Tachinid Fly Parasitism and Phenology of the Neotropical Red-Shouldered Stink Bug, Thyanta perditor (F.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), on the Wild Host Plant, Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae)

• Published in: Neotropical entomology Vol. 49; no. 1; pp. 98 - 107
• Main Authors: Lucini, T, Panizzi, A R, Dios, R V P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-02-2020
• Subjects: Agriculture; Animals; Bidens; Biological Control; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Brazil; Diptera - classification; Diptera - physiology; Entomology; Female; Heteroptera - parasitology; Life Sciences; Male; Ovum; Plant Structures; Wings, Animal - parasitology; Brazil; Tachinidae flies; associated plants; Parasites; stink bug
• DOI: 10.1007/s13744-019-00706-4
• EISSN: 1678-8052
• ISSN: 1519-566X

Field and laboratory studies were conducted with the Neotropical red-shouldered stink bug
Thyanta perditor
(F.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) aiming to evaluate parasitism incidence on adults by tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae), which were raised in the laboratory for identification. Egg deposition by flies on adult body surface was mapped. In addition, nymph and adult incidence on the wild host plant black jack,
Bidens pilosa
L. (Asteraceae), during the vegetative and the reproductive periods of plant development was studied. Seven species of tachinid flies were obtained:
Euthera barbiellini
Bezzi (73% of the total) and
Trichopoda
cf.
pictipennis
Bigot (16.7%) were the most abundant; the remaining five species,
Gymnoclytia
sp.;
Phasia
sp.;
Strongygaster
sp.;
Cylindromyia
cf.
dorsalis
(Wiedemann); and
Ectophasiopsis ypiranga
Dios & Nihei added 10.3% of the total. Tachinid flies parasitism on
T. perditor
adults was significantly greater on the dorsal compared to the ventral body surface. On the dorsal surface, the pronotum was significantly preferred and the wings the least preferred site. No differences were observed on the number of tachinid fly eggs deposited on wings, considering the “under” and “above” sites. Results indicated a significantly greater number of nymphs on mature compared to immature seeds. Adults significantly preferred immature compared to mature seeds; both were less abundant on leaves/stems and inflorescences.