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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Dicyphine mirids are one of themost important groups of predators on tomato. In theMediterranean
region, several species in the genera Dicyphus, Macrolophus, and Nesidiocoris (Hemiptera: Miridae,
Bryocorinae, Dicyphini) colonize protected horticultural crops. In Portugal, Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter)
is increasingly abundant in the mirid species complex of tomato crops and appears to be displacing
the native Dicyphus cerastii Wagner. In order to know whether intraguild predation (IGP) can
explain the decreasing abundance of D. cerastii, we evaluated predatory interactions between adult
females and first instars of D. cerastii vs. N. tenuis but also D. cerastii vs. Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur),
as this species is also naturally present in horticultural crops in Portugal. Cannibalistic interactions
were also tested for the same three species. All experiments were performed under laboratory
conditions, in Petri dish arenas, in the presence or absence of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera:
Pyralidae) eggs as alternative prey. Predation on both heterospecific and conspecific nymphs occurred
only in the absence of alternative food. Intraguild predation was mutual and symmetrical between D.
cerastii andM. pygmaeus. However, IGP was asymmetrical between D. cerastii and N. tenuis, favouring
the first. Cannibalism was not significantly different among these mirid species. Our results show that
D. cerastii has a greater capacity to feed on intraguild prey than N. tenuis. Therefore, IGP on small
nymphs does not explain the abundance shift between D. cerastii and N. tenuis
Description
SPECIAL ISSUE: 6TH INTERNATIONAL ENTOMOPHAGOUS
INSECTS CONFERENCE
Keywords
biological control competition conservation Macrolophus pygmaeus Mediterranean crops Nesidiocoris tenuis protected crops Hemiptera Miridae alternative prey intraguild predation cannibalism tomato Ephestia kuehniella Dicyphus cerastii
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Abraços Duarte, G., Caldas, F., Pechirra, A., Borges da Silva, E., Figueiredo, E. 2021. Intraguild predation and cannibalism among Dicyphini: Dicyphus cerastii vs. two commercialized species. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 169: 90-96
Publisher
Nederlandese Entomologische Vereniging