Abstract

MARIANI, Roxana; SOSA, Alejandro  and  MARINO DE REMES LENICOV, Ana María. Megamelus bellicus (Hemiptera: Delphacidae): immature stages and biology. Rev. Soc. Entomol. Argent. [online]. 2007, vol.66, n.3-4, pp.189-196. ISSN 0373-5680.

The immature stages of Megamelus bellicus Remes Lenicov & Sosa (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) are described, keyed and illustrated. The description of each stage was based on 24-h hatched nymphs from the laboratory colony. The main characters that distinguish the various stages are: body size, color, number of tarsomeres, espinulation of the metatibia and number of teeth on the spur; presence of sensoria on antennal pedicel. This insect was reared on pieces of water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes (Martius) Solms Laubach. Biological data based on lab and field observations show that M. bellicus carries out its biological cycle successfully on Pontederiaceae. One to nine eggs per scar are laid deeply into the aerenquima of the petiole, being most frequent 3-4, less frequent 5, 2 and 6 and rarely 1, 7 and 9. Eulophid wasps Aprostocetus (Ootetrastichus) sp, known as eggs parasitoid, was registered and quantified. As M. bellicus occupies the same ecological habitat that M. scutellaris Berg, we highlighted some morphological and biological aspects that allow their differentiation.

Keywords : Megamelus bellicus; Pontederiaceae; Immature stages; Morphology; Biology; Key.

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