Parámetros Biológicos y Poblacionales del Parasitoide Trichopria drosophilae1 Reproducido a Diferentes Temperaturas

Abstract

The parasitoid Trichopria drosophilae (Perkins) (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) is commercially reared using a Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae). We evaluated biological and population parameters of T. drosophilae reared at 23, 25, 27, and 29°C, and the biological parameters of the offspring (= transgenerational effects). As the temperature increased, higher values were found in the intrinsic rate of increase (rm), finite rate of increase (λ), net reproduction rate (Ro), and shorter egg-to-adult duration, but no differences were found in sexual proportion, neither in the mean generation time (T), nor doubling time (D). With respect to transgenerational effects (= F2), as temperature increased, a concave quadratic relationship was recorded in the size and fecundity of the offspring reproduced at different temperatures, registering higher numerical values at 25 and 27°C. These results indicate that it is not recommended to reproduce T. drosophilae at 29°C because, although the colony would be more prolific, the adults would be of low quality.