Natural alternative hosts of eulophidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidae) parasitoids of the Citrus Leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in the Mediterranean Basin

摘要

The entomofauna linked to native flora in and around citrus groves was studied in Italy and Jordan in order to find alternative hosts of eulophid parasitoids of the Citrus Leafminer (CLM), Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae). Twenty new associations (12 in Italy, 8 in Jordan) among native and exotic CLM parasitoids and leafminers were found. Two new alternative hosts were recorded for Citrostichus phyllocnistoides (Narayanan) (an unidentified Nepticulidae on Pistacia lentiscus L. and Stigmella sp. on Rubus ulmifolius Schott, in Sicily and Jordan respectively) and 1 for Cirrospilus ingenuus Gahan (Agromyzidae on Salix sp., in Jordan). Five new alternative hosts were recorded for Sernielacher petiolatus (Girault) (in SicilyLiriomyza sp. on Mercurialis annua L., Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau) on Sonchus spp., Cosmopterix pulchrimella Chambers on Parietaria diffusa M. et K., and Stigmella aurella (Fabr.) on Rubus ulmifolius Schott; in Jordan, Dialectica scalariella Zelleron Echium sp.). The other 12 new associations of CLM parasitoids with leafminers found in both countries include Neochrysocharisformosa (Westwood) (4 new hosts), Cirrospilus variegatus (Masi) (5 new hosts), Ratzeburgiola incompleta Boucek (1 new host),Ratzeburgiola cristata (Ratzeburg) (1 new host), and Asecodes delucchii (Boucek) (1 new host). Data reported here suggest that native vegetation harbours altemative hosts for both native and exotic parasitoids. They also underline that more attention should be paid to the understanding of ecology and biology of parasitoid species in order to use appropriate exotic enemies in biological control, preserving at the same time indigenous parasitoid communities.