Virus-like particles in the ovaries of Microctonus aethiopoides Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Comparison of biotypes from Morocco and Europe

• Published in: Journal of invertebrate pathology 2006, Vol.91 (1), p.13-18
• Main Authors: Barratt, B.I.P., Murney, R., Easingwood, R., Ward, V.K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; Biological control agent; biological control agents; Biotype; biotypes; Braconidae; Coleoptera; Control; Curculionidae; Europe; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Host range; host specificity; Hymenoptera; Hymenoptera - virology; insect viruses; Insecta; introduced species; Invertebrates; Microctonus aethiopoides; Microctonus aethiopoides Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae); Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Morocco; New Zealand; ovaries; Ovary - ultrastructure; Ovary - virology; Parasitoid; parasitoids; Pathology; Pest Control, Biological; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; prevalence; Protozoa. Invertebrates; risk assessment; Sitona lepidus; ultrastructure; Virion - ultrastructure; Virus-like particles
• ISSN: 0022-2011; 1096-0805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2005.10.008

Virus-like particles (MaVLP) have been discovered in the ovarial epithelial cells of the solitary, koinobiont, endoparasitoid, Microctonus aethiopoides Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) introduced to New Zealand originally from Morocco to control the lucerne pest Sitona discoideus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). MaVLP have been found in all females examined. It has been suggested, although not demonstrated, that like many other such VLP found in parasitoids, MaVLP might play a role in host immunosuppression. Since another biotype of M. aethiopoides from Ireland has been proposed for introduction to control the white clover pest, Sitona lepidus Gyllenhal, in New Zealand, it was considered that females from this biotype warranted transmission electron microscope examination for VLP. No VLP were observed in ovarian tissues of specimens collected from three different locations in Ireland. Similarly, none were found in M. aethiopoides sourced from France, Wales, and Norway. These observations are discussed in relation to quarantine host specificity tests with the Irish biotype, which found that the host range of the Irish biotype is likely to be less extensive than that of the Moroccan biotype already in New Zealand.