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Biology of Synopeas myles, a parasitoid of the swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii, in Europe

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Abstract

Synopeas myles (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is a parasitoid of the swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii (Kieffer) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), in Europe. We conducted the first thorough investigation of this parasitoid’s biology. Contrary to the biology reported for all platygastrids to date, exposure of late-instar host larvae to parasitism as opposed to eggs or early larvae yielded more S. myles offspring. Superparasitism was relatively common in the field and among groups of females in the laboratory, but was much less common among single females, providing preliminary evidence for self-discrimination. Observation of immature stages of S. myles inside living hosts revealed that supernumerary larvae in superparasitized hosts were probably eliminated by physical combat soon after hatching. With increasing levels of superparasitism, sex ratios of offspring became more female-biased and their mean development time increased. The probability that offspring would emerge from a host and the size of offspring were unaffected by increasing levels of superparasitism.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Danielle Fife, Edna Quan, and Daniel Peach for assistance in the laboratory and field. The culture material provided by Lauren Des Marteux and Dr. Rebecca Hallett (University of Guelph) is greatly appreciated. We would also like to acknowledge the two anonymous reviewers who provided helpful comments on the manuscript. This research was funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. P. Abram received financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada

    P. K. Abram & N. Cappuccino

  2. CABI Europe-Switzerland, Rue des Grillons 1, 2800, Delémont, Switzerland

    T. Haye & U. Kuhlmann

  3. Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada

    P. G. Mason

  4. Centre de Recherche et de Développement en Horticulture, Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada, 430 Boul. Gouin, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec, J3B 3E6, Canada

    G. Boivin

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  1. P. K. Abram
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  4. N. Cappuccino
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  5. G. Boivin
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Correspondence to P. K. Abram.

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Abram, P.K., Haye, T., Mason, P.G. et al. Biology of Synopeas myles, a parasitoid of the swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii, in Europe. BioControl 57, 789–800 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-012-9459-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-012-9459-x

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