Capacidade reprodutiva e longevidade dos machos de cochonilhas-algodão (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Mestrado em Engenharia Agronómica - Instituto Superior de AgronomiaThe present Master’s thesis is integrated in the research project PTDC/AGR-AAM/099560/2008 entitled “Mealybug reproductive biology and pheromone-mediated interactions: basis to develop ecological sound management tactics for pest mealybugs" and was aimed at analysing several aspects of male mealybug reproductive biology such as the effect of mating on male’s longevity and the male reproductive success of three cosmopolitan mealybug species: Planococcus citri, Planococcus ficus and Pseudococcus calceolariae. Planococcus citri males mated a larger number of females than P. calceolariae, which in turn mated a larger number of females than P. ficus. P. citri fertilised approximately twice as many eggs as did P. Ficus and P. calceolariae. Pseudococcus calceolariae males lived longer than P. citri and P. ficus males. Mating reduced in about 25-50% male lifespan all three studied mealybug species, suggesting the existence of trade-off between reproduction and longevity in male mealybugs