Superparasitism and Host Discrimination By Asobara Tabida Nees )Braconidae: Alysiinae), a Larval Parasitoid of Drosophilidae

Author： VAN ALPHEN J.J.M. Nell H.W.

Publisher： Brill

ISSN： 1568-542X

Source： Netherlands Journal of Zoology, Vol.32, Iss.2, 1981-01, pp. : 232-260

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study of superparasitism and host discrimination by Asobara tabida Nees. We found that: (1) A. tabida females are able to distinguish unparasitized hosts from those previously parasitized by themselves or by a conspecific; (2) There is no evidence that A. tabida females are able to distinguish hosts in which they laid an egg themselves from hosts parasitized by conspecifics; (3) A. tabida females, unlike those of Leptopilina heterotoma cannot discriminate between hosts with different numbers of eggs; (4) Superparasitism may occur because: (a) inexperienced females of A. tabida may initially lay two eggs during one oviposition. (b) a female A. tabida may re-attack a host after oviposition within the period needed for building up the factor which causes avoidance of superparasitism. (c) the restraint to oviposit in parasitized hosts breaks down when a female A. tabida only meets parasitized hosts and does not lay eggs during a period of at least 8 hours. (d) females that have never oviposited in unparasitized hosts do not refrain from oviposition in parasitized hosts. We discuss whether superparasitism by insect parasitoids can be adaptive under particular circumstances.