Life Cycle and Behavior of Muscidifurax zaraptor (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
- 1 July 1976
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Annals of the Entomological Society of America
- Vol. 69 (4) , 772-780
- https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/69.4.772
Abstract
A complete life table was constructed for the parasitoid, Muscidifurax zaraptor, and the major statistics of it are reported. The intrinsic rate of increase (rmax) was 0.195; generation time, T, was 26 days. Four larval instars were determined by head capsule measurements. High numbers of ♀ progeny were produced early in adult life, peaking at 24 days and 32 days and then declining until death at 53 days. A significant level of discrimination during oviposition against parasitized hosts occurred. Host age had an effect on both the number and size of progeny produced. Biological attributes support the classification of M. zaraptor as a low fecundity, highly competitive species.This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Capacity for Increase: A Useful Population StatisticJournal of Animal Ecology, 1965