Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vvkck Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T13:15:15.106Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

PARASITES OF GRASSHOPPER (ACRIDOIDEA: ORTHOPTERA) EGGS: DISTRIBUTION AND LIFE HISTORY OF SCELIO SPP. (HYMENOPTERA: SCELIONIDAE) IN PAKISTAN1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Mohammad Irshad
Affiliation:
Pakistan Station, Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Maqbool Ahmad
Affiliation:
Pakistan Station, Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
M. A. Ghani
Affiliation:
Pakistan Station, Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Rehmat Ali
Affiliation:
Pakistan Station, Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Abstract

Scelio spp. are important parasites of grasshopper eggs in many countries of the world. However, no information regarding these species is available for Pakistan. Therefore, a study was undertaken to record incidence, distribution, and biology of important species of Pakistan during 1970–74. Some species of Scelio such as S. hieroglyphi, S. sp. ? mauritanicus, Scelio sp. B and C, S. sp. nr. popovi, and Scelio sp. A are restricted in distribution; the first four species are host specific while others can parasitize many hosts. S. aegyptiacus, S. sp. nr. serdangensis, and S. sp. ? tristis are polyphagous and found in many areas of Pakistan. Mortality ranging between 3% and 69% of grasshopper eggs due to factors other than parasitism also occurs. Large sized egg-pods are partially parasitized as grasshopper nymphs also emerge along with the parasites, whereas in pods with fewer eggs nothing except the parasites emerge and are called fully parasitized. Of the nine species of Scelio reared from 3708 egg-pods of 16 grasshopper species, biology of S. aegyptiacus, S. hieroglyphi, and Scelio sp. A was studied which is almost identical in all the species. Immature stages comprising egg, 2 larval instars, and pupa of S. aegyptiacus are developed at 31.5°C ± 3 in 2–3, 10–11, and 7–8 days respectively. The female has the capacity to lay 121–135 eggs. Prior to oviposition, mating lasting 1–2 min takes place and a hole is drilled in the froth-plug. Freshly laid egg-pods are preferred over old during parasitization.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1978

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anon. 1940. Summary for 1939. Insect pest Surv. Bull. 19 (10): 627650. Washington D.C., U.S. Dep. Agric. Bur. Ent. (R.A.E. (A) 29: 47.)Google Scholar
Greathead, D. J. 1963. A review of insect enemies of Acridoidea (Orthop.). Trans. ent. Soc. Lond. 114: 437517.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mukerji, S. 1953. On a new species of Scelionidae Scelio oviphagus sp. nov. (Serphidae-Proctotrypoidea: Hymenoptera) parasitic on eggs of Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus I. Bol. in Ajmer India. Ind. J. Ent. 14: 209213.Google Scholar
Murai, S. 1959. Studies on the egg parasites of rice grasshoppers, Oxya japonica Willemse and O. velox Fabr. VI. Especially on the power of oviposition and distribution pattern in host eggs of the egg parasite Scelio murai Watanabe. Bull. Yamagata Univ. (Agric. Sci.) 3: 6572.Google Scholar
(Quoted in Greathead, D. J., 1963. Trans. R. ent. Soc. Lond. 114: 437517.)Google Scholar
Nixon, G. E. J. 1958. A synopsis of the African species of Scelio Latreille (Hymenoptera: Proctotrypoidea, Scelionidae). Trans. R. ent. Soc. Lond. 110: 303318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Noble, N.S. 1935. An egg parasite of plague grasshopper. Agric. Gaz. N.S.W. 46: 513518. (R.A.E. (A) 24: 69–70.)Google Scholar
Pemberton, C. E. 1933. Introduction to Hawaii and habits of egg-parasites of Chinese grasshopper. Hawaii Pl. Rec. 37(1): 79. (R.A.E. (A) 21: 347.)Google Scholar
Putnam, L. G. 1953. Observations on internal parasites (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) of eggs of pest grasshopper species in the Prairie Provinces of Canada. Can. Ent. 85(7): 255260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rao, Y. R. 1922. Oxya velox. Rep. Proc. 4th Ent. Meet. Pusa: 4142. (R.A.E. (A) 10: 152.)Google Scholar
Rao, Y. R. 1952. Scelionids as parasites, of eggs of Orthoptera. Ind. J. Ent. 14: 174175.Google Scholar
Rees, N. E. 1973. Arthropod and nematode parasites, parasitoids and predators of Acrididae in America north of Mexico. Tech. Bull. U.S. Dep. Agric. 1460.Google Scholar
Roepke, W. 1916. Scelio javanica n. sp. Rpke. (Hym.: Proctotrypoidea). Tijdschr. Ent. (The Hague), 59th Deel. 3rd Alf. (R.A.E. (A) 4: 480.)Google Scholar
Swezey, O. H. 1931. Some recent parasite introductions in Hawaii. J. econ. Ent. 24(5): 945947. (R.A.E. (A) 20: 23.)Google Scholar
Timberlake, P. H. 1933. Three new parasitic Hymenoptera from the Indo-Malayan Region. Proc. Hawaii. ent. Soc. 8(1): 153162. (R.A.E. (A) 21: 134.)Google Scholar
Veitch, R. 1936. Report of the chief Entomologist. A. Rep. Dep. Agric. Qd: 6872. (R.A.E. (A) 24: 196.)Google Scholar