Scientific name

Peribaea orbata (Wiedemann)

Taxonomic position

Diptera: Tachinidae: Goniinae: Siphonini

Diagnosis

Body small, about 3-4 mm long. Head with two pairs of proclinate orbital setae and strong outer vertical setae; sexually not dimorphic. The only known genus of Tachinidae with a pair of well developed, subequal prostigmatic setae, one pointing downward and the other pointing upward (Fig.1), positioned a little below anterior spiracle. Scutellum with subapical setae convergent and usually crossing towards the tips. Mid tibia with one strong anterodorsal seta and one slightly shorter (Fig. 3). Hind tibia with three strong preapical setae on dorsal surface (Fig. 4). Wing with costal margin conspicuously broken or incised at the apex of subcosta; vein R4+5 extensively setulose; sixth vein extending to wing margin. Abdomen without discal setae on any segment.

Commonly associated with Spodoptera litura (F.) and Helicoverpa armigera (Huebner) and can be identified by the comparatively very small size for a tachinid and the pair of strongly developed prostigmatic setae.

    Head in profile  Fig. 1. Lateral view, showing prostigmatic setae (indicated by arrow marks)
Head, dorsal view Fig. 2. Head, dorsal view
  Fig. 3. Mid tibia
 Fig. 4. Hind tibia

Images

    Adult - dorsal, lateral view

Distribution

Widely distributed in the Oriental and Australasian regions.

Hosts / Biology

Parasitic on the larvae of several species of Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) such as Spodoptera litura (F.), S. exempta, Helicoverpa armigera (Huebner), Pseudaletia unipuncta (Haworth) and Mythimna loreyi (Duponchel) (Crosskey, 1973). The parasitised larvae of S. litura remain alive even after the emergence of adult parasitoids. Rao & Satyanarayana (1989) studied its biology on S. litura.

References

  • Crosskey, R.W. 1976. A taxonomic conspectus of the Tachinidae (Diptera) of the Oriental region. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology, Supplement, 26: 1-357.
  • Crosskey, R.W. 1976. A taxonomic conspectus of the Tachinidae (Diptera) of the Oriental region. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology, Supplement, 26: 1-357.
  • Rao, R.S.N. & Satyanarayana, S. V. V. 1989. Studies on Peribaea orbata Wied. (Diptera-Tachinidae), a larval parasite of tobacco caterpillar Spodoptera litura F. Tobacco Research, 15(1): 1-4.