Antennal structure and oviposition behavior of thePlutella xylostella specialist parasitoid:Cotesia plutellae

Abstract

Although several species of the genus Cotesia are used in biological control programs against insect caterpillars throughout the world, little is known of their oviposition behavior. We describe here the types and distribution of antennal sensilla in Cotesia plutellae, a larval parasitoid of Plutella xylostella, and we analyze its oviposition behavior. Seven types of sensilla were found on both males and females. Only sensilla trichodea type II, with a putative contact chemoreceptive function, was significantly more abundant in females than in males, and its morphology and position on antennomeres were linked to the antennation behavior used by females during host search. We conclude that gustatory stimulus following antennal contact is probably the key stimulus inducing oviposition behavior. The sensilla type assumed to be implied in oviposition behavior was present in C. plutellae but not in two closely related species (C. glomerata and C. rubecula), which is discussed.

Antennal Sensilla of the New World Screwworm Fly, <I>Cochliomyia hominivorax</I> (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

“…Based on SEM observations, 2 types of antennal sensilla were found, sensilla trichodea and sensilla basiconica. Sensilla trichodea have been found to play a major role in sensing mechanical stimuli and in recognizing chemical stimuli in insects (Roth & Willis 1951;Amornsak et al 1998;Roux et al 2005;Abdel-latief 2007;Onagbola & Fadamiro 2008), whereas sensilla basiconica are considered olfactory receptors in phytophagous insects and are sensitive to host plant chemicals. The morphology of these sensilla suggests that they are sensitive to many kinds of chemical stimuli (Kaissling 1986;Isidoro et al 1998;Lopes et al 2002;Onagbola & Fadamiro 2008).…”

Chemical characterization of contact semiochemicals for host-recognition and host-acceptance by the specialist parasitoid Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov)

“…It still very difficult to separate the influence of contact chemicals cues from that of tactile cues (Vinson 1976). Concerning visual cues as shape or colour, these have been excluded of host-recognition mechanism by Roux et al (2005).…”

“…Caterpillars or dummies were placed on corners of a triangular piece of cabbage leaf with 1.5 cm edges. Two kinds of response were observed and counted: short antennal contact followed by an oviposition movement, as described in Roux et al (2005), and short antennal contact without oviposition movement. Any female which showed no searching behavior during the first minute (i.e.…”

“…Roux et al CHEMOECOLOGY hypothesize that gustatory stimuli are elicitors of oviposition behaviour (Roux et al 2005). In the present paper, we investigate the role of cuticular lipids as gustatory stimuli for host acceptance.…”

Parasitizing behavior of Cervellus piranga Penteado-Dias (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) on papaya borer weevil Pseudopiazurus obesus Marshall (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)

“…The sequence of events related to the parasitizing behavior of C. piranga is similar to other braconid species (Santos et al 2004;Roux et al 2005). The location and recognition of the host plant attacked by the papaya borer weevil by the parasitoid C. piranga may be mediated by visual stimuli and chemical signals, mainly sinomones and kairomones (Metcalf & Metcalf 1992).…”