Lariophagus distinguendus explained

Lariophagus distinguendus is a idiobiont ectoparasitoid hymenopteran in the family Pteromalidae, superfamily Chalcidoidea. It parasitizes small beetle larvae concealed in seeds, as well as prepupae and pupae in their cocoons. It is used for the biological control of several beetle pests of stored products, particularly in central Europe, where it is produced commercially and distributed by at least 11 companies.^[1]

Taxonomy

Arnold Förster described this species in 1841 under the name Pteromalus distinguendus.^[2] In 1913, N. Kurdjumov moved it to the genus Lariophagus.^[3] While studying the types of Meraporus calandrae Howard and Meraporus utibilis Tucker, Hase in 1919 established their synonymy with Lariophagus distinguendus.^[4]

Description

The female is 2 to 3 mm long, dark blue, basal part of abdomen green, wings white with yellow-brown veins. The male is 1.1 to 2 mm long.^[5]

Diet

L. distinguendus will attack and eat Cigarette Beetles (L. Serricorne) at the pupal and larval stage. Females will also oviposit among the eggs of the Cigarette Beetle. ^[6]

Host species

Its hosts include, but are not limited to:^[1]

• Callosobruchus chinensis (adzuki bean beetle)
• Callosobruchus maculatus (cowpea weevil)
• Gibbium psylloides (hump beetle)
• Ptinus tectus (Australian spider beetle)
• Rhyzopertha dominica (lesser grain borer)
• Sitophilus granarius (wheat weevil)
• Sitophilus oryzae (rice weevil)
• Stegobium paniceum (drugstore beetle)

Notes and References

1. Niedermayer . S. . Pollmann . M. . Steidle . J.L.M. . 2016 . Lariophagus distinguendus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) (Förster)—Past, Present, and Future: The History of a Biological Control Method Using L. distinguendus against Different Storage Pests . Insects. 7 . 3 . 1–9 . 10.3390/insects7030039 . 27490572 . 5039552 . free .
2. Book: Förster . Arnold . 1841 . Beiträge zur Monographie der Pteromalinen Nees .
3. Gahan . A.B. . 1921 . On the identity of several species of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) . Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington . 22 . 235–243 .
4. Kurdjumov . N. . 1913 . Notes on Pteromalidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcididae) . ru . Russian Review of Entomology . 13 . 1 .
5. Ruschka . Franz . 1921 . Zur Morphologie und Systematik des Kornkäfer-Chalcidiers Lariophagus distinguendus Först . Zeitschrift für Angewandte Entomologie . 7 . 2 . 463–465 . 10.1111/j.1439-0418.1921.tb01496.x .
6. Papadopoulou . S.C. . Athanassiou . C.G. . July 2004 . Lariophagus distinguendus (F.) (Hyme., Chalcidoidea, Pteromalidae), an ectoparasitoid of Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Col., Anobiidae), found for the first time in tobacco stores in Greece . Journal of Pest Science . en . 77 . 3 . 10.1007/s10340-004-0052-7 . 1612-4758.