Biologia e plantas hospedeiras de uma nova espécie galícola de eucaliptos em Portugal - Ophelimus SP.

• Autor(es): Matos, Sónia Maria Gomes
• Data: 2014
• Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/8285
• Origem: Repositório da UTL
• Assunto(s): Ophelimus sp.; Eucalyptus; gall wasp; host plants; invasive species; Closterocerus chamaeleon
• Tipo de Documento: Dissertação de mestrado
• Idioma: Português
• Orientador(es): Simões, Manuela Rodrigues Branco; Garcia, André Filipe Casquilho
• Contribuidor(es): Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa

Descrição

Mestrado em Engenharia Florestal e dos Recursos Naturais - Instituto Superior de Agronomia

In 2013, a new Ophelimus sp. was detected in a Eucalyptus arboretum in Lisbon. This study aims to study the bio-ecological characteristics of Ophelimus sp. as basic knowledge for its management. We further compare it with the previous introduced species Ophelimus maskelli. Our results showed morphological differences on the galls and adults of O. maskelli and Ophelimus sp., and on the host species. Eucalyptus globulus and E. viminalis were the most susceptible species to Ophelimus sp., whereas it was confirmed a preference of O. maskelli for E. camaldulensis, E. rudis and E. tereticornis. Intraspecific differences regarding gall size and infestation levels of Ophelimus sp. within E. globulus were further registered. Ophelimus sp. has one generation per year and about 30% of larvae and pre-adult mortality was registered due to unknown factors. These traits will contribute to a slower growth rate of its populations when compared to those of O. maskelli. In the North of Portugal, Ophelimus sp. seems to be better adapted, as indicated by the higher population levels compared to those observed in the South. From our surveys, we did not find galls with Closterocerus chamaeleon or any other parasitoid that could allow for the biocontrol of Ophelimus sp.