Geographic distribution, large-scale spatial structure and diversity of parasitoids of the seed-feeding beetleAcanthoscelides macrophthalmus

Abstract

Bruchine beetles are highly host-specific seed feeders during the larval stage. Although some specific parasitoid families have been recorded attacking bruchine beetles, most studies have been done at small spatial scales. Therefore, the current knowledge about the diversity and the geographic distribution of parasitoid species parasitizing bruchines is scarce, especially at a wide geographic area that extends over large distances through a latitudinal cline (i.e. large-scale spatial structure). The present study determined the species richness and evenness of parasitoids attacking the bruchine beetle Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus feeding on Leucaena leucocephala seeds, examined their geographic distribution, and characterized the large-scale spatial structure in parasitoid species composition. A total of 1420 parasitoids (all Hymenoptera) belonging to four families, five subfamilies and eight species were collected (genera: Horismenus, Paracrias, Urosigalphus, Stenocorse, Chryseida, Eupelmus). Most parasitoid species showed wide spatial distribution, high evenness in species abundance and the species richness estimators were close to stabilization (approximately eight species). Overall, greater similarity was observed in the species composition of plant populations near to each other than those farther apart, revealing a large-scale spatial structure in parasitoid species composition.

Herbivore, parasitoid and hyperparasitoid insects associated with fruits and seeds of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong (Fabaceae)

“…For Eulophidae we found four Horismenus individuals. Species of Horismenus were previously observed as Bruchinae parasitoids in many studies with leguminous plants (Hetz and Johnson, 1988;Tuller et al, 2015;Wood et al, 2017;Morales-Silva et al, 2018). Thus, in this study we can hypothesize that Horismenus individuals are Merobruchus bicoloripes parasitoids due to the absence of other herbivorous hosts in the fruits from which these individuals emerged.…”

Unusual host selection inAmblycerus disparlarvae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) and its potential impact on stored almonds (Prunus dulcis)

“…In this regard, Tuda (2011) studied the causes that might drive the evolution of pest attacking stored dry foods, the author considered that bruchine beetles are somehow pre-adapted for the use of stored dry seeds or grains as hosts, being naturally able to retain higher percentage of water in their body as compared to beetles feeding on fresh crops. Moreover, current knowledge about bruchine beetle parasitoids is scarce and limited to local scale (Wood et al ., 2017; and references therein).…”

Antagonistic interaction networks in a native and an exotic legume species in Colombian tropical dry forest

“…This was because more than one species of seed feeder emerged from the seeds. Thus, we generated record-based relationships by consulting literature on the associations between these trophic guilds (Hetz & Jhonson, 1988;Hagstrum & Subramanyam, 2009;Wood et al, 2016;Delgado-Machuca et al, 2019;Morales-Silva et al, 2019;Pérez-Benavides et al, 2019).…”