Umeh, E.D.N. 1988 Development, oviposition, host feeding and sex determination in Epidinocarsis lopezi (De Santis) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae).. Bulletin of Entomological Research 78(4): 605-611.

Notes: Epidinocarsis lopezi was found to parasitize and complete development in all developmental instars of its host, Phenacoccus manihoti. However, parasitoid mortality was high (15.8%) when development took place in the first nymphal instar of the host. Complete development from egg to adult emergence was prolonged in smaller hosts, and developmental periods recorded were 18.8, 17.4, 16.1 and 14.9 days for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th nymphal instars, respectively. Irrespective of the age of the host parasitized (with which size is strongly correlated), E. lopezi completed only one life cycle during one life cycle of P. manihoti. Oviposition commenced within 24 h of emergence and lasted effectively for 6 days, during which 95% of its eggs were laid and 10.8 large hosts were killed through host feeding. Unmated females of E. lopezi are arrhenotokous, laying only male eggs; eggs laid by mated females produced males and females in the ratio of 1:3.