title: Reproductive Biology of Leptocybe invasa Fisher & La Salle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).
abstract: Leptocybe invasa Fisher & La Salle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is an invasive pest in Eucalyptus plantations around the world. The successful colonization of L. invasa is possibly related to its reproductive biology. The objective of this study was to examine the reproductive biology of L. invasa. In Guangxi Province, the sex ratio (proportion of female, 0.99) of L. invasa was female-dominant throughout the year based on natural and artificial infestation. This result was similar to the ratios observed for other geographic populations in China, including those in Fujian (0.99), Guangdong (0.98), Hainan (0.95), Jiangxi (0.96), and Sichuan (0.99). The offspring sex ratio favored females. A large number of females emerged from the galls produced by females, with few males found. Galls on the petioles and midribs of Eucalyptus plants could be caused by newly emerged females with mature eggs. The lengths of the ovariole, spermatheca, common oviduct, and reproductive glands did not differ among L. invasa females, but their lateral oviducts showed differences from 0 to 42 h after emergence, indicating that this insect is proovigenic. These results could explain why L. invasa populations can rapidly increase in invaded areas.
authors.affiliation: College of Agriculture, Guangxi Univ, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: X-L
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: College of Agriculture, Guangxi Univ, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Z-Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Agriculture, Guangxi Univ, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Forestry, Guangxi Univ, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Z-D
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Dept of Guangxi Forestry Pest Management, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: X-H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Agriculture, Guangxi Univ, Nanning, China. luwenlwen@163.com.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D005052:Eucalyptus; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010058:Oviposition; D010941:Plant Tumors; D012098:Reproduction; D012744:Sex Ratio; D014863:Wasps / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Eucalyptus gall wasp; Geographic population; Ovarian development; Oviposition behavior; Reproduction; Sex ratio