Olfactory Microhabitat Selection in Leptopilina Heterotoma (Thomson) (Hym.: Eucoilidae), a Parasitoid of Drosophilidae

1984 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise E.M. Vet ◽  
Karin Van Opzeeland
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Efficiency ◽  
Microhabitat Selection ◽  
Behavioural Flexibility ◽  
Ecological Significance ◽  
Parasitoid Species ◽  
Temporal Separation ◽  
Leptopilina Heterotoma ◽  
Asobara Tabida ◽  
Drosophila Larvae ◽  
Larval Conditioning

Leptopilina heterotoma (Thomson) and Asobara tabida (Nees), solitary endoparasitoids of frugivorous Drosophila larvae, are assumed to be competitors. Olfactometer experiments showed, however, that the species differ in their preference for microhabitat odours. Whereas A. tabida prefers a fresh fermenting sugar/yeast medium, L. heterotoma prefers this medium in a later stage of decay. These results are confirmed by field observations. This temporal separation between the species, which is not complete because some multiparasitism does occur, may be one of the factors to their coexistence. Odour preference in L. heterotoma is not modified by larval conditioning, but conditioning of the adults significantly influenced their odour response. The ecological significance of such learning is discussed. It is argued that even though such behavioural flexibility may enhance foraging efficiency when resources are unpredictable, it may also influence the amount of competition between the two parasitoid species.

scholarly journals Phenotypic plasticity explains apparent reverse evolution of fat synthesis in parasitic wasps

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bertanne Visser ◽  
Hans T. Alborn ◽  
Suzon Rondeaux ◽  
Manon Haillot ◽  
Thierry Hance ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phenotypic Plasticity ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Sequence Variation ◽  
Protein Domains ◽  
Parasitic Wasps ◽  
Parasitoid Species ◽  
Leptopilina Heterotoma ◽  
Dna Sequence Variation ◽  
Fat Synthesis

AbstractNumerous cases of evolutionary trait loss and regain have been reported over the years. Here, we argue that such reverse evolution can also become apparent when trait expression is plastic in response to the environment. We tested this idea for the loss and regain of fat synthesis in parasitic wasps. We first show experimentally that the wasp Leptopilina heterotoma switches lipogenesis on in a fat-poor environment, and completely off in a fat-rich environment. Plasticity suggests that this species did not regain fat synthesis, but that it can be switched off in some environmental settings. We then compared DNA sequence variation and protein domains of several more distantly related parasitoid species thought to have lost lipogenesis, and found no evidence for non-functionality of key lipogenesis genes. This suggests that other parasitoids may also show plasticity of fat synthesis. Last, we used individual-based simulations to show that a switch for plastic expression can remain functional in the genome for thousands of generations, even if it is only used sporadically. The evolution of plasticity could thus also explain other examples of apparent reverse evolution.

Avoidance of encapsulation in the absence of VLP by a braconid parasitoid of Drosophila larvae: an ultrastructural study

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (12) ◽  
pp. 2193-2198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrice Eslin ◽  
Philippe Giordanengo ◽  
Yvelise Fourdrain ◽  
Geneviève Prévost
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Adhesive Properties ◽  
Digestive Tube ◽  
Virus Like Particles ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Asobara Tabida ◽  
Larval Host ◽  
Drosophila Larvae ◽  
Host Tissues

The hymenopteran Asobara tabida Nees (Braconidae: Alysiinae) parasitizes the larval stages of Drosophila species. In D. melanogaster, 90% of A. tabida eggs avoid encapsulation and are found embedded within the tissues (digestive tube, fat body, tracheae, etc.) of their larval host. Electron microscopy was used to investigate if the embedment of the parasitic egg within the tissues of its host may prevent encapsulation. Study revealed that the outer layer of the A. tabida egg consists of a fibrous exochorion that exhibits adhesive properties within the tissues of D. melanogaster. Three hours after oviposition, any basement membrane surrounding the host tissues that is in contact with the parasitic egg is stuck to the exochorion. Attachment rapidly increases. Nine hours post oviposition, the A. tabida egg is almost totally surrounded by a sheath of host tissue, with only limited areas of the surface remaining uncovered and exposed to attack by the host hemocytes. It is therefore concluded that the adhesion of A. tabida eggs to the host tissues is likely to contribute to their protection from encapsulation during embryogenesis. Also, electron microscopy reveals that no virus-like particles occur in A. tabida, unlike any other braconid parasitoid studied. The absence of virus-like particles is discussed with regard to the importance of host regulation of the particles in other braconid species.

Drosophila parasitoid–host interactions: vibrotaxis and ovipositor searching from the host's perspective

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 461-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marla B. Sokolowski ◽  
Ted C. J. Turlings
Keyword(s):  
Host Susceptibility ◽  
Encounter Rate ◽  
Female Parasitoid ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
Asobara Tabida ◽  
Searching Strategy ◽  
Individual Host ◽  
Drosophila Larvae ◽  
Host Strains ◽  
Host Movement

Two strains of Drosophila differing in host movement were simultaneously offered to a female parasitoid of either Leptopilina heterotoma or Asobara tabida. The number of encounters with the moving and nonmoving host strains was independent of larval movement forL. heterotoma whereas a highly significant effect of movement was found for A. tabida. This increased encounter rate of A. tabida with moving larvae resulted from the interaction of this parasitoid's searching strategy (vibrotaxis) and the polymorphic behaviour of the hosts. We conclude that differences in searching mode of two parasitoids of Drosophila larvae, A. tabida and L. heterotoma, can influence individual host susceptibility.

scholarly journals Biochemical characterization and comparison of aspartylglucosaminidases secreted in venom of the parasitoid wasps Asobara tabida and Leptopilina heterotoma

PLoS ONE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. e0181940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quentin Coulette ◽  
Séverine Lemauf ◽  
Dominique Colinet ◽  
Geneviève Prévost ◽  
Caroline Anselme ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biochemical Characterization ◽  
Parasitoid Wasps ◽  
Leptopilina Heterotoma ◽  
Asobara Tabida
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