Response to selected ecological parameters by Leptus hringuri Haitlinger, 2000 larvae (Trombidiformes: Erythraeidae) parasitizing treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae) from Bolivia on two host-plant species

ABSTRACT

Larvae of Leptus hringuri parasitizing families (adult female + offspring) of the treehopper Alchisme grossa on two host-plants, Brugmansia suaveolens (BS) and Solanum ursinum (SU), were studied. The effect of microenvironmental abiotic conditions (luminosity, temperature and relative humidity) and biotic conditions (distance from the soil to a treehopper host and host-plant phenological stage) on this tritrophic interaction was examined. Overall, the results suggest i) intensity of mite infestation (mean number of mites per infested female or family) of treehoppers (insect hosts) was twice on SU than on BS, ii) a preference of L. hringuri larvae for places with more luminosity (on both host-plants) and relative humidity (on SU), iii) a negative correlation between larval infestation and distance of the host colony to the ground, and iv) that larvae of L. hringuri could detect cues (i.e. chemical) emitted by their insect hosts or the host-plant of the insect host. Results indicate that luminosity, humidity and distance to the ground of the insect-host microenvironment affect both parasitization and prevalence of Leptus larvae mites; however, further research will be needed to understand the ecological mechanisms and consequences of these interactions and to test the hypotheses proposed herein under a chemical ecology perspective.

KEYWORDS:

• Acari
• habitat preference
• mites
• parasitism
• tritrophic interaction

Acknowledgements

We thank LANBIO (Latin American Network for Research on Bioactive Natural Compounds) and BOL-01 programs funded by ISP (International Science Program at Uppsala University) who supported and funded this work, and INTEGRA S.A. who authorized the work at Incachaca and provided housing facilities. We thank two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions on earlier versions.

Author’s contributions

DTB, CFP, HMN conceived and designed the study. DTB conducted fieldwork and analyzed the data. JD performed variation partition analyses. DTB and HMN wrote the paper with contributions from CFP. All authors read and improved the manuscript and agreed to its final content.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Latin American Network for Research on Bioactive Natural Compounds (LANBIO) and BOL-01 programs funded by the International Science Program (ISP).