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Factors affecting sex ratio in rearing ofCoeloides sordidator (Hym.: Braconidae)

Facteurs influençant la sex-ratio dans un élevage deCoeloides sordidator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

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Abstract

Five factors known to affect the sex ratio (% of males) in parasitic Hymenoptera were investigated forCoeloides sordidator, a parasitoid ofPissodes weevils. The host age, the age of ovipositing females, and the host of origin had a significant impact on the sex ratio of offspring. In contrast, the number of ovipositing females had an insignificant effect on sex ratio whereas the effect of host density could not be clearly defined. The sex ratio decreased with host age, probably because, like many other hymenopteran parasitoids, females tend to lay male eggs on small hosts and female eggs on larger hosts in order to maximize the size and fitness of their female offspring. The sex ratio also varied with the age of the mother, younger females laying more male eggs and older females more female eggs. The host of origin also had an influence on sex ratio. The strain fromPissodes castaneus was significantly more male-biased than the strain fromP. validirostris, which corroborates previous observations made on field populations

Résumé

Cinq facteurs connus pour influencer la sex-ratio (% de mâles) chez les hyménoptères parasites ont été étudiés. Trois de ces facteurs, l’âge des larves hôtes, l’âge des femelles au moment de la ponte et l’hôte d’origine ont montré un impact clair et significatif sur la sex-ratio de la descendance. Par contre, le nombre de femelles par cage n’a apparemment pas d’influence sur la sex-ratio, alors que le nombre d’hôtes exposés a un impact mal défini. La sex-ratio diminue avec l’âge des larves hôtes, probablement parce que, comme beaucoup d’hyménoptères parasites, les femelles tendent à pondre des oeufs non fécondés (mâles) sur les petits hôtes et des oeufs fécondés (femelles) sur les grands hôtes, afin de garantir une taille et une vitalité maximales à leur progéniture femelle. La sex-ratio varie aussi avec l’âge des femelles au moment de la ponte, de jeunes femelles pondant plus volontiers des oeufs mâles et les femelles plus âgées des oeufs femelles. L’hôte d’origine a semble-t-il également une influence sur la sex-ratio. En effet, en laboratoire, la souche de C.sordidator provenant deP. castaneus a produit proportionellement plus de mâles que la souche provenant deP. validirostris, ce qui corrobore des observations faites auparavant sur le terrain

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  1. International Institute of Biological Control, European Station, 1 chemin des Grillons, 2800, Delémont, Switzerland

    M. Kenis

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Kenis, M. Factors affecting sex ratio in rearing ofCoeloides sordidator (Hym.: Braconidae). Entomophaga 41, 217–224 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02764247

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