A check list of parasitoids and predators of Opisina arenosella Wlk. on coconut
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Date
2007-02-08
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Abstract
Two species of parasitoids, Antrocephalus sp.? maculipennis CAM. and Trichospilus diatraeae CHERI AN & MARGABANDU and four species of predators, Ankylopteryxoctopunddta FAB., Geocoris sp., Physopleurella sp. and Cardiastethus sp.? pygmaeus pauliniae CARAYON were recorded by the authors on the leaf eating caterpillar, Opisina arenosella WLK. on coconut, for the first time. Including these, the pest supports 40 species of parasitoids and 20 predators. Among the parasitoids, 34 belong to Hymenoptera, 5 to Diaptera and one to Acarina. The hymenopterans fall under 9 families. Fourteen species belong to Chalcididae, seven species to Ichneumonidae, four species to Braconidae, three to Eulophidae, two to Eurytomidae and one species each to Elasmidae, Bethylidae, Eupelmidae and Trichogrammatidae. Three species of tachinids and two phorids constitute the dipterans. Among 40 species of parasitoids, ten are larval, two larval-pupal, two prepupal and twenty five species pupal. Bracon hebetor SAY (B. brevicornis WESM.) Bracon serinopae (CHERIAN), Goniozus nephantidis (MUES.), Elasmus nephantidis ROHWER, Trichospilus pupivorus FERR., T.diatraeae and Jetrastichus israeli (M. & K.) are the seven gregarious parasitoids of 0. arenosella. Twenty species of the predators fall under four orders: I. Coleoptera (Carabidae-4, coccinellidae-4) II. Heteroptera (Anthocoridae-7, Reduviidae-1, Lygaeidae-1) III. Neuroptera (Chrysopidae-2) IV. Psocoptera (Peripsocidae-1) The dipteran, Stomatomyia bezziana BARANOFF which is a common parasitoid in some parts of the eastern and south-eastern tracks of Sri Lanka is not at all present in India. The Sri Lankan biotype of Eriborus trochanteratus (Morley) attacks O. arenosella caterpillars on coconut and this biotype is established at Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and Thottappally (Kerala) in India. B. hebetor becomes adapted to Corcyra cephalonica ST., when reared continuously on its larvae in the laboratory and such adults quite often do not exert any high degree of suppression of 0. arenosella in the field. Xanthopimpla pundata F. and x. nana nana SCHULZ. appear in the field only in the latter half of the year. Both species select breeding sites close to the sea shore, back waters, streams and paddy fields and congregate in such sites without uniformly dispersing to all pest-infested regions Bradiymeria sp. dominate the parasitoid complex of 0. arenosella in Kerala and Bradiymeria nosatoi HABU has several desirable attributes of an ideal parasitoid. Larval and pupal parasitism vary from locality to locality and region to region. A thorough survey for the natural enemies of O. arenosella in different tracts of the country would be rewarding.
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Keywords
parasitoids, predators, opisina arenosella, coconut pest
Citation
Indian Coconut J. 1993 v-23 i-9 p-2-9