Nickolas Kavallieratos | Agricultural University of Athens (original) (raw)
Papers by Nickolas Kavallieratos
The Canadian Entomologist, 2009
Page 1. Sexual dimorphism in Ephedrus persicae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae): intraspecif... more Page 1. Sexual dimorphism in Ephedrus persicae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae): intraspecific variation in size and shape Ana Mitrovski Bogdanovic Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Radoja Domanovica ...
Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 2010
Journal of economic entomology, 2005
Effects of trap design, height and side of trap placement on olive trees, pheromone doses in disp... more Effects of trap design, height and side of trap placement on olive trees, pheromone doses in dispensers, aging of dispensers in the field, and secondary pheromone components were evaluated for the development of an effective pheromone monitoring system for Prays oleae (Bernard) Lesne (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) in olive orchards. Field trials showed that trap design, pheromone dose, and trapping side affected male captures, whereas dispenser age, trap height, and secondary components had no influence. Pherocon 1C and Delta traps baited with 1 mg of (Z)-7-tetradecenal captured more male moths than Pherocon II or Funnel traps. Placement of traps at different cardinal directions significantly affected captures, but this trend was not consistent and varied with flight period and trap position internal or external to the tree canopy. Moth phenology as determined by pheromone traps from early April to mid-October was consistent with published field data. Results indicate that Pherocon 1C...
The present work covers original information on aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) from Greece during... more The present work covers original information on aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) from Greece during 1995-2005. The individual aphid taxa were collected from their host plants and identified. The plant taxa were classified in two major categories: cultivated and self-sown. The cultivated ones were classified as: herbaceous, climbing and trees. The selfsown ones were classified as: annual herbaceous, annual or biennial herbaceous, biennial or perennial herbaceous, perennial herbaceous, shrubby and trees Two hundred twelve plant taxa were identified on which 105 aphid taxa were recorded. We report 391 plant taxa-aphid taxa associations from which, 190 are referred to cultivated and 201 to self-shown plant taxa. Aphis gossypii was found to infest the widest spectrum of cultivated plant taxa whereas Brachycaudus helichrysi was found to infest the widest spectrum of self-sown plant taxa. Myzus persicae was found to infest the widest spectrum of the total number of plant taxa. Information for several economically unimportant aphid taxa in the area are also presented.
Aphidius montenegrinus sp.n. from Serbia and Montenegro is described and illustrated. It parasiti... more Aphidius montenegrinus sp.n. from Serbia and Montenegro is described and illustrated. It parasitized Acyrthosiphon daphnidis Iiharco, on Daphne alpina L. The parasitoid was described and illustrated using scanning electron microscope photographs and line drawing.
Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the prey stage preference and the daily consump... more Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the prey stage preference and the daily consumption of each stage of the coccinellid predator Stethorus punctillum Weise (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) feeding on the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae). Groups of different life stages of the prey were offered (eggs, larvae, nymphs and adults). The prey preference varied with the stage of S. punctillum. First larval instars had no significant preference among the T. urticae stages offered. Second larval instars consumed significantly more spider mite larvae in comparison with nymphs. In contrast, third larval instars indicated a strong preference for mite eggs. Significantly fewer T. urticae larvae were consumed by the fourth larval instars of S. punctillum, in comparison with the three other mite stages. Finally, adult predators consumed significantly more mite eggs than the other stages offered. This preferential trend was similar for all adults tested, whether during the pre-oviposition or the oviposition period.
The spatial distribution of larval and adult thrips (Thysanoptera) was studied on mango panicles,... more The spatial distribution of larval and adult thrips (Thysanoptera) was studied on mango panicles, Mangifera indica L., on Penang Island, Malaysia, during two consecutive mango flowering seasons
The fauna of aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), as well as their diversity ... more The fauna of aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), as well as their diversity and tritrophic (parasitoid-host aphid-host plant) associations in cultivated and non-cultivated areas of Markazi province, was studied during 2004-2009. Thirty species of Aphidiinae belonging to 9 genera were identified. There are presented, in total, 73 associations with 32 host aphids occurring on 42 host plants. Five parasitoid-aphid associations are newly recorded from Iran. Lysiphlebus cardui (Marshall) is newly recorded for the fauna of Iran. Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) and Diaeretiella rapae (M'Intosh) were the most abundant species in non-cultivated (72.96%) and cultivated (41.17%) areas, respectively. In the non-cultivated areas, L. fabarum was found on eight aphid species, while in cultivated areas it was only found on Aphis craccivora Koch. In cultivated areas, Sitobion avenae (F.) has the greatest diversity of parasitoids (Shanon-Weiner H = 0.875) whereas in non-cultivated areas the greatest diversity of parasitoids was recorded upon Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Shanon-Weiner H = 1.149). Significant differences were found between diversity of two ecosystems based on the overall diversity indices. Both species diversity and evenness were greater in cultivated ecosystems. The results are discussed in relation to the over-all parasitoid-aphid-plant associations in the area.
PLoS ONE, 2014
We evaluated the competition among stored-product psocid species by conducting two series of labo... more We evaluated the competition among stored-product psocid species by conducting two series of laboratory experiments. In the first series, three species of Liposcelididae were used: Liposcelis bostrychophila, Liposcelis decolor, and Liposcelis paeta. Five adult females of these species were placed in vials containing wheat, either alone or in all possible combinations of two species. The number of adults in the vials was counted after 35, 70, 105, 140, and 175 days. These tests were performed at 25 and 30uC. At 25uC, there were no differences in numbers of L. bostrychophila when this species was reared either alone or with each of the other two species. At 30uC, L. bostrychophila was the dominant species. The presence of L. bostrychophila had a negative effect on the growth of populations of L. decolor and L. paeta. The presence of L. paeta did not affect growth of populations of L. decolor, although the presence of L. decolor occasionally reduced growth of populations of L. paeta. In the second series of tests, L. bostrychophila adult females were placed in vials of wheat either alone or with adult females of Lepinotus reticulatus, at the ratios of (L. bostrychophila: L. reticulatus) 10:0, 9:1, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7, 1:9, and 0:10. These tests were carried out only at 30uC, and the observation periods were the same as for the first series of tests. Liposcelis bostrychophila was the dominant species in this case as well, regardless of the ratio of the parental females. At the end of the experimental period, L. reticulatus was present only in vials that contained this species alone. Our results showed that L. bostrychophila outcompetes the other stored-product psocid species tested.
BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2015
Background: Morphological divergence often increases with phylogenetic distance, thus making morp... more Background: Morphological divergence often increases with phylogenetic distance, thus making morphology taxonomically informative. However, transitions to asexual reproduction may complicate this relationship because asexual lineages capture and freeze parts of the phenotypic variation of the sexual populations from which they derive. Parasitoid wasps belonging to the genus Lysiphlebus Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) are composed of over 20 species that exploit over a hundred species of aphid hosts, including many important agricultural pests. Within Lysiphlebus, two genetically and morphologically well-defined species groups are recognised: the "fabarum" and the "testaceipes" groups. Yet within each group, sexual as well as asexual lineages occur, and in L. fabarum different morphs of unknown origin and status have been recognised. In this study, we selected a broad sample of specimens from the genus Lysiphlebus to explore the relationship between genetic divergence, reproductive mode and morphological variation in wing size and shape (quantified by geometric morphometrics). Results: The analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences revealed a clear separation between the "testaceipes" and "fabarum" groups of Lysiphlebus, as well as three well-defined phylogenetic lineages within the "fabarum" species group and two lineages within the "testaceipes" group. Divergence in wing shape was concordant with the deep split between the "testaceipes" and "fabarum" species groups, but within groups no clear association between genetic divergence and wing shape variation was observed. On the other hand, we found significant and consistent differences in the shape of the wing between sexual and asexual lineages, even when they were closely related.
Journal of Insect Science, 2014
The aphids, aphid parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids found in citrus orchards, the parasitoids' an... more The aphids, aphid parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids found in citrus orchards, the parasitoids' and hyperparasitoids' seasonal abundance, and the plant-aphid-parasitoid relationships in Hatay, Osmaniye, Adana, and Mersin provinces of the east Mediterranean region of Turkey are presented in the present 2-yr study. Aphidius colemani Viereck, Binodoxys angelicae (Haliday), and Lysiphlebus confusus Tremblay and Eady (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) were encountered as the most common parasitoids among 10 identified aphidiine and aphelinid taxa on different citrus species. Hyperparasitoids belonging to the genera Alloxysta, Phaenoglyphis, Asaphes, Pachyneuron, Syrphophagus, and Dendrocerus are reported for the first time emerging from aphids feeding on citrus in Turkey. Among them, Asaphes spp., Pachyneuron spp., and Syrphophagus spp. were recorded as the most common ones. Citrus reticulata Blanco and Citrus limon (L.) Burm. fil. were recorded as main hosts for the aphid parasitoids and their hyperparasitoids.
Pest Management Science, 2005
Laboratory bioassays were carried out in order to evaluate the effectiveness of two diatomaceous ... more Laboratory bioassays were carried out in order to evaluate the effectiveness of two diatomaceous earth (DE) formulations, Insecto and SilicoSec, against adults of Rhyzopertha dominica (F) in eight different grain commodities. The adherence of the two DEs to each grain was also measured. The eight grains tested were wheat, whole barley, peeled barley, oats, rye, triticale, rice and maize. These commodities were treated with the DEs at three rates, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 g DE kg(-1) grain. The mortality of R dominica adults was measured after 24 h, 48 h, 7 days and 14 days of exposure in the treated grains at 26 degrees C and 55% RH. After the 14-day mortality count, all adults were removed and the treated grains retained under the same conditions for a further 60 days. The treated grains were subsequently examined for F1 progeny. Significant differences were recorded among the eight grain types as well as between the DE formulations tested. After 14 days of exposure, even at the lowest DE rate for both formulations, adult mortality was high (>90%) in wheat and triticale. In contrast, adult mortality was significantly lower in peeled barley. Increasing the rate improved the efficacy of the DEs significantly in only some of the grains tested. Reproductive capacity in all the treated grains was significantly suppressed when compared with untreated grains. Generally, more F1 individuals of R dominica were noted in the treated peeled barley than in the other commodities. Significant differences in the percentage of DE retention were noted among the eight grains. The highest retention level was noted in rice (>87%) and the lowest in maize (<6%). However, the degree of DE adherence to a given grain was not always indicative of the effectiveness of DE against R dominica.
Pest Management Science, 2006
Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the insecticidal and residual effects of three diatomac... more Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the insecticidal and residual effects of three diatomaceous earth (DE) formulations, Insecto, PyriSec and SilicoSec, against Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val on wheat and maize. Quantities of wheat and maize were treated with the above formulations at 500, 1000 and 1500 mg kg(-1) and stored at 25 degrees C and 55% relative humidity (RH). Samples were taken on the day of storage and every 30 days until completion of a 360 day period of storage. Adults of T. confusum were exposed to these samples at 25 degrees C and 55% RH and the mortality was measured after 24 and 48 h and 7 and 14 days of exposure. Adult mortality was higher on wheat than on maize. At the beginning of the storage period, mortalities after 14 day exposure on maize treated with the highest rate were 60, 63 and 81% for Insecto, PyriSec and SilicoSec respectively, while on wheat the mortality was 100% for all DEs. On the same commodities 360 days after treatment the respective mortality figures for wheat were 99, 98 and 100%, while in the case of maize they did not exceed 7%. Generally, mortality at exposures < or =48 h decreased with increasing storage time. Furthermore, although mortality on wheat increased with dose, the increase in DE dose from 1000 to 1500 mg kg(-1) resulted in only a small increase in mortality. Thus a DE treatment of 1000 mg kg(-1) was shown to provide long-term protection of wheat against T. confusum, although higher DE application rates and exposure intervals are needed for a satisfactory level of protection of maize against this pest.
Journal of Food Protection, 2014
The entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, and Isaria fumosorosea wer... more The entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, and Isaria fumosorosea were tested against the stored-grain pest Sitophilus oryzae. The fungi were isolated from the soil (from three locations in Attica, Greece: B. bassiana from Tatoion, M. anisopliae from Marathon, and I. fumosorosea from Aghios Stefanos) using larvae of Galleria mellonella as bait. Suspensions of 2.11 × 10(7) and 2.11 × 10(8), 1.77 × 10(7) and 1.77 × 10(8), and 1.81 × 10(7) and 1.81 × 10(8) conidia per ml of B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, and I. fumosorosea, respectively, were applied by three treatments: (i) sprayed on food and set in petri dishes with adults of S. oryzae, (ii) sprayed on adults of S. oryzae and set in petri dishes without food, and (iii) sprayed on adults of S. oryzae and set in petri dishes with food. The observed mortality of S. oryzae adults during the overall exposure period for the lowest, as well as for the highest, concentrations of B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, and I. fumosorosea ranged from 0 to 100%. Concentration was, in most of the cases tested, a critical parameter that determined the "speed of kill" of the exposed insect species for B. bassiana and M. anisopliae. Conversely, concentration was not that critical for I. fumosorosea, and survival was high in some of the combinations tested, even after 14 days of exposure. Both in the highest and the lowest concentrations of fungi, the mortality of S. oryzae adults was higher when the fungi were applied on adults than when they were applied on food. Higher mortality was observed when food was absent than when food was present, in most of the cases tested. The high efficacy levels recorded in the current study indicate that the tested fungi could be effective biocontrol agents against S. oryzae.
Journal of Chemical Ecology, 2000
We evaluated the attraction of male almond seed wasp Eurytoma amygdali to the synthetic alkadiene... more We evaluated the attraction of male almond seed wasp Eurytoma amygdali to the synthetic alkadienes (Z ,Z )-6,9-tricosadiene and (Z ,Z )-6,9pentacosadiene and their blend in almond orchards using baited rubber septa attached to cardboard rectangular adhesive traps. The two alkadienes were recently isolated from virgin female whole body extracts and SPME collected volatiles. The alkenes (Z )-9-tricosene, (Z )-9-pentacosene, and (Z )-9-heptacosene, present in female extracts, were also added to the blend of the alkadienes and tested. The alkadienes tested individually attracted males when the traps were baited with doses ranging from 10 to 30 mg/trap. The maximum number of males was attracted to traps baited with 10 mg of a (Z ,Z )-6,9-C 23:2 :(Z ,Z )-6,9-C 25:2 blend at a ratio of 7:3. Results with the three alkenes added to the blend were inconclusive because of low populations. The present study on E. amygdali is the first one reporting attraction of males to synthetic sex pheromone components in field trials for a Eurytomidae species. The synthetic alkadienes blend offers the potential to develop an effective system for monitoring populations of the almond seed wasp in almond orchards.
Insect Systematics & Evolution, 2006
... ZELJKO TOMANOVI C, NICKOLAS G. KAVALLIERATOS, PETR STAR ´Y, LJUBIA Z. STANISAVLJEVI C, OLIVE... more ... ZELJKO TOMANOVI C, NICKOLAS G. KAVALLIERATOS, PETR STAR ´Y, LJUBIA Z. STANISAVLJEVI C, OLIVERA PETROVI C-OBRADOVI C, SNE ZANA TOMANOVI ´C andMARIJA MILUTINOVI C ... 1. Antenna, basal part (F1 and F2). 2. Forewing. ...
The Canadian Entomologist, 2007
... nov. eljko Tomanović a , 1 , Ehsan Rakhshani b , Petr Starý c , Nickolas G. Kavallieratos d ... more ... nov. eljko Tomanović a , 1 , Ehsan Rakhshani b , Petr Starý c , Nickolas G. Kavallieratos d , Ljubia Stanisavljević e , Vladimir ikić e , and Christos G. Athanassiou f. ... Parasitica 54:321. Starý, P., G. Remaudière, D. González, and S. Shahrokhi. 2000. ...
Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 2009
BIOLOGIA- …, 2004
Host stage preference, juvenile mortality and functional response of Trioxys pallidus (Hymenopter... more Host stage preference, juvenile mortality and functional response of Trioxys pallidus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae). Biologia, Bratislava, 59: 197-203, 2004; ISSN 0006-3088. Host stage preference, juvenile mortality and functional response of the walnut aphid parasitoid wasp, Trioxys pallidus were studied in laboratory constant conditions (26 ± 2 • C, 60 ± 5% relative humidity, 16 L : 8 D photoperiod). Populations of the walnut aphid, Chromaphis juglandicola and its parasitoid were collected from the field and reared on walnut seedlings in a growth chamber. Juvenile mortality of the parasitoid was 53.46, 8.01, 2.27 and 6.72% for the 1 st to 4 th instar nymphs of host aphid, respectively. Trioxys pallidus had a greater preference for the 3 rd and 4 th instar nymphs than the others. The functional response of the parasitoid was type III.
Journal of insect science (Online), 2014
This study provides evidence on integrating the morphological, field, and laboratory data, and ap... more This study provides evidence on integrating the morphological, field, and laboratory data, and application of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding gene to the three asexual or sexual Lysiphlebus spp., i.e., Lysiphlebus cardui (Marshall), Lysiphlebus confusus Tremblay and Eady and Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae). New aphid- invasive plant association, Aphis fabae Scopoli (Hemipreta: Aphididae) on Impatiens glandulifera Royle, has been used in the same model area in the Czech Republic under the same sampling and rearing method for several consecutive years and throughout the season. For molecular identification of these three species, we used DNA sequences of the barcoding region of the mitochondrial COI gene. Although our results confirmed ecological and morphological differences among L. cardui, L. confusus, and L. fabarum, genetic analysis on the basis of COI mitochondrial barcoding gene does not support species status of the mention...
The Canadian Entomologist, 2009
Page 1. Sexual dimorphism in Ephedrus persicae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae): intraspecif... more Page 1. Sexual dimorphism in Ephedrus persicae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae): intraspecific variation in size and shape Ana Mitrovski Bogdanovic Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Radoja Domanovica ...
Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 2010
Journal of economic entomology, 2005
Effects of trap design, height and side of trap placement on olive trees, pheromone doses in disp... more Effects of trap design, height and side of trap placement on olive trees, pheromone doses in dispensers, aging of dispensers in the field, and secondary pheromone components were evaluated for the development of an effective pheromone monitoring system for Prays oleae (Bernard) Lesne (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) in olive orchards. Field trials showed that trap design, pheromone dose, and trapping side affected male captures, whereas dispenser age, trap height, and secondary components had no influence. Pherocon 1C and Delta traps baited with 1 mg of (Z)-7-tetradecenal captured more male moths than Pherocon II or Funnel traps. Placement of traps at different cardinal directions significantly affected captures, but this trend was not consistent and varied with flight period and trap position internal or external to the tree canopy. Moth phenology as determined by pheromone traps from early April to mid-October was consistent with published field data. Results indicate that Pherocon 1C...
The present work covers original information on aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) from Greece during... more The present work covers original information on aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) from Greece during 1995-2005. The individual aphid taxa were collected from their host plants and identified. The plant taxa were classified in two major categories: cultivated and self-sown. The cultivated ones were classified as: herbaceous, climbing and trees. The selfsown ones were classified as: annual herbaceous, annual or biennial herbaceous, biennial or perennial herbaceous, perennial herbaceous, shrubby and trees Two hundred twelve plant taxa were identified on which 105 aphid taxa were recorded. We report 391 plant taxa-aphid taxa associations from which, 190 are referred to cultivated and 201 to self-shown plant taxa. Aphis gossypii was found to infest the widest spectrum of cultivated plant taxa whereas Brachycaudus helichrysi was found to infest the widest spectrum of self-sown plant taxa. Myzus persicae was found to infest the widest spectrum of the total number of plant taxa. Information for several economically unimportant aphid taxa in the area are also presented.
Aphidius montenegrinus sp.n. from Serbia and Montenegro is described and illustrated. It parasiti... more Aphidius montenegrinus sp.n. from Serbia and Montenegro is described and illustrated. It parasitized Acyrthosiphon daphnidis Iiharco, on Daphne alpina L. The parasitoid was described and illustrated using scanning electron microscope photographs and line drawing.
Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the prey stage preference and the daily consump... more Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the prey stage preference and the daily consumption of each stage of the coccinellid predator Stethorus punctillum Weise (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) feeding on the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae). Groups of different life stages of the prey were offered (eggs, larvae, nymphs and adults). The prey preference varied with the stage of S. punctillum. First larval instars had no significant preference among the T. urticae stages offered. Second larval instars consumed significantly more spider mite larvae in comparison with nymphs. In contrast, third larval instars indicated a strong preference for mite eggs. Significantly fewer T. urticae larvae were consumed by the fourth larval instars of S. punctillum, in comparison with the three other mite stages. Finally, adult predators consumed significantly more mite eggs than the other stages offered. This preferential trend was similar for all adults tested, whether during the pre-oviposition or the oviposition period.
The spatial distribution of larval and adult thrips (Thysanoptera) was studied on mango panicles,... more The spatial distribution of larval and adult thrips (Thysanoptera) was studied on mango panicles, Mangifera indica L., on Penang Island, Malaysia, during two consecutive mango flowering seasons
The fauna of aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), as well as their diversity ... more The fauna of aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), as well as their diversity and tritrophic (parasitoid-host aphid-host plant) associations in cultivated and non-cultivated areas of Markazi province, was studied during 2004-2009. Thirty species of Aphidiinae belonging to 9 genera were identified. There are presented, in total, 73 associations with 32 host aphids occurring on 42 host plants. Five parasitoid-aphid associations are newly recorded from Iran. Lysiphlebus cardui (Marshall) is newly recorded for the fauna of Iran. Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) and Diaeretiella rapae (M'Intosh) were the most abundant species in non-cultivated (72.96%) and cultivated (41.17%) areas, respectively. In the non-cultivated areas, L. fabarum was found on eight aphid species, while in cultivated areas it was only found on Aphis craccivora Koch. In cultivated areas, Sitobion avenae (F.) has the greatest diversity of parasitoids (Shanon-Weiner H = 0.875) whereas in non-cultivated areas the greatest diversity of parasitoids was recorded upon Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Shanon-Weiner H = 1.149). Significant differences were found between diversity of two ecosystems based on the overall diversity indices. Both species diversity and evenness were greater in cultivated ecosystems. The results are discussed in relation to the over-all parasitoid-aphid-plant associations in the area.
PLoS ONE, 2014
We evaluated the competition among stored-product psocid species by conducting two series of labo... more We evaluated the competition among stored-product psocid species by conducting two series of laboratory experiments. In the first series, three species of Liposcelididae were used: Liposcelis bostrychophila, Liposcelis decolor, and Liposcelis paeta. Five adult females of these species were placed in vials containing wheat, either alone or in all possible combinations of two species. The number of adults in the vials was counted after 35, 70, 105, 140, and 175 days. These tests were performed at 25 and 30uC. At 25uC, there were no differences in numbers of L. bostrychophila when this species was reared either alone or with each of the other two species. At 30uC, L. bostrychophila was the dominant species. The presence of L. bostrychophila had a negative effect on the growth of populations of L. decolor and L. paeta. The presence of L. paeta did not affect growth of populations of L. decolor, although the presence of L. decolor occasionally reduced growth of populations of L. paeta. In the second series of tests, L. bostrychophila adult females were placed in vials of wheat either alone or with adult females of Lepinotus reticulatus, at the ratios of (L. bostrychophila: L. reticulatus) 10:0, 9:1, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7, 1:9, and 0:10. These tests were carried out only at 30uC, and the observation periods were the same as for the first series of tests. Liposcelis bostrychophila was the dominant species in this case as well, regardless of the ratio of the parental females. At the end of the experimental period, L. reticulatus was present only in vials that contained this species alone. Our results showed that L. bostrychophila outcompetes the other stored-product psocid species tested.
BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2015
Background: Morphological divergence often increases with phylogenetic distance, thus making morp... more Background: Morphological divergence often increases with phylogenetic distance, thus making morphology taxonomically informative. However, transitions to asexual reproduction may complicate this relationship because asexual lineages capture and freeze parts of the phenotypic variation of the sexual populations from which they derive. Parasitoid wasps belonging to the genus Lysiphlebus Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) are composed of over 20 species that exploit over a hundred species of aphid hosts, including many important agricultural pests. Within Lysiphlebus, two genetically and morphologically well-defined species groups are recognised: the "fabarum" and the "testaceipes" groups. Yet within each group, sexual as well as asexual lineages occur, and in L. fabarum different morphs of unknown origin and status have been recognised. In this study, we selected a broad sample of specimens from the genus Lysiphlebus to explore the relationship between genetic divergence, reproductive mode and morphological variation in wing size and shape (quantified by geometric morphometrics). Results: The analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences revealed a clear separation between the "testaceipes" and "fabarum" groups of Lysiphlebus, as well as three well-defined phylogenetic lineages within the "fabarum" species group and two lineages within the "testaceipes" group. Divergence in wing shape was concordant with the deep split between the "testaceipes" and "fabarum" species groups, but within groups no clear association between genetic divergence and wing shape variation was observed. On the other hand, we found significant and consistent differences in the shape of the wing between sexual and asexual lineages, even when they were closely related.
Journal of Insect Science, 2014
The aphids, aphid parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids found in citrus orchards, the parasitoids' an... more The aphids, aphid parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids found in citrus orchards, the parasitoids' and hyperparasitoids' seasonal abundance, and the plant-aphid-parasitoid relationships in Hatay, Osmaniye, Adana, and Mersin provinces of the east Mediterranean region of Turkey are presented in the present 2-yr study. Aphidius colemani Viereck, Binodoxys angelicae (Haliday), and Lysiphlebus confusus Tremblay and Eady (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) were encountered as the most common parasitoids among 10 identified aphidiine and aphelinid taxa on different citrus species. Hyperparasitoids belonging to the genera Alloxysta, Phaenoglyphis, Asaphes, Pachyneuron, Syrphophagus, and Dendrocerus are reported for the first time emerging from aphids feeding on citrus in Turkey. Among them, Asaphes spp., Pachyneuron spp., and Syrphophagus spp. were recorded as the most common ones. Citrus reticulata Blanco and Citrus limon (L.) Burm. fil. were recorded as main hosts for the aphid parasitoids and their hyperparasitoids.
Pest Management Science, 2005
Laboratory bioassays were carried out in order to evaluate the effectiveness of two diatomaceous ... more Laboratory bioassays were carried out in order to evaluate the effectiveness of two diatomaceous earth (DE) formulations, Insecto and SilicoSec, against adults of Rhyzopertha dominica (F) in eight different grain commodities. The adherence of the two DEs to each grain was also measured. The eight grains tested were wheat, whole barley, peeled barley, oats, rye, triticale, rice and maize. These commodities were treated with the DEs at three rates, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 g DE kg(-1) grain. The mortality of R dominica adults was measured after 24 h, 48 h, 7 days and 14 days of exposure in the treated grains at 26 degrees C and 55% RH. After the 14-day mortality count, all adults were removed and the treated grains retained under the same conditions for a further 60 days. The treated grains were subsequently examined for F1 progeny. Significant differences were recorded among the eight grain types as well as between the DE formulations tested. After 14 days of exposure, even at the lowest DE rate for both formulations, adult mortality was high (>90%) in wheat and triticale. In contrast, adult mortality was significantly lower in peeled barley. Increasing the rate improved the efficacy of the DEs significantly in only some of the grains tested. Reproductive capacity in all the treated grains was significantly suppressed when compared with untreated grains. Generally, more F1 individuals of R dominica were noted in the treated peeled barley than in the other commodities. Significant differences in the percentage of DE retention were noted among the eight grains. The highest retention level was noted in rice (>87%) and the lowest in maize (<6%). However, the degree of DE adherence to a given grain was not always indicative of the effectiveness of DE against R dominica.
Pest Management Science, 2006
Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the insecticidal and residual effects of three diatomac... more Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the insecticidal and residual effects of three diatomaceous earth (DE) formulations, Insecto, PyriSec and SilicoSec, against Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val on wheat and maize. Quantities of wheat and maize were treated with the above formulations at 500, 1000 and 1500 mg kg(-1) and stored at 25 degrees C and 55% relative humidity (RH). Samples were taken on the day of storage and every 30 days until completion of a 360 day period of storage. Adults of T. confusum were exposed to these samples at 25 degrees C and 55% RH and the mortality was measured after 24 and 48 h and 7 and 14 days of exposure. Adult mortality was higher on wheat than on maize. At the beginning of the storage period, mortalities after 14 day exposure on maize treated with the highest rate were 60, 63 and 81% for Insecto, PyriSec and SilicoSec respectively, while on wheat the mortality was 100% for all DEs. On the same commodities 360 days after treatment the respective mortality figures for wheat were 99, 98 and 100%, while in the case of maize they did not exceed 7%. Generally, mortality at exposures < or =48 h decreased with increasing storage time. Furthermore, although mortality on wheat increased with dose, the increase in DE dose from 1000 to 1500 mg kg(-1) resulted in only a small increase in mortality. Thus a DE treatment of 1000 mg kg(-1) was shown to provide long-term protection of wheat against T. confusum, although higher DE application rates and exposure intervals are needed for a satisfactory level of protection of maize against this pest.
Journal of Food Protection, 2014
The entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, and Isaria fumosorosea wer... more The entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, and Isaria fumosorosea were tested against the stored-grain pest Sitophilus oryzae. The fungi were isolated from the soil (from three locations in Attica, Greece: B. bassiana from Tatoion, M. anisopliae from Marathon, and I. fumosorosea from Aghios Stefanos) using larvae of Galleria mellonella as bait. Suspensions of 2.11 × 10(7) and 2.11 × 10(8), 1.77 × 10(7) and 1.77 × 10(8), and 1.81 × 10(7) and 1.81 × 10(8) conidia per ml of B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, and I. fumosorosea, respectively, were applied by three treatments: (i) sprayed on food and set in petri dishes with adults of S. oryzae, (ii) sprayed on adults of S. oryzae and set in petri dishes without food, and (iii) sprayed on adults of S. oryzae and set in petri dishes with food. The observed mortality of S. oryzae adults during the overall exposure period for the lowest, as well as for the highest, concentrations of B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, and I. fumosorosea ranged from 0 to 100%. Concentration was, in most of the cases tested, a critical parameter that determined the "speed of kill" of the exposed insect species for B. bassiana and M. anisopliae. Conversely, concentration was not that critical for I. fumosorosea, and survival was high in some of the combinations tested, even after 14 days of exposure. Both in the highest and the lowest concentrations of fungi, the mortality of S. oryzae adults was higher when the fungi were applied on adults than when they were applied on food. Higher mortality was observed when food was absent than when food was present, in most of the cases tested. The high efficacy levels recorded in the current study indicate that the tested fungi could be effective biocontrol agents against S. oryzae.
Journal of Chemical Ecology, 2000
We evaluated the attraction of male almond seed wasp Eurytoma amygdali to the synthetic alkadiene... more We evaluated the attraction of male almond seed wasp Eurytoma amygdali to the synthetic alkadienes (Z ,Z )-6,9-tricosadiene and (Z ,Z )-6,9pentacosadiene and their blend in almond orchards using baited rubber septa attached to cardboard rectangular adhesive traps. The two alkadienes were recently isolated from virgin female whole body extracts and SPME collected volatiles. The alkenes (Z )-9-tricosene, (Z )-9-pentacosene, and (Z )-9-heptacosene, present in female extracts, were also added to the blend of the alkadienes and tested. The alkadienes tested individually attracted males when the traps were baited with doses ranging from 10 to 30 mg/trap. The maximum number of males was attracted to traps baited with 10 mg of a (Z ,Z )-6,9-C 23:2 :(Z ,Z )-6,9-C 25:2 blend at a ratio of 7:3. Results with the three alkenes added to the blend were inconclusive because of low populations. The present study on E. amygdali is the first one reporting attraction of males to synthetic sex pheromone components in field trials for a Eurytomidae species. The synthetic alkadienes blend offers the potential to develop an effective system for monitoring populations of the almond seed wasp in almond orchards.
Insect Systematics & Evolution, 2006
... ZELJKO TOMANOVI C, NICKOLAS G. KAVALLIERATOS, PETR STAR ´Y, LJUBIA Z. STANISAVLJEVI C, OLIVE... more ... ZELJKO TOMANOVI C, NICKOLAS G. KAVALLIERATOS, PETR STAR ´Y, LJUBIA Z. STANISAVLJEVI C, OLIVERA PETROVI C-OBRADOVI C, SNE ZANA TOMANOVI ´C andMARIJA MILUTINOVI C ... 1. Antenna, basal part (F1 and F2). 2. Forewing. ...
The Canadian Entomologist, 2007
... nov. eljko Tomanović a , 1 , Ehsan Rakhshani b , Petr Starý c , Nickolas G. Kavallieratos d ... more ... nov. eljko Tomanović a , 1 , Ehsan Rakhshani b , Petr Starý c , Nickolas G. Kavallieratos d , Ljubia Stanisavljević e , Vladimir ikić e , and Christos G. Athanassiou f. ... Parasitica 54:321. Starý, P., G. Remaudière, D. González, and S. Shahrokhi. 2000. ...
Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 2009
BIOLOGIA- …, 2004
Host stage preference, juvenile mortality and functional response of Trioxys pallidus (Hymenopter... more Host stage preference, juvenile mortality and functional response of Trioxys pallidus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae). Biologia, Bratislava, 59: 197-203, 2004; ISSN 0006-3088. Host stage preference, juvenile mortality and functional response of the walnut aphid parasitoid wasp, Trioxys pallidus were studied in laboratory constant conditions (26 ± 2 • C, 60 ± 5% relative humidity, 16 L : 8 D photoperiod). Populations of the walnut aphid, Chromaphis juglandicola and its parasitoid were collected from the field and reared on walnut seedlings in a growth chamber. Juvenile mortality of the parasitoid was 53.46, 8.01, 2.27 and 6.72% for the 1 st to 4 th instar nymphs of host aphid, respectively. Trioxys pallidus had a greater preference for the 3 rd and 4 th instar nymphs than the others. The functional response of the parasitoid was type III.
Journal of insect science (Online), 2014
This study provides evidence on integrating the morphological, field, and laboratory data, and ap... more This study provides evidence on integrating the morphological, field, and laboratory data, and application of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding gene to the three asexual or sexual Lysiphlebus spp., i.e., Lysiphlebus cardui (Marshall), Lysiphlebus confusus Tremblay and Eady and Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae). New aphid- invasive plant association, Aphis fabae Scopoli (Hemipreta: Aphididae) on Impatiens glandulifera Royle, has been used in the same model area in the Czech Republic under the same sampling and rearing method for several consecutive years and throughout the season. For molecular identification of these three species, we used DNA sequences of the barcoding region of the mitochondrial COI gene. Although our results confirmed ecological and morphological differences among L. cardui, L. confusus, and L. fabarum, genetic analysis on the basis of COI mitochondrial barcoding gene does not support species status of the mention...