ABSTRACT
Abstract Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are important pests that affect the fruit-growing worldwide. In the northeastern Brazil, where a semiarid climate predominates and the production of tropical fruits for export is concentrated, some fruit flies, including Anastrepha spp. and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), are considered pests due to economic damage and quarantine restrictions. In several parts of the world, fruit fly population regulation is carried out with the support of hymenopteran parasitoids. In Brazil, some information exists about larval parasitoids of fruit flies, but little is known about pupal parasitoids of these tephritids, especially in Brazilian semiarid environments. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to know the pupal parasitoids associated with C. capitata in a semiarid environment in Brazil. The parasitoid survey was carried out in a semiarid region in the states of Rio do Norte and Ceará. To obtain the parasitoids, pupae (sentinels) of C. capitata from the laboratory, Applied Entomology Laboratory of Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, were exposed to natural parasitism in the field. Six parasitoid (Hymenoptera) species were obtained: Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani), Spalangia simplex Perkins, Spalangia gemina Boucek, Spalangia leiopleura Gibson, and Spalangia impunctata Howard (Pteromalidae); Trichopria anastrephae Lima (Diapriidae). These are the first records of pupal parasitoids associated with the fruit fly C. capitata in Brazil.
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT The gregarious endoparasitoid Tetrastichus giffardianus Silvestri (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a natural enemy of fruit flies. This parasitoid was previously used to successfully control Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Hawaii, USA. Despite its importance in the control of fruit fly pests, little is known about the development or characteristics of its preimaginal stages. The aim of this study was to observe the development and morphologically characterize the immature stages of Tetrastichus giffardianus. Tetrastichus giffardianus individuals were reared on C. capitata larvae/pupae under laboratory conditions at a temperature of 25 ± 2 °C, relative humidity of 60 ± 10%, and 12-h photophase. Third-instar C. capitata larvae were exposed to parasitism for 24 h. After parasitism, the pupae were dissected every 24 h to evaluate the stage of development attained by T. giffardianus, and to record their morphological characteristics. A stereomicroscope was used to observe all the immature stages of T. giffardianus. The complete development of T. giffardianus under these conditions was completed within 14 days as follows: egg (duration ≅ 1 day); first (≅ 1 day), second (≅ 1 day), and third (≅ 2 days) larval instars; pre-pupa (≅ 2 days); and pupa (≅ 7 days). The immature stages of T. giffardianus differed sufficiently in their shape, color, and size to allow morphological characterization.