Macrolophus caliginosus (Wagner) as an intraguild prey for the zoophytophagous Dicyphus tamaninii Wagner (Heteroptera : Miridae)

The zoophytophagous predator Macrolophus caliginosus (Wagner) (Heteroptera: Miridae) has previously been identified as a potential prey for the intrag uild zoophytophagous predator Dicyphus tamaninii Wagner. Its value as an in traguild prey was tested for D. tamaninii nymphal development and adult sur vival. In the laboratory, plant (red tomato fruit, green tomato fruit, toma to leaf) and animal (aphids, whiteflies, pyralid eggs) resources were compa red to frozen nymphs of M. caliginosus as an intraguild resource for D. tam aninii. IM. calginosus nymphs allowed complete and rapid development of D. tamaninii nymphs and generated low mortality of nymphal and adult stages. P erformances were higher with the intraguild M. caliginosus resource than wi th plant resources. Tomato leaves did not allow the complete nymphal develo pment of D. tamaninii. Tomato fruit generated lighter adults and doubled th e nymphal developmental time compared with the M. caliginosus resource. In the animal resource group, there were no differences between the M. caligin osus and the other treatments (aphids, whiteflies, pyralid eggs) for nympha l mortality, average number of molts, nymphal developmental time, adult wei ght, and adult survival. M. caliginosus should be considered a high-quality resource for D. tantaninii. (C) 2001 Academic Press.