ABSTRACT
Detection and distribution of Ophelimus migdanorum and its possible biocontroller Closterocerus chamaeleon in productive areas of Eucalyptus globulus in Chile

Gloria Molina-Mercader1, 2*, Andrés O. Angulo3, Eugenio Sanfuentes1, Rodrigo Hasbún1, Tania Olivares3, Miguel Castillo-Salazar1, and Claudio Goycoolea4
 
Wasps that belong to the genus Ophelimus develop galls on Eucalyptus spp., and E. globulus is considered among the most susceptible species. In 2003, a new species of Ophelimus was detected in Chile. This species forms galls on E. globulus and E. camaldulensis, and it was recently considered as Ophelimus migdanorum nov sp. The present study was carried out 16 yr after its detection and it was aimed to determine the presence of Ophelimus in plantations of E. globulus located in Maule, Biobío and La Araucanía Regions, which represent 76% of the area covered with this species in the country. Between August and September 2017, a total of 165 sampling forest farms were established in stands of E. globulus, located in these regions of the country. In each farm, twigs were collected that represented formation of galls and maintained in laboratory conditions until the emergence of adults. These were identified according to their external morphological characteristics. The presence of O. migdanorum and Closterocerus chamaeleon was determined. Both species emerged together in all the regions considered in the study, 92.1% and 46.7% of the evaluated forest farms, respectively. Then Ophelimus migdanorum is widely distributed in Maule, Biobío and La Araucanía Regions, in Chile.
Keywords: Biocontroller, Eucalyptus spp., gall-maker, galls, Ophelimus.
1Universidad de Concepción, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile.
2MIPlagas Ltda., 1973 Av. Las Rosas, Huertos Familiares, San Pedro de La Paz, Concepción.
*Corresponding author (gloria.molina@miplagas.cl).
3Universidad de Concepción, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile.
4Consorcio de Protección Fitosanitaria Forestal, Av. María Dolores 3580, Los Ángeles, Chile.