Multiparasitism enables a specialist endoparasitoid to complete parasitism in an unsuitable host caterpillar
Abstract Parasitoid wasps serve as natural enemies of numerous insect species; therefore, knowledge of host-parasitoid interactions is fundamental for understanding ecosystems. Each endoparasitoid wasp taxon exhibits a specific host range. Female parasitoids, however, occasionally oviposit into non-...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91403-3 |
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| author | Kazumu Kuramitsu Yooichi Kainoh Kotaro Konno |
| author_facet | Kazumu Kuramitsu Yooichi Kainoh Kotaro Konno |
| author_sort | Kazumu Kuramitsu |
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| description | Abstract Parasitoid wasps serve as natural enemies of numerous insect species; therefore, knowledge of host-parasitoid interactions is fundamental for understanding ecosystems. Each endoparasitoid wasp taxon exhibits a specific host range. Female parasitoids, however, occasionally oviposit into non-host species. Since the survival probability of eggs in non-host species is virtually zero, these behaviors have long been considered maladaptive. However, in the present study, we found that eggs of a specialist parasitoid, Cotesia kariyai (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), oviposited in unsuitable host caterpillars, Mythimna loreyi (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), successfully complete larval development in the non-host when these caterpillars are simultaneously oviposited by another naturally sympatric parasitoid wasp, Meteorus pulchricornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), for which My. loreyi is the usual host. This observation suggests that the seemingly maladaptive behavior of ovipositing in unsuitable host insects can be adaptive, allowing them to maintain reproductive potential in environments where their ordinary hosts are absent. We propose a new term, “pirate parasitism”, for this type of obligatory multiparasitism. Understanding detailed mechanisms of this phenomenon may provide deeper insights into parasitoid-host dynamics and evolution of host use strategies by parasitoids. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0bc823d6891c4df1a5b46b0c18a7f824 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-0bc823d6891c4df1a5b46b0c18a7f8242025-08-20T02:56:08ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-91403-3Multiparasitism enables a specialist endoparasitoid to complete parasitism in an unsuitable host caterpillarKazumu Kuramitsu0Yooichi Kainoh1Kotaro Konno2Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of TsukubaFaculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of TsukubaInstitute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO)Abstract Parasitoid wasps serve as natural enemies of numerous insect species; therefore, knowledge of host-parasitoid interactions is fundamental for understanding ecosystems. Each endoparasitoid wasp taxon exhibits a specific host range. Female parasitoids, however, occasionally oviposit into non-host species. Since the survival probability of eggs in non-host species is virtually zero, these behaviors have long been considered maladaptive. However, in the present study, we found that eggs of a specialist parasitoid, Cotesia kariyai (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), oviposited in unsuitable host caterpillars, Mythimna loreyi (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), successfully complete larval development in the non-host when these caterpillars are simultaneously oviposited by another naturally sympatric parasitoid wasp, Meteorus pulchricornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), for which My. loreyi is the usual host. This observation suggests that the seemingly maladaptive behavior of ovipositing in unsuitable host insects can be adaptive, allowing them to maintain reproductive potential in environments where their ordinary hosts are absent. We propose a new term, “pirate parasitism”, for this type of obligatory multiparasitism. Understanding detailed mechanisms of this phenomenon may provide deeper insights into parasitoid-host dynamics and evolution of host use strategies by parasitoids.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91403-3KleptoparasitismPirate parasitismCotesia kariyaiMeteorus pulchricornisMultiparasitismMythimna loreyi |
| spellingShingle | Kazumu Kuramitsu Yooichi Kainoh Kotaro Konno Multiparasitism enables a specialist endoparasitoid to complete parasitism in an unsuitable host caterpillar Scientific Reports Kleptoparasitism Pirate parasitism Cotesia kariyai Meteorus pulchricornis Multiparasitism Mythimna loreyi |
| title | Multiparasitism enables a specialist endoparasitoid to complete parasitism in an unsuitable host caterpillar |
| title_full | Multiparasitism enables a specialist endoparasitoid to complete parasitism in an unsuitable host caterpillar |
| title_fullStr | Multiparasitism enables a specialist endoparasitoid to complete parasitism in an unsuitable host caterpillar |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multiparasitism enables a specialist endoparasitoid to complete parasitism in an unsuitable host caterpillar |
| title_short | Multiparasitism enables a specialist endoparasitoid to complete parasitism in an unsuitable host caterpillar |
| title_sort | multiparasitism enables a specialist endoparasitoid to complete parasitism in an unsuitable host caterpillar |
| topic | Kleptoparasitism Pirate parasitism Cotesia kariyai Meteorus pulchricornis Multiparasitism Mythimna loreyi |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91403-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kazumukuramitsu multiparasitismenablesaspecialistendoparasitoidtocompleteparasitisminanunsuitablehostcaterpillar AT yooichikainoh multiparasitismenablesaspecialistendoparasitoidtocompleteparasitisminanunsuitablehostcaterpillar AT kotarokonno multiparasitismenablesaspecialistendoparasitoidtocompleteparasitisminanunsuitablehostcaterpillar |