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Functional response and searching efficiency in Pseudogonatopus flavifemur Esaki and Hash. (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae), a parasite of rice planthoppers
Author(s) -
Chua T. H.,
Dyck V. A.,
Pe. B.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
population ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1438-390X
pISSN - 1438-3896
DOI - 10.1007/bf02515508
Subject(s) - functional response , biology , brown planthopper , hymenoptera , zoology , predation , predator , parasitoid , parasite hosting , parasitism , ecology , host (biology) , biochemistry , world wide web , gene , computer science
Summary The functional response of Pseudogonatopus flavifemur E & H (Hym., Dryinidae) was investigated by offering hosts (brown planthopper) at densities ranging from 8 to 160 per cage. The response curve was found to be sigmoid, i. e. Holling 's (1959) Type III curve. In experiments involving 310 hosts per cage distributed unevenly in 5 densities (10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 per hill), and a different female parasite density each time (viz. 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 per cage), the behavioral response was described well by the “random predator equation” of Royama (1971) and Roger (1972), which is a convex exponential curve. The area of discovery ( a ) decreased with an increase in female parasite density ( P ), and the relationship was described by the equation: log a =−1.0099−0.3638 log P . There was an apparent increase in handling time per host as the number of female parasites increased. Superparasitism, a rare phenomenon under natural conditions, was often observed in the laboratory. The potential of P. flavifemur as a biocontrol agent of the brown planthopper is discussed.