HOST REGULATION BY ENDOPARASITIOD Microplitis rufiventris

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Economic Entomology and Pesticides, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

I :1: ',"crop/itis rufiventris-Spodoptera /ittora/is system provides an obvious
parasitoid host regulative system. The parasitized larvae were histologically studies
to examine the integument and tracheal system. which were capitalized for the own
benefit of the parasitoid.
The thickness of the integument was reduced 8% and 32% in the thoracic
and abdominal regions of the parasitized larvae. Also. the integument had curled
twisted cuticle. diminished hypodermal cells with small nuclei. In the unparasitized
larval integument the ecdysial space was formed while in the parasitized larvae the
apolysis was blocked and host larvae died few days after parasitoid egression.
The haemocoele of parasitoid larvae was decreased in diameter and was full
with trachea higher in number and larger in size compared with the un parasitized
larvae.