Biology of C. sp. nr. curvimaculatus. Chelonus sp.
nr. curvimaculatus is an egg-larval parasitoid; t he
parasitoid egg is oviposited in a host egg and completes
development in t h e host larva. After emerging
from the pupation cell, t h e female parasitoid is
ready to oviposit whether she has mated or not.
Upon detecting a host egg, she antennates with t he
tips of h e r antenna several times before she oviposits.
If t h e host egg is acceptable, oviposition lasts
= 2 0 - 4 0 s, one egg being laid during an ovipositional
bout. Superparasitized host eggs were found
in many instances; however, only 1 parasitoid could
complete development in a host. The cause of
death of t h e supernumerary parasitoids was undetermined.
There are 3 parasitoid instars. First instars begin
to hatch =22 h after oviposition with complete
eclosion by = 3 0 h. They are endoparasitic and constitute
t h e majority of t h e larval period ( = 9 d ) . It is
believed that the parasitoid larvae are primarily
feeding on t h e host hemolymph during this period.
The 1st instar was observed to molt into the 2nd
instar only after the host larva had entered its final
instar (4th instar).
The 2nd instar is endoparasitic and is thought to
feed primarily on t h e host's hemolymph. The exuviae
of t h e 1st instar often is attached to the last
abdominal segment. The parasitoid's 2nd stadium
lasts = 2 - 3 d.
The 3rd instar is endoparasitic early in its development
and ectoparasitic later. This stadium lasts
= 3 d. The early 3rd instar lives and feeds within t he
host until it chews a hole through the thoracic
region of t h e host and emerges. The parasitoid larva
then bends around and devours its host, beginning
at the posterior end. T h e last few abdominal segments
of t h e parasitoid remain in t h e host until this
feeding is complete. The parasitoid consumes all of
the host except for the head capsule and body
cuticle. After it devours its host, the parasitoid
spins its cocoon and pupates in t h e cocoon of t h e
host, where it remains for 6 - 7 d, after which the
adult emerges. If a pink bollworm puparium is not
present, the larva usually fails to pupate and will
die. The parasitoid develops from an egg to an adult
in =21 d.