Abstract
The ability of female larvae endoparasitoids [Microplitis croceipes Cresson:Cardiochiles nigriceps Viereck andCumpoletis sonorensis (Carlson)] to distinguish between unparasitized tobacco budworm,Heliothis virescens (F.), larvae andH. virescens larvae parasitized by the egg-larval parasitoidChelonus insularis,Cresson, was determined in laboratory studies. The 3 species of larval endoparasitoid females did not appear capable of distinguishing between unparasitized andC. insularis parasitized larvae resulting in multiple parasitoidism.
The results of the ensuing competition between the 3 species for possession of the host demonstrated that bothC. sonorensis andM. croceipes were intrinsically superior toC. insularis. Both larva endoparasitoids destroyed the olderC. insularis larvae by physically attacking the latter. The presence ofC. insularis larvae in the host was found to prevent the hatch of compeatingC. nigriceps eggs through physiological suppression.
The results show that the early attack of a host, as in the egg-larval parasitoid habit, is not necessarily advantageous.
Résumé
La capacité des femelles des endo-parasitoides larvaires,Microplitis croceipes Cresson;Cardiochiles nigriceps Viereck etCampoletis sonorensis (Carlson) pour distinguer les chenilles du tabac,Heliothis virescens (F) non parasitées, de celles qui sont parasitées par le parasitoïde ovolarvaireChelonus insularis Cresson, a été déterminée en laboratoire. Les femelles des 3 espèces d'endoparasitoïdes ne semblent pas capables de distinguer les larves deC. insularis non parasitées de celles qui étaient parasitées, ce qui aboutit à un parasitisme multiple.
Les résultats de la compétition entre les 3 espèces pour la possession de l'hôte ont montré queC. sonorensis etM. croceipes sont supérieurs à C. insularis. Les 2 endoparasitoïdes ont attaqué et tué les larves deC. insularis plus âgées. La présence de larves deC. insularis dans l'hôte a empêché l'éclosion des œufs deC. nigriceps par élimination physiologique.
Les résultats montrent que l'attaque précoce d'un hôte, comme c'est l'habitude des parasitoïdes ovolarvaires, n'est pas nécessairement avantageuse pour l'espèce.
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Vinson, S.B., Ables, J.R. Interspecific competition among endoparasitoids of tobacco budworm larvae [Lep.: Noctuidae]. Entomophaga 25, 357–362 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374696
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374696