A catalogue of enemies of some important planthoppers and leafhoppers

Abstract

The planthoppers Nilaparvata lugens stal, Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) and the leafhoppers Nephotettix virescens( Distant), Nephotettix nigropictus ( Stal) are very serious pests of rice. Several species of mymarid and trichogrammatid parasites have been reared from the eggs of the pest referred to but their specific identityin most cases is uncertain. An effort has been made to critically examine the material available to me for examination and on the basis of these authentically reared material keys have been prepared to facilitate the idenyification of species of Anagrus, Paracentrobia and Oligosita which are the most dominant among parasites that certainly contribute in the natural control of the hoppers. At least four species of Gonatocerus are known to be parasitic on hoppers, but their identity is not established in this paper. Notes have been appended on their distribution and hosts known.