Branco, B., Dalmau, L., Borges, I. & Soares, A.O. (2017) Life-history traits of the predator Rhyzobius lophanthae reared on the scale Chrysomphalus dictyospermi.
Bulletin of Insectology, 70(2), 231-235. DOI: (IF2017 1,087; Q2 Entomology)Rhyzobius lophanthae Blaisdell (Coleoptera Coccinellidae) is a coccidophagous predator known as a natural enemy of Diaspididae scales. This study aimed to determine the suitability of Chrysomphalus dictyospermi Morgan (Hemiptera Diaspididae) as prey for this predator. Several traits such as larval development and survival, reproductive performance and reproductive investment were assessed. Pre-imaginal development time was short whereas immature age-specific survival rate was high. Fecundity, expressed in terms of lifetime fecundity and oviposition rate, was high. The soma and gonads fat contents of females were estimated to be 86.67 ± 1.52 and 13.33 ± 1.52%, respectively. Reproductive effort, the total egg mass expressed as a proportion of the female initial fresh mass, were almost 9-fold of their mass in eggs. Overall, our results show that C. dictyospermi is an essential and highly suitable prey for R. lophanthae and allows a better performance than other prey species used in previous studies.
António Onofre Costa Miranda Soares Island Coccinellidae Evolutionary Ecology
Isabel Marisa Mateus Borges Island Coccinellidae Evolutionary Ecology
