Does host stage affect the morphometry of Aenasius arizonensis (Girault), a solitaryendoparasitoid of Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley?
Karmakar, P.; Shera, P.S. (2018). Does host stage affect the morphometry of Aenasius arizonensis (Girault), a solitary
endoparasitoid of Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley? Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 6(6): 537-543
In: Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies: New Delhi. ISSN 2349-6800; e-ISSN 2320-7078, more
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| Keywords |
Aenasius arizonensis; Phenacoccus solenopsis
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| Author keywords |
Phenacoccus solenopsis, Aenasius arizonensis, morphometry, parasitism, scanning electron microscopy, progeny |
| Abstract |
We investigated the influence of three nymphal instars (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and adult stages of Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley on the morphometric parameters of Aenasius arizonensis (Girault). The study was conducted to identify the suitable host stages for quality improvement in mass production of A. arizonensis for biocontrol program against P. solenopsis. The female parasitoid parasitized all the stages of P. solenopsis except 1st instar nymphs, while the parasitism of 2nd instar nymphs yielded only males in the progeny. The length and breadth of parasitoid mummies (pupae); body size, antenna length, the length of fore-leg, middle-leg and hind-leg, and wing size of both male and female adults increased significantly with an advancement of host stage. The measurements through Scanning Electron Microscopy images also confirmed that the length of hind-leg increased with increase in host stage. The results of this study have implications for utilizing adult and 3rd instar nymphal stages in mass production A. arizonensis for larger sized progeny and devising an effective biological control strategy against P. solenopsis. |
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