An aphidiine parasitoid Monoctonia vesicarii (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and three chalcidoid hyperparasitoids of Pemphigus matsumurai (Homoptera: Aphididae) forming leaf galls on Populus maximowiczii in Japan

Abstract

An aphidiine parasitoid Monoctonia vesicarii (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and three chalcidoid hyperparasitoids of Pemphigus matsumurai (Homoptera: Aphididae) forming leaf galls on Populus maximowiczii in Japane ns_374 205..215 AbstractMore than 300 unopened leaf galls formed by the pemphigine aphid Pemphigus matsumurai on Populus maximowiczii were collected at Nakasatsunai, Hokkaido, Japan, in July and September 2007 and kept in cold conditions during winter. From mummified fundatrices in the galls an aphidiine parasitoid Monoctonia vesicarii and three species of hyperparasitoids belonging to Pteromalidae, Eupelmidae and Eulophidae emerged from March to May 2008. Monoctonia vesicarii, which is new to Japan, is redescribed. The eulophid hyperparasitoid is described as a new species, Aprostocetus (Aprostocetus) doronokianus, and the pteromalid and eupelmid hyperparasitoids are identified as Pachyneuron sp. and Eupelmus sp., respectively. Approximately 180 unopened mummies of P. matsumurai were dissected in August and November 2008 and a living larva of M. vesicarii was found in each of 17 of them. These observations suggest that some individuals of M. vesicarii pass through two-year cycles. The implications of the three species of hyperparasitoids to P. matsumurai galls are discussed.

Tetrastichine aphid hyperparasitoids (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in Japan

“…According to the literature only ten species (including four unnamed ones) belonging to the genera Apotetrastichus , Aprostocetus and Tetrastichus are hyperparasitic on aphids, although the association with the primary parasitoid is not known in certain species (Table 1). Aprostocetus ( Aprostocetus ) doronokianus Kamijo and an unnamed species of Aprostocetus have been recorded in Japan from Monoctonia vesicarii Tremblay through Pemphigum matsumurai Monzen (Takada et al . 2010) and from Ephedrus plagiator (Nees) through Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum (Olive) (Takada & Nakamura 2010).…”

“…The mummies were held in small glass tubes with cotton plugs and usually kept at room conditions to allow primary parasitoid and hyperparasitoid emergence. In some cases the mummies were kept in an outdoor insectarium or under cold conditions during winter (Takada et al . 2010).…”

“…The female of the endoparasitic hyperparasitoid deposits her egg inside the primary parasitoid larva while it is developing inside the live aphid before it is mummified, and then the hyperparasitoid larva feeds internally on the primary host (Sullivan 1988). The female of A. doronokianus , which is a hyperparasitoid of the gall‐forming aphid, is obliged to oviposit after the gall has been completely closed (Takada et al . 2010).…”

“…2010). It remains to be solved whether the female deposits an egg on or in the direct host by inserting her ovipositor through both gall wall and living or mummified aphid skin, or whether the female deposits an egg in the gall and the neonatal larva locates and reaches the host passing through living or mummified aphid skin (Takada et al . 2010).…”

“…Host. Monoctonia vesicarii Tremblay / Pemphigus matsumurai Monzen / Populus maximowiczii (Takada et al . 2010).…”