Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T15:44:56.506Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Parasitic Hymenoptera and Biological Control of the African Ichneumonidae*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Virendra K. Gupta
Virendra K. Gupta
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611–0740, USA
Get access

Abstract

Interest in the study of parasitic Hymenoptera has been revitalized consequent to recent emphasis on biological control and the role that the parasitoids play in effective biological control methods. However, our knowledge of the species of parasitic Hymenoptera, and their host associations is rather imperfect, and the family Ichneumonidae is no exception. The potential that parasitic Hymenoptera offer in the control of unwanted pests, and thereby increase agricultural output, cannot be utilized unless basic taxonomic and biological studies on them are fully supported and funded.

The known species of Ichneumonidae at the present moment are approximately 19,000, which is only about 10% of the estimated number of species occurring in the world. Most species occurring in the tropical countries are unknown. The described number of species from various regions are approximately 7000 in Eurasia, 4500 in Indo-Australian area, 3500 in North America, 2000 in South America, and about 2000 in tropical Africa.

The African ichneumonid fauna is rich and diverse, but very few areas have been intensively and extensively explored. Certain countries like Malagasy Republic and Zaire have been more extensively explored than the others, but recent studies indicate that species diversity is much greater than what we know today. Catches made in limited areas by using Malaise traps in places like Kampala, Uganda during 1964–1965 and in Freetown, Sierra Leone during 1969–1970 increased the number of species 300–400 per cent.

Résumé

L'intérêt de l'étude des hyménoptères parasites a été réactivé à la suite de l'importance récemment accordée à la lutte biologique et au fait que les parasites jouent dans la mise au point des méthodes d'une lutte biologique efficace.

Malheuresement à l'heure actuelle nous avons encore une connaissance imparfaite sur les espèces d'hyménoptères parasites et sur leur milieu d'association, et cette réalité vaut également pour la famille des Ichneumonides. Les possibilités que preséntent les hyménoptères parasites dans la lutte contre les insectes nuisibles, et dont l'impact est d'accroître la production agricole, ne peuvent cependant être exploitées qu'au cas où des études taxonomiques et biologiques fondamentales sont financées et conduites à ce sujet.

Les espèces d'Ichneumonides connues à l'heure actuelle peuvent se chiffrer à environ 19.000, ce qui correspond à plus au moins 10% seulement du nombre global des espèces supposées exister à travers le monde.

La plupart des espèces existant dans les pays tropicaux restent encore inconnues.

Les espèces étudiées dans diverses région se chiffrent à environ 5.000 en Eurasie, 4.500 dans la région de l'Indo-Australie, 3.500 aux USA, 2.000 en Amerique du Sud et à peu près 2.000 en Afrique.

La faune africaine des insectes est très riche et variée mais il est vrai que très peu des parties du continent ont jusqu'ici fait l'objet d'une étude vraiment fouillée. Certaines pays comme Madagascar et le Zaire ont été mieux étudiés que d'autres.

Keywords

Parasitoidsparasitic HymenopteraIchneumonidaeTropicsbiocontrolAfrica
Type
Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 12 , Issue 1-2-3: Current Topics in Tropical Entomology , June 1991 , pp. 9 - 18
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Carson, R. (1962) Silent Spring. Houghton, Mifflin Company, Boston.Google Scholar
Chen, C. B. and Hung, T. H. (1962) Experimental results of introducing parasitic wasps and a fly for controlling sugar-cane borers from India into Taiwan in 1961–1962. J. Agric. Assoc. China (n.s.) 40, 63–67. In Chinese with English summary.Google Scholar
CIBC (1962) A review of the biological control attempts against insects and weeds in Canada. Commonw. Inst. Biol. Control Tech. Commun. 2, pp. 216.Google Scholar
CIBC (1971) Biological control programmes against insects and weeds in Canada 1959–1968. Commonw. Inst. Biol. Control Tech. Commun. 4, pp. 266.Google Scholar
Clausen, C. P. (1978) Introduced parasites and predators of arthropod pests and weeds: a world review. Agricultural Research Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 480, USDA, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Cox, J. M. and Williams, D. J. (1981) An account of cassava mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) with description of a new species. Bull. Entomol. Res. 71, 247–258.Google Scholar
DeBach, P. (1964) Biological Control of Insect Pests and Weeds. Reinhold, New York.Google Scholar
De Santis, L. (1963) Encirtidos de la Republica Argentina (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). Anal. Com. lnv. Cient. Prov. Buenos Aires 4, 9–422.Google Scholar
Franz, J. M. and Krieg, A. (1972) Biologicsche Schadlings-bekampfung Parey, Berlin.Google Scholar
Gauld, I. and Bolten, B. (1988) The Hymenoptera. British Museum (N.H.) and Oxford Univ. Press.Google Scholar
Glass, E. (1988) Biological Control of Cassava Pests in Africa. Published by Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Greathead, D. J. (1986) Parasitoids in classical biological control. In Insect Parasitoids (Edited by Waage, J. and Greathead, D.), pp. 289–318.Google Scholar
Gupta, V. (1987) Biocontrol database: start with wasps. Research 1987. IFAS University of Florida, pp. 32–35.Google Scholar
Gupta, V. K. (1988) Development of taxonomie resources in the tropics. Insect Sci. Applic. 8, 407–412.Google Scholar
Gupta, V. K. (1988) Advances in Parasitic Hymenoptera Research. E. J. Brill.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gupta, V. and Gupta, S. (1991) A bibliography of Ichneumonidae, 1970–1990. Mem. Amer. Entomol. Inst., 48 (in press).Google Scholar
Huffaker, C. B., Simmonds, F. J. and Liang, J. E. (1976) The theoretical and empirical basis of biological control. In Theory and Practice of Biological Control (Edited by Huffaker, C. B. and Messenger, P. S.), pp. 41–78.Google Scholar
Huffaker, C. B. and Messenger, P. S. (1976) Theory and Practice of Biological Control. Academic Press.Google Scholar
Liang, J. E. and Hamai, J. (1976) Biological control of insect pests and weeds by imported parasites, predators, and pathogens. In Theory and Practice of Biological Control (Edited by Huffaker, C. B. and Messenger, P. S.), pp. 685–743.Google Scholar
Matile-Ferrero, D. (1977) Une cochenille nouvelle nuisible au manioc en Afrique equatoriale, Phenacoccus manihoti n. sp. (Hom.: Coccoidea Pseudococcidae). Ann. Soc. Entomol. France (n.s.) 13, 145–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neuenschwander, P. and Herren, H. R. (1988) Biological control of the cassava mealybug, Phenacoccus manihoti by the exotic parasitoid Epidinocarsis lopezi in Africa. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. London (B) 318, 319–333.Google Scholar
Owen, D. F. (1971) Estimates of species diversity in tropical Ichneumonidae. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afrique 53, 173–177.Google Scholar
Owen, D. F. (1972) The ecology of under-development in tropical Africa (A viewpoint). Int. J. Environ. Studies 4, 27–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Owen, D. F. and Chanter, D. O. (1970) Species diversity and seasonal abundance in tropical Ichneumonidae. Oikos 21, 142–144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Owen, D. F. and Owen, J. (1974) Species diversity in temperate and tropical Ichneumonidae. Nature 249, 583–584.Google Scholar
Rosen, D. and DeBach, P. (1979) Species of Aphytis of the world (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). W. Junk. Series Entomol. 17, 1–801.Google Scholar
Simmonds, F. J. (1969) Brief resume of activities and recent success achieved. Commonw. Inst. Control, Commonw. Agr. Bur. Publ.Google Scholar
Simmonds, F. J., Franz, J. M. and Sailer, R. I. (1976) history of biological control. In Theory and Practice of Biological Control (Edited by Huffaker, C. B. and Messenger, P. S.), pp. 17–41. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Townes, H. (1980) Insect Pest Control Without Chemicals. American Entomological Institute. Unpublished report.Google Scholar
Townes, H. (1988) The more important literature on parasitic Hymenoptera. In Advances in Parasitic Hymenoptera Research (Edited by Gupta, V. K.), pp. 491–518.Google Scholar
Waage, J. and Greathead, D. (1986) Insect Parasitoids. Proceedings of the Thirteenth Symposium of the Royal Entomological Society of London. Academic Press.Google Scholar
Van den Bosch, R. (1978) The Pesticide Conspiracy. Doubleday and Company, Inc, New York.Google Scholar
Van Lenteren, J. C. (1986) Parasitoids in the Greenhouse: successes with seasonal inoculative release systems. In Insect Parasitoids (Edited by Waage, J. and Greathead, D.), pp. 342–375.Google Scholar