Caracterización de una Especie de Meteorus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Presente en Larvas de Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) en el Norte de Tamaulipas, México

Characterization of the life cycle and molecular identification was done in a natural parasitoid found in Spodptera frugiperda larvae. The fall armyworm larvae were collected from sorghum in the North of the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. A parasitoid colony was established under laboratory conditions to determine its life cycle using S. frugiperda third or fourth instar larvae as host. The parasitoid was identified molecularly by extracting DNA larvae and partially amplifying the mitochondrial gen cytochrome oxidase c subunit I and sequencing. Results indicated that the parasitoid larvae feed inside their host during 9.5 ± 0.7 days. Parasitoid larvae emerges making a hole at the last abdominal propodium of the host. After this period, the fall armyworm stops feeding, losses mobility and dies in the next 24-48 h. The pupa begins to form from the posterior end to the anterior end to form a pupa, which lasts 7.5 ± 0.7 days. The adult parasitoid lives 20 days. The parasitoid life cycle is 36 days at 24 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH, and a photoperiod of 10:14 light:dark hours. PCR products showed an expected size band of 600 bp and the fragment sequence was compared with the GenBank data base showing a 99% similarity with Meteorus laphygmae.