Jarraya, A. 1981 Contribution a l'etude des interactions hote-parasite chez Coccus hesperidum L. (Hom. Coccidae) et son parasite Coccophagus scutellaris Dalman (Hym. Aphelinidae). III - Influence du nombre des hotes et de leur etat sanitaire sur la ponte du parasite.. Archives de L'Institute Pasteur. Tunis 58(1/2): 51-63.

Notes: Title in English: [Contribution to the study of host-parasite interaction in Coccus hesperidum L. and its parasite Coccophagus scutellaris Dalman. III - Influence of the number of hosts and of their state of health on the oviposition of the parasite]. In laboratory studies of Coccophagus scutellaris (Dalm.), a parasite of Coccus hesperidum L. in Tunisia, it was found that the intensity of oviposition by the parasite depended on the number of hosts available to each female. The parasite females appeared to be able to retain some of their eggs and did not lay them all if only one host was provided; in larger numbers of hosts, up to 8/parasite female, the eggs were equally distributed between them. When both healthy and already parasitised hosts were exposed to an ovipositing female, more eggs were laid in the previously unparasitised hosts. As well as the power to retain eggs, the inseminated parasite female also appeared to have the power to influence the sex ratio of her progeny by allowing or not allowing the eggs to become fertilised before deposition, according to the number and physiological state of the available hosts. This power of discrimination is analysed and discussed in comparison with data recorded for other parasites, especially other species of Coccophagus.