[Edited_by_A._Ciancio,_C.N.R.,_Bari,_Italy_and_K.(Bookos.org)

CITRUS PEST MANAGEMENT IN ITALY
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Urbaneja, Jacas, & Garrido, 1998). The parasitoid, native to China, Japan, Taiwan
and Thailand, has been introduced in Morocco (Smaili, Afellah, Aarab, & Zrida,
1999), Cyprus, Greece, Spain and Israel (Schauff et al., 1998; Kalaitzaki, 2004), with
no evidence of establishment (Argov, 2000), except in Spain where the species
temporarily established in the Valencia area (Vercher, García–Mari, Costa–Comelles,
Marzal, & Villalba, 2003). In 1996 this eulophid was introduced in Southern Italy and
about 3,000 specimens were released in more than 30 sites. Although preliminary
observations indicated that the ectoparasitoid seemed to have a good adaptability to
Italian citrus areas (Longo & Siscaro, 1997), it has not overwintered in any release site
(Barbagallo, Longo, Siscaro, Reina, & Zappalà, 2000).
Citrostichus phyllocnistoides is reported as larval ectoparasitoid of P. citrella
(Subba Rao & Ramamani, 1965; Bouček, 1988; Neale, Smith, Beattie, & Miles,
1995). Nevertheless it has been recovered in India on Trioza obsoleta Buckton
(Homoptera: Psyllidae) feeding on Diospyros melanoxylon (Roxb.) (Dash & Das,
1997). Further studies (Massa, Rizzo, & Caleca, 2001; Massa & Rizzo, 2001; Lo
Duca, Massa, & Rizzo, 2002) have shown that C. phyllocnistoides parasitizes also
Lepidoptera Nepticulidae (Acalyptris minimella (Rebel) on Pistacia lentiscus L.,
Stigmella sp. on Rubus ulmifolius Schott and an unidentified nepticulid on Salix alba
L.). It prefers second and third instar CLM larvae both for ovipositing and host
feeding, while first instar larvae are selected only for host feeding (Reina & Siscaro,
2004). The female lays one or more eggs (up to 5), but only one will complete its
development (Subba Rao & Ramamani, 1965). Its cycle lasts 12–13 days at 22–26°C
(Ding, Li, & Huang, 1989). Sex ratio is female-biased, 80% of females is obtained
from third instar larvae, while 70% of males from second instar larvae. The eulophid is
reported on P. citrella in Afghanistan, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Oman, Pakistan,
South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Taiwan and Thailand (Schauff et al., 1998). It has
been introduced in Australia, Cyprus, Greece, Israel (Schauff et al., 1998) and Spain
(García-Marí et al., 2000). Its permanent establishment has been recorded in all these
areas with the exception of Australia (Argov, 2000; García-Marí et al., 2000).
Moreover, in Portugal the accidental immigration and establishment (ecesis) of this
species was reported in 2003 (Gomes da Silva, Borges da Silva, & Franco, 2006).
Figure 6. Semielacher petiolatus adult female.