Sagarra, L.A., Vincent, C., & Stewart, R.K. 2001 Body size as an indicator of parasitoid quality in male and female Anagyrus kamali (Hymenoptera : Encyrtidae).. Bulletin of Entomological Research 91(5): 363-367.
Notes: The parasitoid Anagyrus kamali Moursi was recently introduced into the Caribbean as a biological control agent against the hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green. In the laboratory, parasitoid size, as measured by left hind tibia length, was positively correlated with several indicators of the parasitoid's fitness: longevity, mating preference, fecundity, reproductive longevity, progeny emergence and sex-ratio. When fed ad libidum with honey drops, large male parasitoids lived significantly longer than small ones. Large females also lived significantly longer than small females. Females showed no significant mating preference between large and small males. Lifetime fecundity was positively correlated with the size of adult females. The reproductive longevity, daily oviposition rate, and number of progeny were also higher among large parasitoids. The sex ratio of progeny from small female parasitoids was higher than that of large individuals.