Thripobius javae (Girault, 1917)

Entedoninae, Eulophidae, Chalcidoidea, Hymenoptera

Figure 1	Figure 2	Figure 3	Figure 4
Figure 5	Figure 6	Figure 7	Figure 8
Figure 9	Figure 10

Figures

Fig. 1: Head, mesosoma and metasoma ventral
Fig. 2: Antenna
Fig. 3: Funicle segment F2 and clava of antenna
Fig. 4: Funicle segments and basal segment of antennal clava
Fig. 5: Head ventral
Fig. 6: Mesosoma dorsal with mesoscutum and scutellum
Fig. 7: Fore wing
Fig. 8: Stigmal vein of fore wing
Fig. 9: Metasoma
Fig. 10: Petiole

Thripobius javae is a larval endoparasitoid of various thrips species belonging to the subfamily Panchaetothripinae (family Thripidae). Female: length <1 mm. Head and mesosoma blackish with metallic gloss; antennae, legs (except for blackish coxae) pale yellow; gaster yellow with few brown markings laterally (Fig. 1 and 9). On head vertexal suture complete and straight; frontal groove extending to top of eye or beyond to occipital suture; malar sulcus split ventrally (Y-shaped) (Fig. 5). Antenna with scape slightly broadened medially, about 6 x as long as wide; 2 funicle segments subequal and relatively tightly appressed, F1 about as long as wide and with a long sensillum, F2 slightly wider than long, without sensillum; flagellar segments with several very long sensilla and setae sticking out far beyond the segment bearing them; 3-segmented clava (division between second and third claval segments often indistinct) about 3.5 x as long as wide, with an apical spicula (Fig. 2, 3 and 4). Mesosoma shorter than gaster, almost smooth; midlobe of mesoscutum with 1 pair of setae; anterior margin of scutellum straight (Fig. 1 and 6). Fore wing broadened beyond submarginal vein, about 3 x as long as wide; longest marginal setae about 1/2 maximal width of fore wing; disc hyaline, with numerous short setae, more or less uniformly setose beyond base of marginal vein except for a distinct semi-oval bare area at posterior margin behind base of marginal vein, which is demarcated anteriorly by a sinuate line of setae; postmarginal vein minute, shorter than stigmal vein (Fig. 7 and 8). Hind wing about 8-9 x as long as wide. Petiole distinctly wider than long (Fig. 10).
Male similar to female, quite rare.

The GenusThripobius Ferrière, 1938
This genus comprises 4 described species. All known species of Thripobius are solitary, internal parasitoids of the larval stages of various Panchaetothripinae (Thripidae, Terebrantia), and have a Palearctic, tropical or subtropical (Africa, Australia, India, Indonesia, South America) distribution. All species of this genus have the following features: Head usually with a complete and straight suture present across vertex just behind posterior ocelli; frontal groove extending to top of eye or beyond to occipital suture; malar sulcus present, split ventrally (Y-shaped); mandible reduced and without teeth; antennal flagellum in both sexes with 2 funicle segments (usually appressed to each other) and a 3-segmented clava with an apical spicula (division between second and third claval segments often indistinct), flagellar segments with long sensilla and setae; notauli usually indistinct; midlobe of mesoscutum usually with 1 pair of setae, but asetose in the type species of the genus, T. javae; anterior margin of scutellum almost straight or slightly sinuate; fore wings broadened beyond submarginal vein, longest marginal setae at most equal to (usually much less than) width of fore wing; fore wing disc with bare area at posterior margin behind base of marginal vein, demarcated anteriorly by a sinuate line of setae; petiole wider than long, present only dorsally as a narrow sclerotized band (Schauff 1991; Triapitsyn 2005). Triapitsyn (2005) gave a world taxonomic revision of Thripobius and three other related entedonine genera of thrips parasitoids, and Loomans & van Lenteren (1995) provided an overview of the described thrips parasitoids and their importance for biological control of thrips pests.

Life history
Thripobius javae is largely uniparental (thelytokous), almost only females are produced (Ferrière 1938). Developmental time of the species at 23°C averages 21.7 days (Froud & Stevens 1997), 23.6 (22-25) days (Loomans & van Lenteren 1995; McMurtry et al. 1991) or up to 25.1 days (Bernardo et al. 2008).

Major host genera/species
Thripobius javae has been recorded from various Panchaetothripine thrips: Brachyurothrips anomalus on Hibiscus sp., Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis, Hercinothrips (Hercinothrips bicinctus, Hercinothrips femoralis), Panchaetothrips indicus, Rhipiphorothrips cruentatus, Selenothrips rubrocinctus, Sigmothrips aotearoana. In Kenya, Thripobius javae is observed to parasitize Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis in avocado.

Biological control
This parasitoid has been released from Australia and Brazil into California in 1986 for the biological control of greenhouse thrips, Heliohthrips haemorrhoidalis in avocado and citrus orchards. Within 3 years after the release parasitoids established and spread to adjacent fields. Parasitism percentage was as high as 63% and there was significant decrease in the thrips densities when the parasitism increased to 50-60%. The parasitoid is commercially produced in the USA for the management of greenhouse thrips (Loomans & van Lenteren 1995). In 1991, this parasitoid was imported from California into Israel for the management of greenhouse thrips in avocado. The parasitoid established very well in many orchards with effective control of the thrips (Wysoki et al. 1997). Further it was introduced into New Zealand from California for the management of the greenhouse thrips (Froud et al. 1996) after detailed evaluation of the non-target effects to other Panchaetothripines in New Zealand (Froud & Stevens 2002). Very recently this parasitoid was introduced into Italy from Israel for the management of greenhouse thrips (Bernardo et al. 2005).

Additional notes
First and early second instar thrips are the preferred host (Newberger & Mc Murtry 1992) and late second instars were less favourable.
In California (USA) up to 60% parasitism by Thripobius javae occurred on avocado orchards infested by Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (McMurtry & Badii 1991; McMurtry et al. 1991), but only 6-34% parasitism occured on Hercinothrips bicinctus, a low level of parasitism (7-9%) of Sigmothrips aotearoana occured in Australia (Froud & Stevens 2004), and a maximum of 52% parasitism of Rhipiphorothrips cruentatus occured on grapevine leaves (Loomans & van Lenteren 1995).

Biogeography

Subtropical¸ apparently native and widespread in the Oriental and Australasian regions (except for the temperate zones) and also possibly in the Afrotropical region; introduced into some countries including the New World. Africa, Asia (India- Bangalore, Mudigere), Japan, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, South America (Brazil), USA (California, Hawaii), Israel. Kenya (Thika), Sao Tomè, South Africa.

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