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The Parasitic Hymenoptera and Biological Control of the African Ichneumonidae*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Virendra K. Gupta
Virendra K. Gupta
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611–0740, USA
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Abstract

Interest in the study of parasitic Hymenoptera has been revitalized consequent to recent emphasis on biological control and the role that the parasitoids play in effective biological control methods. However, our knowledge of the species of parasitic Hymenoptera, and their host associations is rather imperfect, and the family Ichneumonidae is no exception. The potential that parasitic Hymenoptera offer in the control of unwanted pests, and thereby increase agricultural output, cannot be utilized unless basic taxonomic and biological studies on them are fully supported and funded.

The known species of Ichneumonidae at the present moment are approximately 19,000, which is only about 10% of the estimated number of species occurring in the world. Most species occurring in the tropical countries are unknown. The described number of species from various regions are approximately 7000 in Eurasia, 4500 in Indo-Australian area, 3500 in North America, 2000 in South America, and about 2000 in tropical Africa.

The African ichneumonid fauna is rich and diverse, but very few areas have been intensively and extensively explored. Certain countries like Malagasy Republic and Zaire have been more extensively explored than the others, but recent studies indicate that species diversity is much greater than what we know today. Catches made in limited areas by using Malaise traps in places like Kampala, Uganda during 1964–1965 and in Freetown, Sierra Leone during 1969–1970 increased the number of species 300–400 per cent.

Résumé

L'intérêt de l'étude des hyménoptères parasites a été réactivé à la suite de l'importance récemment accordée à la lutte biologique et au fait que les parasites jouent dans la mise au point des méthodes d'une lutte biologique efficace.

Malheuresement à l'heure actuelle nous avons encore une connaissance imparfaite sur les espèces d'hyménoptères parasites et sur leur milieu d'association, et cette réalité vaut également pour la famille des Ichneumonides. Les possibilités que preséntent les hyménoptères parasites dans la lutte contre les insectes nuisibles, et dont l'impact est d'accroître la production agricole, ne peuvent cependant être exploitées qu'au cas où des études taxonomiques et biologiques fondamentales sont financées et conduites à ce sujet.

Les espèces d'Ichneumonides connues à l'heure actuelle peuvent se chiffrer à environ 19.000, ce qui correspond à plus au moins 10% seulement du nombre global des espèces supposées exister à travers le monde.

La plupart des espèces existant dans les pays tropicaux restent encore inconnues.

Les espèces étudiées dans diverses région se chiffrent à environ 5.000 en Eurasie, 4.500 dans la région de l'Indo-Australie, 3.500 aux USA, 2.000 en Amerique du Sud et à peu près 2.000 en Afrique.

La faune africaine des insectes est très riche et variée mais il est vrai que très peu des parties du continent ont jusqu'ici fait l'objet d'une étude vraiment fouillée. Certaines pays comme Madagascar et le Zaire ont été mieux étudiés que d'autres.

Keywords

Parasitoidsparasitic HymenopteraIchneumonidaeTropicsbiocontrolAfrica
Type
Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 12 , Issue 1-2-3: Current Topics in Tropical Entomology , June 1991 , pp. 9 - 18
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1991

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