First host record for Anteon pilicorne (Ogloblin) (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae), a parasitoid of Cicadellidae, including the corn leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

First host record for Anteon pilicorne (Ogloblin) (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae), a parasitoid of Cicadellidae, including the corn leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

EG Virla^I; MS Espinosa^I; G Moya-Raygoza^II

^IPROIMI - Biotecnología, Div Control Biológico, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina

^IIDepto de Botánica y Zoología, C.U.C.B.A., Univ de Guadalajara, Las Agujas, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico

^{Correspondence}

ABSTRACT

For the first time the dryinid wasp Anteon pilicorne (Ogloblin) is recorded as a parasitoid of two Macrostelini leafhoppers: Balclutha rosea (Scott) and the corn leafhopper Dalbulus maidis (DeLong & Wolcott). New distributional records are presented.

Keywords: Natural enemy, disease vector, Dalbulus maidis, Balclutha rosea, Macrostelini

The corn leafhopper Dalbulus maidis (DeLong & Wolcott) is the main leafhopper pest affecting corn in the Americas (Nault 1990), and it is also the most common leafhopper feeding on this crop in Argentina (Luft Albarracin et al 2008). This species is important because it efficiently vectors three plant pathogens: the corn stunt spiroplasma (Spiroplasma kunkelii Whitcomb); the maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (Candidatus phytoplasma asteris, MBS strain); and the maize rayado fino virus (Nault 1980, Oliveira et al 1998, Virla et al 2004).

Nymphs and adults of corn leafhopper are parasitized by strepsipterans (Halictophagidae) (Kathirithamby & Moya-Raygoza 2000), big-headed flies (Pipunculidae) (Virla et al 2009) and wasps (Dryinidae) (Virla & Olmi 2007). Dryinid wasps are highly specialized parasitoids of nymphs and adults of Hemiptera Auchenorrhyncha (treehoppers, leafhoppers and planthoppers) (Guglielmino & Olmi 1997, 2006), and representatives of the family have been successfully utilized in several cases of biological control of crop pests (Swezey 1928, Olmi 2000).

In order to know the parasitoids of the leafhopper populating corn crops in Argentina, nymphs and adults were sampled by sweeping plants with a standard entomological net. Samples were collected from corn fields at Los Nogales (26º42'27.5"S, 65º13'3.9"O, 585 m) in Tucumán, Argentina, between November 2008 and April 2009.

During the survey several corn leafhopper individuals were obtained, which had been parasitized by Dryinidae, as evidenced by the typical "larval sac". Two of them had the sac laterally on the intersegmental membrane of the host's thorax. Until our findings, all known species of Dryinidae affecting D. maidis belonged to Gonatopodinae (Virla & Olmi 2007) and they typically had the larval sac located on the host's abdomen. Unfortunately, the sampled specimens died as larvae before they completed the pupae cocoon at the laboratory.

Later, three specimens of Blaclutha rosea (Scott) (Macrostelini) affected by larval sacs located in the thoracic region were found at the same sample site. This species was previously cited inhabiting wheat and corn crops in Tucumán province (Paradell 1995), being an uncommon leafhopper that colonized corn in late sown dates (Luft Albarracin et al 2008). These specimens were isolated in glass tubes (10 x 2 cm) with a piece of fresh corn leaf, which was daily replaced, and covered with a water-wetted cotton pad. Fine sand was located at the bottom of the tubes which enabled us to rear one of the parasitoids obtaining an adult, allowing specific identification. The emerged female, was identified as Anteon pilicorne (Ogloblin) (Anteoninae).

Considering that most of dryinid wasps are thelytokous, some male, female and nymph of D. maidis were exposed in order to obtain offspring. Exposed corn leafhoppers were obtained from the PROIMI laboratory population. During the seven days of female life spam, four parasitized adults of corn leafhoppers were obtained. From these specimens, one died as a larva in the sac, two as pharate adults and only one successfully emerged.

This is the first report on A. pilicorne hosts and it extends their distribution to Tucumán Province, Argentina. Although D. maidis hitherto is a fictitious host, we believe that it must have been attacked by the wasp in the field.

Anteon pilicorne was originally described from specimens collected in Gral. Urquiza (Buenos Aires province, Argentina), but it has also been found in Salta and Misiones provinces in Argentina. In Latin America it has been detected in Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil (Virla & Olmi 2008). Prior to this study, the hosts for this species were unknown.

Dried voucher specimens of A. pilicorne resulting from this study were deposited in the collection of the Fundación e Instituto Miguel Lillo (IMLA), San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina. The material are labeled as follows: Los Nogales, Tucumán province, collected 12/iii/2009, ex Balclutha rosea female, Moya Raygoza-Virla-Espinosa leg., one ♀ (adult emergence 5/iv/09); Lab rearing, exposition date 6-7/iv/2009, adult (♀) emergence 6/v/09, ex Dalbulus maidis female.

The known Dryinidae parasitoids of D. maidis are Gonatopus bartletti Olmi, G. caraibicus (Olmi), G. desantisi Olmi & Virla, G. contortus Olmi and G. moyaraygozai Olmi (Virla & Olmi 2007). Anteon ciudadi Olmi is the only Antenoninae species that attacked a Dalbulus DeLong leafhopper: D. quinquenotatus DeLong & Nault in Mexico on gamagrasses (Tripsacum spp.) (Moya-Raygoza & Trujillo-Arriaga 1993).

The only known dryinid that attacked B. rosea was Gonatopus nearticus (Fenton) observed in Italy; other species of Balcluha Kirkaldy were affected by Antenoninae (i.e. B. rubrostriata (Melichar) by Anteon yasumatsui Olmi on the Fiji Islands, and B. incisa (Matsumura) by A. micros Olmi in México) (Guglielmino & Olmi 1997, 2007)

Taking into account the importance of the diseases the corn leafhopper vectors in the Americas, we would like to emphasize the need for a proper evaluation of A. pilicorne as a potential biocontrol agent against this leafhopper pest.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Susana L. Paradell (UNLP-CIC, Argentina) for identification of the B. rosea specimens. The present work was supported by grant PICT 2007 nº 00143.

Received 16 November 2009 and accepted 31 May 2010

Edited by Madelaine Venzon - EPAMIG

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Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  09 May 2011
• Date of issue
  Apr 2011

History

• Received
  16 Nov 2009
• Accepted
  31 May 2010