A Study of Some Ecological indices of Numerical diversity of Predators Associated with Coccus pseudomagnoliarum (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) in Latakia Governorate.

Abstract

The diversity and seasonal abundance of Predators were measured during April to June 2016 and 2017 from two localities, (Al-Sanobar and Dabba) in Lattakia governorate. Insect samples and infested plant parts were collected and they were taken to Biological Control Studies and Research Center (BCSRC) (Faculty of agriculture, Damascus). Predators species diversity was assessed using two indicators: species richness and Shannon index. the results of this research revealed the presence of four species of predators in Lattakia Governorate (Al-Sanobar and Dabba) with:  Cybocephalus fodori (Endrody-Younga), (Coleoptera: Cybocephalidae), Geocoris ochropterus (Fieber) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera : Geocoridae) and Cardiastethus nazarenus (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera : Anthocoridae), and Coniopteryx borealis (Tjeder) (Neuroptera :Coniopterygidae) were recorded associated with the pest C. pseudomagnoliarum throughout the research period. and were recorded for the first time in Syria. A total of 168 individuals of ladybugs were collected during this research in lattakia. The most abundant species appearing in both localities were C. bipustulatus (32.4%) and Serangium parcesetosum (Sicard) (25.0 %). Other Coccinellids included Oenopia conglobata, Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (Linnaeus, 1758), Exochomus quadripustulatus (Linnaeus 1758), and Exochomus nigromaculatus (Goeze 1777) but were less presented. Diversity indices varied between two sites. The highest value was recorded at the locality Al-Sanobar (1.727), whereas the lowest was seen at the site Daba (1.175). The maximum similarity index (0.71) was recorded between Al-Sanobar and Daba in 2017, while the minimum was (0.53) between Al-Sanobar and Daba in 2016.