Natural Enemies of Cypress Tree Mealybug, Planococcus vovae (Nasonov) (Hem., Pseudococcidae), and their Parasitoids in Tehran, Iran

Talebi, A. A.; Talebi, A. A.; Amiri, A.; Fathipour, Y.; Rakhshani, E.

Natural Enemies of Cypress Tree Mealybug, Planococcus vovae (Nasonov) (Hem., Pseudococcidae), and their Parasitoids in Tehran, Iran

Authors

A. A. Talebi ¹

A. Amiri ¹

Y. Fathipour ¹

E. Rakhshani ²

¹ Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.

² Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Zabol University, Zabol, Islamic Republic of Iran.

Abstract

The cypress tree mealybug, Planococcus vovae (Nasonov) (Hem., Pseudococcidae) is one of the most important pests of cypress trees, especially Cupressus semprevirens fastigiata L. in Iran. A survey was carried out to determine the natural enemies of cypress tree mea-lybug in Tehran Province, during 2004-2005. As a result of this study, 17 species of preda-tors, parasitoids and hyperparasitoids belonging to 10 families and 15 genera were col-lected and identified. Among the natural enemies associated with P. vovae three species, Coccidoxenoides perminutus Girault (Hym., Encyrtidae), Aprostocetus ceroplastae (Girault) (Hym., Eulophidae) and Pachyneuron bonum Xu and Li (Hym., Pteromalidae) were recorded here for the first time from Iran. The diagnostic morphological character-istics of the newly recorded species are given here and illustrated. The host range and economic importance of its natural enemies are reviewed and discussed.

Keywords

Iran

natural enemies

Biological control

Cypress tree mealybug

Planococcus vovae