Abstract
Gryon gnidus Nixon (Hym.: Scelionidae) is an egg-parasite of the pigeon pea coreid,Acanthomia tomentosicollis Stål in Nigeria. The life-cycle is completed in 8–14 days. The parasite is solitary and levels of parasitism in the field vary between 0% and 69%. The parasite is highly host-specific and eggs of other legume-infesting coreids includingAcanthomia horrida Germ.,Anoplocnemis curvipes F.,Mirpeurus torridus Westw., andRiptortus dentipes F. are not attacked. High levels of parasitism were recorded and parasite population build-up followed the trend of host population levels but did not prevent the host populations from reaching economic injury levels.
Résumé
Gryon gnidus Nixon (Hym.: Scelionidae) est parasite des œufs du coréide du pois à pigeons,Acanthomia tometosicollis Stål au Nigeria. Le cycle dure 8 à 14 jours. Le parasite est solitaire avec un taux de parasitisme dans la nature qui varie de 0% à 69%. Il est hautement spécifique et n'attaque pas les œufs d'autres coréides nuisibles aux légumineuses, tels queAcanthomia horrida Germ.,Anoplocnemis curvipes F.,Mirperus torridus Westw. etRiptortus dentipes F. On note des taux de parasitisme élevés et une augmentation de la population de parasites qui suit la progression de la population de l'hôte mais sans empêcher celle-ci d'atteindre le seuil de dégâts économique.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Booker, R. H. — 1965. Pests of cowpeas and their control in Northern Nigeria. —Bull. Entomol. Res., 57, 663–672.
Clausen, C. P. — 1962. Entomophagous Insects. —Hafner Publ. Co., New York, 688 pp.
Golding, F. D. — 1948. Further notes on food plants of Nigerian insects VI.B. —Bull. Entomol. Res., 39, 77–80.
Hokyo, N., Kiritani, K., Nakasuji, F. &Shiga, M. — 1966. Comparative biology of the two Scelionid egg parasites ofNezara viridula (L.) [Hemiptera: Pentatomidae]. —Appl. Entomol. Zool., 1, 94–102.
Materu, M. E. A. — 1970. Damage caused byAcanthomia tomentosicollis Stål andA. horrida Germ. [Hemiptera, Coreidae]. —E. Afr. Agric. For. J., 35, 429–435.
—— — 1971. Population dynamics ofAcanthomia spp. [Hemiptera, Coreidae] on beans and pigeon peas in the Arusha area of Tanzania. —E. Afr. Agric. For. J., 36, 361–383.
Morril, A. W. — 1907. Description of a new species ofTelenomus with observations on its habits and life history. —Amer. Nat., 41, 417–430.
Prevett, P. F. — 1961. Field infestation of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) pods by beetles of the familiesBruchidae andCurculionidae in northern Nigeria. —Bull. Entomol. Res., 52, 635–645.
Rotschild, G. H. L. — 1970.Gryon flavipes (Ashmead) [Hymenoptera, Scelionidae], an egg-parasite of the rice earbugLeptocorisa oratorius (Fabricius) [Hem., Alydidae]. —Entomophaga, 15, 15–20.
Taylor, T. A. — 1968. The effects of insecticide application on insect damage and the performance of cowpea in southern Nigeria. —Niger. Agric. J., 5, 29–37.
Taylor, T. A. &Omoniyi, O. — 1970. Variation in number of micropyles in eggs ofAcanthomia tomentosicollis Stål [Hemiptera, Coreidae]. —Niger. Entomol., Mag., 2, 70–73.
Van der Goot, P. — 1949. De Walang Sangit (Leptocorisa acuta Thunb.) als vijand van het rijstgewas in Indonesie. —Med. Alg. Procfst. Land., 88, 1–66.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Taylor, T.A. Gryon gnidus, a scelionid egg-parasite ofAcanthomia tomentosicollis [Hem.: Coreidae] in Nigeria. Entomophaga 20, 129–134 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02371651
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02371651