The Braconid parasite Chelonus muarakatae is one of the dominant natural enemies of Chilo suppressalis. Morphology and development of this parasitoid developing in host larvae are rarely mentioned. In the current study, morphological characters and developmental duration of each immature stage of C. murakatae were recorded after dissecting parasitized hosts. The egg of C. murakatae is oval and hymenopteriform. Based on changes in number of body segments, visibility of the anal vesicle and measurement of the head capsule width, it was determined that there are three larval instars. The third instar mature larvae drilled the host body and pupated in a cocoon. Development time from egg to adult emergence was about 34 days at 27.5°C and a photoperiod of 15:9 (L:D) h with a relative humidity of 70–85%. All stages are shown with photomicrographs. This study will be helpful for better understanding of the physiological interactions between C. murakatae and its host.
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1 December 2015
Morphology and Development of Immature Stages of Chelonus Murakatae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), an Endoparasitoid of Chilo Suppressalis
Sundas Rana Qureshi,
Wei-Li Quan,
Rui-Qi Zhou,
Xiao-Ping Wang
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Entomological News
Vol. 125 • No. 4
December 2015
Vol. 125 • No. 4
December 2015
Chelonus murakatae
Chilo suppressalis
immature stage
morphological characters
parasitoid