| A new record of an Encarsia species (Hym.: Aphelinidae) parasitising Aleuroclava jasmini sensu lato (Hem.: Aleyrodidae) in Tehran green spaces |
| Paper ID : 1303-3IICE |
| Authors: |
|
Shahab Manzari *1, Shahram Farrokhi2, Nasrin Shabazvar3 1Insect Taxonomy Research Department, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection 2Biological Control Research Department, IRIPP, Tehran, Iran 3Agricultural Entomology Research Department, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection |
| Abstract: |
| The occurrence of Aleuroclava jasmini sensu lato on white mulberry trees in Tehran is observed since the summer of 2014. In order to collect its natural enemies, particularly parasitoids, continuous monitoring was carried out in the green spaces of Tehran in the last four years. In field surveys, parasitised forth instar nymphs of A. jasmini were collected and kept in the laboratory conditions until the parasitoids emerged. They were then slide-mounted for identification. Several specimens belonging to the same species of the genus Encarsia was collected in September 2016. At that time, due to lack of male specimens, the specimens were tentatively identified as Encarsia sp. nr protransvena Viggiani by the first author. A huge number of specimens, including a few males, were then collected in summer and autumn 2017 and 2018 and enabled accurate identification of this species as Encarsia strenua (Silvestri), which is here newly reported from Iran. It is worth mentioning that this finding, i.e. the whitefly A. jasmini being parasitised by E. strenua, is also considered as a new host-parasitoid association. Voucher specimens of the E. strenua have been deposited in the Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, P. O. Box: 1454, Tehran 19395, Iran. |
| Keywords: |
| whitefly, natural enemies, parasitoids, white mulberry, Tehran |
| Status : Paper Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
