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Progeny Production and Sex Ratios of Field Populations of the Parasitoids Cotesia flavipes and Cotesia sesamiae Reared from Gramineous Stemborers in Coastal Kenya

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Abstract

Progeny production and sex ratios of the parasitoids Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and its exotic congener Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) emerging from three species of field-collected stemborers were compared. There were no significant differences in numbers of progeny of the two parasitoids from the African stemborers, Chilo orichalcociliellus (Strand) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Sesamia calamistis Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Cotesia flavipes produced more progeny than C. sesamiae on large larvae of its coevolved Asian host, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe). No significant differences in the number of parasitoid progeny were observed for different-sized Ch. orichalcociliellus or S. calamistis larvae. These data suggest that under field conditions, Co. flavipes may be superior to Co. sesamiae as a parasitoid of its co-evolved host, Ch. partellus.

Résumé

La production de progéniture et les rapports des sexes des parasitoïdes Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) et son congénère exotique Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) éclos de trois espèces de foreurs de tiges collectés dans la nature furent comparés. Il n y avait pas de différences numériques significatives dans la progéniture produite par les deux parasitoïdes issus des foreurs de tiges africains, Chilo orichalcociliellus (Strand) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) et Sesamia calamistis Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Cotesia flavipes produisit une plus nombreuse progéniture que C. sesamiae sur de grandes larves de son hôte asiatique évolutivement associé, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe). Il n’ y avait pas de différences numériques significatives dans la progéniture du parasitoïde en rapport avec les differentes tailles des larves de Ch. orichalcociliellus ou S. calamistis. Ces données suggèrent que dans des conditions naturelles, Co. flavipes pourrait être supérieur à Co. sesamiae comme parasitoïde de son hôte évolutivement associé, Ch. partellus.

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Omwega, C.O., Overholt, W.A. Progeny Production and Sex Ratios of Field Populations of the Parasitoids Cotesia flavipes and Cotesia sesamiae Reared from Gramineous Stemborers in Coastal Kenya. Int J Trop Insect Sci 17, 137–142 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400022256

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