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Parasitoids of the eucalyptus gall wasp Leptocybe spp.: a global review

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Abstract

The genus Leptocybe Fisher & La Salle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and its type species L. invasa were first described in 2004. Leptocybe spp. are global pests of eucalyptus plantations, and parasitoids play an important role in their control. In this review, we describe the species, distribution, biology, ecology and parasitism levels of Leptocybe spp. parasitoids and the problems associated with biological control programmes against Leptocybe spp. Additionally, prospects for the use of conservation or augmentative biological control programmes against Leptocybe spp. are discussed. Worldwide, approximately 23 species of parasitoids of Leptocybe spp. in 7 families and 10 genera have been found to date. Comparing the parasitism levels of the parasitoids showed that Quadrastichus mendeli, Selitrichodes neseri and several (approximately 4) native Megastigmus spp. could be exploited to manage Leptocybe spp. Available information on the Leptocybe spp. parasitoids is expected to improve our understanding related to ongoing studies of biological control programmes against Leptocybe spp.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Prof. & Dr. Mikdat Doğanlar (Biological Control Research Station, Adana, Turkey) for providing very useful information and thank Dr. Brett P. Hurley (University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa) for providing references and publications. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on an earlier version.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number: 31870634 and 31560212] and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi [grant number: 2018GXNSFAA138099].

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  1. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China

    Zong-You Huang, Jun Li, Wen Lu & Xia-Lin Zheng

  2. College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China

    Zhen-De Yang

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  1. Zong-You Huang
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Huang, ZY., Li, J., Lu, W. et al. Parasitoids of the eucalyptus gall wasp Leptocybe spp.: a global review. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 29983–29995 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3073-0

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