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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #188562
Title: FOPIUS ARISANUS, AN EGG-PUPAL PARASITOID OF TEPHRITIDAE OVERVIEW

Author
item ROUSSE, PASCAL - UMR 53
item Harris, Ernest
item QULLICI, SERGE - UMR 53

Submitted to: Biocontrol News and Information
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2005
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The egg-larval parasitoid Fopis arisanus, introduced into Hawaii in the 1940's, has proven to be one of the most effective parasitoids of tephritid fruit flies. A summary of studies conducted during the past 70 years on the biology and behavior of this insect and its use for classical biological control shows that its potential for augmentative biological control combined with the use of a species of larval parasitoid has not been adequately tested. We postulate that this parasitoid has potential for mass production and use to suppress fruit flies infesting fruit and vegetable crops.

Technical Abstract: Fopius arisanu (Hym., Braconidae) is an egg-pupal parasitoid of tephritid fruit flies. Since its introduction to Hawaii in the 1940's, it has cause substantial reduction of fruit fly populations. Rearing methodology developed by the US Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) in Hawaii in the 1990's allowed an increasing number of studies of the biology and behavior of this parasitoid. Simultaneously, the parasitoid has been introduced to variours parts of the world for classical biological control purposes. This paper reviews studies conducted on F. arisanus during the last 70 years. In order to create a bibliographical tool for future research, we have synthesized published data on the taxonomy, geographical distribution, reproductive biology and behavior, and foraging behavior of this parasitoid. The use of F. arisanus in future biological control programmes is also discussed.