First record of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter)(Heteroptera: Miridae), as a predator of the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick)(Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), in Senegal

The recent detection in Senegal of the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and its rapid geographic spread, is a real concern for tomato production in Africa south of the Sahara. Deployment of effective biological control in the newly invaded area is urgently needed. The predatory species, Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter, 1895) (Heteroptera: Miridae), was collected, for the first time in Senegal, from tomato fields infested with T. absoluta. Laboratory feeding bioassay confirmed a potential of N. tenuis as a biocontrol agent of T. absolua. (Resume d'auteur)