids of Anastrepha Fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the Northwestern province of Catamarca, Argentina

OVRUSKI, S. M. Y P., SCHLISERMAN

Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington

Allen Press, Inc.(Entomological Society of America).

Lugar: Kansas; Año: 2003 vol. 105 p. 1056 - 1059

0013 8797

  The aim of this study was to survey exotic host plant species commonly infested by both A. fraterculus and C. capitata, and to identify all larval-pupal parasitoids associated with these tephritid species in the southeastern region of Catamarca Province, as well as to determine the infestation levels in each fruit species sampled. From November 1994 to April 1995 (rainy summer season), fruit samples from seven exotic plant species of four families were collected in family orchards and in patches of disturbed wild vegetation adjacent to citrus groves throughout the localities of La Viña and Sumampa, southeastern Catamarca. The fruit samples consisted only of fallen ripe fruit, and ranged in number from 20 to 150 fruit, depending on fruit availability. In the laboratory, each fruit was processed). All parasitization rates and fruit infestation levels reported here are based on the number of emerged adult flies and parasitoids, and on the number of fruit fly pupae per kg of fruit, respectively. A total of  129 (12.8 kg) sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck), 93 (11.5 kg) sour oranges (Citrus aurantium L.), 56 (12.7 kg) grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macfadyn) (all Rutaceae), 345 (13.4 kg) peaches (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch),  118 (5.2 kg) plums (Prunus domestica L) (both Rosaceae),  231 (5.3 kg) figs (Ficus carica L., Moraceae), and 278 (12.2 kg) guavas (Psidium guajava L., Myrtaceae) were sampled. Of these fruit samples, 998 and 892 pupae of A. fraterculus and C. capitata were recovered, respectively. All the Citrus species and F. carica were only infested by C. capitata, whereas the Prunus species and Psidium guajava were simultaneously infested by both A. fraterculus and C. capitata. In the case of the Prunus species, P. persica was mainly infested by C. capitata whereas P. domestica was infested largely by A. fraterculus. These data on fruit infestation rates add further evidence about the predominance of C. capitata in Citrus species, and about the importance of P. guajava as principal host of A. fraterculus in the southeastern part of Catamarca, where the climate is warm and humid. The following parasitoid species were reared in association with A. fraterculus: Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti), D. brasiliensis (Szépligeti), and Utetes anastrephae (Viereck) (all Braconidae, Opiinae), and Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes) (Figitidae, Eucoilinae). All native parasitoid species recovered during this study are new records for Catamarca. These four species have also been collected in the Yungas forest areas of neighboring Tucumán province. Thus, the data presented here show that all these parasitoid species appear to be common and abundant at least in the southern portion of the Yungas forest. In this study we only recovered parasitoids from A. fraterculus.