Parasitoids of Dasiops (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) in sweet granadilla orchards in an Andean forest of Peru

ABSTRACT

We report hymenopteran larval and pupal parasitoids of the Dasiops species in sweet granadilla (Passiflora ligularis J.) orchards in a Peruvian Andean forest. Flower bud and fruit samples infested by Dasiops were collected in three orchards from Oxapampa (Pasco, Peru). In addition, we exposed non-parasitized Dasiops pupae at ground level to verify the presence of pupal parasitoids. We identified Utetes anastrephae (Viereck) and Opius sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on flower buds infested b.y Dasiops inedulis Steyskal. However, Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) emerged from D. frieseni pupae reared from unripe fruits. Also, the pupal parasitoids Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Coptera sp. (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) emerged from pupae of both D. inedulis and D. frieseni exposed to parasitism at ground level. Our findings shed new light into new interactions for species in the genus Dasiops and their larval and pupal parasitoids in sweet granadilla agroecosystems from the Neotropical region.

Resumen

El objetivo de esta investigación fue registrar las especies de hymenópteros parasitoides de larva y pupa de Dasiops en fincas de granadilla (Passiflora ligularis J.) localizadas en una selva andina de Perú. Muestras de botones florales y frutos infestados por Dasiops fueron colectados en tres fincas en la provincia de Oxapampa (Pasco, Perú). Asimismo, pupas de Dasiops no parasitadas fueron expuestas al suelo para la verificación de parasitoides de pupa. Identificamos a Utetes anastrephae (Viereck) y Opius sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) en botones florales infestados por Dasiops inedulis Steyskal. Asimismo, Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) emergió de pupas de D. frieseni Norrbom & McAlpine criados en frutos. Por otro lado, los parasitoides de pupa Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) y Coptera sp. (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) emergieron de pupas de D. inedulis y D. frieseni expuestas al parasitismo en el suelo. Nuestros hallazgos brindan nuevas luces sobre nuevas interacciones de especies del género Dasiops y sus parasitoides de larva y pupa en agroecosistemas de granadilla para la región Neotropical.

KEYWORDS:

• Lance flies
• larval parasitoid
• pupal parasitoid
• flower buds
• fruits

PALABRAS CLAVES:

• Moscas lanza
• parasitoides de larva
• parasitoides de pupa
• botones florales
• frutos

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. Pedro Strikis, Dr. Angelica Penteado Dias, and Dr. Valmir Costa for insect identification, to SENASA for allowing us to rear the insects in their laboratory, and to two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript. Also, we thank the sweet granadilla growers who allowed us access to their orchards.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The present work was funded by the authors’ own resources.