Drill on drill: adaptive oviposition strategies of Sycophila and Physothorax wasps on Ficus citrifolia
ABSTRACT Understanding tri-trophic interactions and the relationship among plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies is fundamental to advancing theoretical and practical ecology. Parasitoidism is among those interactions where tri-trophic levels are usually developed, with hyperparasitism and k...
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Sociedade Brasileira de Entomologia
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Revista Brasileira de Entomologia |
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| author | Leví Oliveira Barros Sergio Jansen-González Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo Pereira |
| author_facet | Leví Oliveira Barros Sergio Jansen-González Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo Pereira |
| author_sort | Leví Oliveira Barros |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Understanding tri-trophic interactions and the relationship among plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies is fundamental to advancing theoretical and practical ecology. Parasitoidism is among those interactions where tri-trophic levels are usually developed, with hyperparasitism and kleptoparasitism as examples. This study explores the interaction between fig wasps of the genera Physothorax Mayr, 1885 and Sycophila Walker, 1871 (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) and the gall midge Ficiomyia brasiliensis Urso-Guimarães, 2024 (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) associated with Ficus citrifolia Mill. in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Through behavioral observations and larval dissections we document the “drill on drill” strategy where Sycophila females utilize oviposition holes drilled by Physothorax females on the fig surface to access the host gall midge immatures. This behavior suggests a sophisticated adaptation for reducing oviposition time and conserving energy. Additionally, Sycophila behavior aligns with kleptoparasitic and hyperparasitic strategies, indicating a complex evolutionary history and ecological interaction. Our findings provide insight into the intricate relationships among non-pollinating fig wasps and their hosts, contributing to the broader understanding of tri-trophic interactions in fig microcosm. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0729f2a8f0324dceae24cf787b489889 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1806-9665 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Sociedade Brasileira de Entomologia |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista Brasileira de Entomologia |
| spelling | doaj-art-0729f2a8f0324dceae24cf787b4898892025-02-04T07:38:08ZengSociedade Brasileira de EntomologiaRevista Brasileira de Entomologia1806-96652025-01-0169110.1590/1806-9665-rbent-2024-0081Drill on drill: adaptive oviposition strategies of Sycophila and Physothorax wasps on Ficus citrifoliaLeví Oliveira Barroshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8491-041XSergio Jansen-Gonzálezhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4224-0689Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo Pereirahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7736-4211ABSTRACT Understanding tri-trophic interactions and the relationship among plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies is fundamental to advancing theoretical and practical ecology. Parasitoidism is among those interactions where tri-trophic levels are usually developed, with hyperparasitism and kleptoparasitism as examples. This study explores the interaction between fig wasps of the genera Physothorax Mayr, 1885 and Sycophila Walker, 1871 (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) and the gall midge Ficiomyia brasiliensis Urso-Guimarães, 2024 (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) associated with Ficus citrifolia Mill. in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Through behavioral observations and larval dissections we document the “drill on drill” strategy where Sycophila females utilize oviposition holes drilled by Physothorax females on the fig surface to access the host gall midge immatures. This behavior suggests a sophisticated adaptation for reducing oviposition time and conserving energy. Additionally, Sycophila behavior aligns with kleptoparasitic and hyperparasitic strategies, indicating a complex evolutionary history and ecological interaction. Our findings provide insight into the intricate relationships among non-pollinating fig wasps and their hosts, contributing to the broader understanding of tri-trophic interactions in fig microcosm.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0085-56262025000100201&lng=en&tlng=enEvolutionary ecologyInsect-plant interactionHost-parasite interactionsOviposition behaviorParasitic wasps |
| spellingShingle | Leví Oliveira Barros Sergio Jansen-González Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo Pereira Drill on drill: adaptive oviposition strategies of Sycophila and Physothorax wasps on Ficus citrifolia Revista Brasileira de Entomologia Evolutionary ecology Insect-plant interaction Host-parasite interactions Oviposition behavior Parasitic wasps |
| title | Drill on drill: adaptive oviposition strategies of Sycophila and Physothorax wasps on Ficus citrifolia |
| title_full | Drill on drill: adaptive oviposition strategies of Sycophila and Physothorax wasps on Ficus citrifolia |
| title_fullStr | Drill on drill: adaptive oviposition strategies of Sycophila and Physothorax wasps on Ficus citrifolia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Drill on drill: adaptive oviposition strategies of Sycophila and Physothorax wasps on Ficus citrifolia |
| title_short | Drill on drill: adaptive oviposition strategies of Sycophila and Physothorax wasps on Ficus citrifolia |
| title_sort | drill on drill adaptive oviposition strategies of sycophila and physothorax wasps on ficus citrifolia |
| topic | Evolutionary ecology Insect-plant interaction Host-parasite interactions Oviposition behavior Parasitic wasps |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0085-56262025000100201&lng=en&tlng=en |
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