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Yasmina Agagna

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (2): 0417-0426

    Yasmina Agagna, Khadidja Boudjemaa, Narimene Oussalah, Ibtissem Beloued, Khaoula Aroua & Mohamed Biche
    Ecological relationship between Lepidosaphes beckii (Newman, 1869) (Homoptera Diaspididae) and its two parasitoids Aphytis melinus DeBach, 1959 and A. lepidosaphes Compere, 1955 (Hymenoptera Aphelinidae) on lemons orchads in two localities of Mitidja Algeria
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.2.417.426

    ABSTRACT
    The study purpose is to understand the behavior of two hymenoptera parasitoids from Aphytis genus, Aphytis melinus DeBach, 1959 and A. lepidosaphes Compere, 1955, against armored scale host, Lepidosaphes beckii (Newman, 1869), in two lemon trees orchards of two localities: Heuraoua and Rouïba. The scale insect (L. beckii) develops 3 generations per year in Rouïba locality and 4 generations per year in Heuraoua locality. However, the parasitoid incidence of the two parasitoids species (A. melinus and A. lepidosaphes) are different between the two localities, according to the seasons and the plant organ. Indeed, the parasitism rate of A. lepidosaphes is higher in Rouïba than Heuraoua. Whereas, A. melinus activity is very important in Heuraoua and completely absent in Rouïba. Moreover, we noticed an important activity of A. lepidosaphes during the autumn and winter period, on branches while A. melinus is more active during summer period on scale populations attached to leaves. The comparative study of the morphometric measurements of L. beckii female parasitized covers between both localities demonstrate a positive relationship between the measurements of female covers and the parasitism rate recorded in these regions.