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TheSitona [Col.: Curculionidae] species occurring onMedicago and their natural enemies in the Mediterranean region

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Abstract

TwentySitona species were found in the Mediterranean region during surveys on 17 volunteer and/or cultivated species ofMedicago. The distribution of the weevils was analyzed using the 3 concepts of abundance, constancy and dominance. EightSitona species were consistently recorded on lucerne and medics; of these, 3 were “constants” and only 2,S. humeralis Stephens andS. lineatus Linnaeus, also “dominants” in the sites investigated.

Sixteen species of natural enemies were identified (table 4), including 3 egg predators, 3 egg parasitoids, 1 entomogenous fungus, 2 nematodes and 5 parasitoids of adult weevils. The effect of each organism on theSitona population numbers was slight, not exceeding in most cases an average mortality of 15%. At high host densities however, the braconidMicroctonus aethiopoides Loan which is the preponderant parasitoid, caused estimated mortalities up to 80% during a single weevil generation. Noticeable changes in the relative importance of the natural enemies were observed between the areas surveyed, with onlyM. aethiopoides and the mymarid egg parasitoidPatasson lameerei Debauche occurring widely. Moroccan, French and Greek strains of these 2 parasitoids were forwarded to Australia for the biological control ofS. humeralis there.

Résumé

Depuis 1973, des investigations sont menées en zone méditerranéenne par le C.S.I.R.O. en vue de découvrir des agents naturels de mortalité affectant les curculionides du genreSitona qui évoluent aux dépens des luzernes spontanées ou cultivées. Vingt espèces appartenant au genreSitona ont été récoltées sur 16 espèces deMedicago annuels ou sur luzerne cultivée. La distribution desSitona spp. a été analysée à l’aide des 3 concepts d’abondance, constance et dominance (tableau 8). Il s’avère que 3 espèces seulement sont ≪constantes≫ et 2 ≪dominantes≫ dans les sites d’observation.

Seize facteurs biotiques de mortalité ont été détectés sur les divers stades du curculionide, dont 3 acariens prédateurs d’œufs et larves nouvelles nées, 3 mymarides oophages, 1 champignon et 2 nématodes entomopathogènes et enfin 4 braconides et 1 tachinide parasitoïdes d’adultes (tableau 8). L’impact de chacun de ces facteurs de mortalité sur la dynamique des populations deSitona ne dépasse que rarement 15%. Par forte densité de population toutefois, le braconideMicroctonus aethiopoides Loan prédomine largement et élimine jusqu’à 80% des adultes d’une seule génération d’hôtes.

Des souches du braconideM. aethiopoides ainsi que du mymaride prépondérantPatasson lameerei Debauche ont été récemment libérées en Australie méridionale.

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  1. J. -P. Aeschlimann

    Present address: Division of Entomology, C.S.I.R.O., P.O. Box 1700, 2601, Canberra City, A.C.T., Australia

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  1. Biological Control Unit, C.S.I.R.O., 335, avenue Paul-Parguel, 34000, Montpellier, France

    J. -P. Aeschlimann

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Aeschlimann, J.P. TheSitona [Col.: Curculionidae] species occurring onMedicago and their natural enemies in the Mediterranean region. Entomophaga 25, 139–153 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374316

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