Two lines of defense in the pupas of ichneumonid wasp parasitoids associated with spider hosts
Insects in the pupal stage are vulnerable to various predators because the pupa is immobile. The pupas of parasitoid ichneumonid wasps (Ichneumonidae) associated with spider hosts have evolved two lines of defense against predators, namely a cocoon spun by the parasitoid larva and a web provided by...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.1061700/full |
| _version_ | 1811319085645955072 |
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| author | Stanislav Korenko Jakub Sýkora Agata Kostro-Ambroziak Stano Pekár |
| author_facet | Stanislav Korenko Jakub Sýkora Agata Kostro-Ambroziak Stano Pekár |
| author_sort | Stanislav Korenko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Insects in the pupal stage are vulnerable to various predators because the pupa is immobile. The pupas of parasitoid ichneumonid wasps (Ichneumonidae) associated with spider hosts have evolved two lines of defense against predators, namely a cocoon spun by the parasitoid larva and a web provided by the spider host. The web is derived from a normal or modified spider web built by the spider under manipulation by the penultimate instar of the parasitoid wasp. In laboratory experiments, we tested the efficacy of these two defensive lines using six potential predators with two different types of mouthparts coming from three foraging guilds. The presence of the cocoon significantly reduced predation. Scavengers with chewing mouthparts, e.g., cockroaches and crickets, attacked and consumed pupas within both sparse and strong cocoon walls. Scavengers with piercing mouthparts were able to attack pupas in cocoons with a sparse wall, but not with a strong wall. Collectors and true predators showed no interest in cocoons. The presence of a web increased pupa protection by up to 80% when the web was on the ground and by up to 95% when the web was in the air. Only scavengers with chewing mouthparts were able to reach and consume pupas sheltered by the web. We provide the first evidence of how the two lines of defense contribute to parasitoid defense during the pupal stage. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:36:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35ad1cd882864450bc4d62cb829c8f07 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:36:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-35ad1cd882864450bc4d62cb829c8f072022-12-22T02:46:38ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2022-11-011010.3389/fevo.2022.10617001061700Two lines of defense in the pupas of ichneumonid wasp parasitoids associated with spider hostsStanislav Korenko0Jakub Sýkora1Agata Kostro-Ambroziak2Stano Pekár3Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, CzechiaFaculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, CzechiaFaculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, Białystok, PolandDepartment of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, CzechiaInsects in the pupal stage are vulnerable to various predators because the pupa is immobile. The pupas of parasitoid ichneumonid wasps (Ichneumonidae) associated with spider hosts have evolved two lines of defense against predators, namely a cocoon spun by the parasitoid larva and a web provided by the spider host. The web is derived from a normal or modified spider web built by the spider under manipulation by the penultimate instar of the parasitoid wasp. In laboratory experiments, we tested the efficacy of these two defensive lines using six potential predators with two different types of mouthparts coming from three foraging guilds. The presence of the cocoon significantly reduced predation. Scavengers with chewing mouthparts, e.g., cockroaches and crickets, attacked and consumed pupas within both sparse and strong cocoon walls. Scavengers with piercing mouthparts were able to attack pupas in cocoons with a sparse wall, but not with a strong wall. Collectors and true predators showed no interest in cocoons. The presence of a web increased pupa protection by up to 80% when the web was on the ground and by up to 95% when the web was in the air. Only scavengers with chewing mouthparts were able to reach and consume pupas sheltered by the web. We provide the first evidence of how the two lines of defense contribute to parasitoid defense during the pupal stage.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.1061700/fullhost parasitoid interactioncoevolutionspider hostAraneaePolysphincta group of genera |
| spellingShingle | Stanislav Korenko Jakub Sýkora Agata Kostro-Ambroziak Stano Pekár Two lines of defense in the pupas of ichneumonid wasp parasitoids associated with spider hosts Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution host parasitoid interaction coevolution spider host Araneae Polysphincta group of genera |
| title | Two lines of defense in the pupas of ichneumonid wasp parasitoids associated with spider hosts |
| title_full | Two lines of defense in the pupas of ichneumonid wasp parasitoids associated with spider hosts |
| title_fullStr | Two lines of defense in the pupas of ichneumonid wasp parasitoids associated with spider hosts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Two lines of defense in the pupas of ichneumonid wasp parasitoids associated with spider hosts |
| title_short | Two lines of defense in the pupas of ichneumonid wasp parasitoids associated with spider hosts |
| title_sort | two lines of defense in the pupas of ichneumonid wasp parasitoids associated with spider hosts |
| topic | host parasitoid interaction coevolution spider host Araneae Polysphincta group of genera |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.1061700/full |
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