Age-Dependent Constraints of Sex Allocation in a Parasitoid Wasp
The offspring sex ratios of parasitoid wasps often depend on the age of ovipositing females. Physiological constraints such as sperm depletion and senescence are a likely cause. Also, maternal control in response to female age may be an alternative explanation. Here valvifer or abdominal tip movemen...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2014-01-01
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| Series: | Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/363174 |
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| author | Takatoshi Ueno |
| author_facet | Takatoshi Ueno |
| author_sort | Takatoshi Ueno |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The offspring sex ratios of parasitoid wasps often depend on the age of ovipositing females. Physiological constraints such as sperm depletion and senescence are a likely cause. Also, maternal control in response to female age may be an alternative explanation. Here valvifer or abdominal tip movements were used to assess whether age-dependent sex ratio was due to physiological constraints or maternal control with an ichneumonid wasp, Pimpla nipponica; the offspring sex ratio at the time of wasp emergence was compared with the sex ratio predicted from abdominal tip movements. When the female was relatively young, there was little difference between the sex ratios examined. However, as the age of the females increased, the realized offspring sex ratio at wasp emergence was more male-biased than the sex ratio predicted at the time of oviposition. Thus, there was an inconsistency between the sex ratios. Curiously, the predictions of continuous movements for male egg deposition were always perfect, regardless of maternal age; fertilization control failure was detected when the females had decided to lay female eggs. Thus, physiological constraints are a likely explanation for the inconsistency in relation to female age for P. nipponica. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-df8ad19b870a4a7c9ede1421c23f6607 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0033-2615 1687-7438 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| spelling | doaj-art-df8ad19b870a4a7c9ede1421c23f66072025-02-03T01:23:33ZengWileyPsyche: A Journal of Entomology0033-26151687-74382014-01-01201410.1155/2014/363174363174Age-Dependent Constraints of Sex Allocation in a Parasitoid WaspTakatoshi Ueno0Institute of Biological Control, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, JapanThe offspring sex ratios of parasitoid wasps often depend on the age of ovipositing females. Physiological constraints such as sperm depletion and senescence are a likely cause. Also, maternal control in response to female age may be an alternative explanation. Here valvifer or abdominal tip movements were used to assess whether age-dependent sex ratio was due to physiological constraints or maternal control with an ichneumonid wasp, Pimpla nipponica; the offspring sex ratio at the time of wasp emergence was compared with the sex ratio predicted from abdominal tip movements. When the female was relatively young, there was little difference between the sex ratios examined. However, as the age of the females increased, the realized offspring sex ratio at wasp emergence was more male-biased than the sex ratio predicted at the time of oviposition. Thus, there was an inconsistency between the sex ratios. Curiously, the predictions of continuous movements for male egg deposition were always perfect, regardless of maternal age; fertilization control failure was detected when the females had decided to lay female eggs. Thus, physiological constraints are a likely explanation for the inconsistency in relation to female age for P. nipponica.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/363174 |
| spellingShingle | Takatoshi Ueno Age-Dependent Constraints of Sex Allocation in a Parasitoid Wasp Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| title | Age-Dependent Constraints of Sex Allocation in a Parasitoid Wasp |
| title_full | Age-Dependent Constraints of Sex Allocation in a Parasitoid Wasp |
| title_fullStr | Age-Dependent Constraints of Sex Allocation in a Parasitoid Wasp |
| title_full_unstemmed | Age-Dependent Constraints of Sex Allocation in a Parasitoid Wasp |
| title_short | Age-Dependent Constraints of Sex Allocation in a Parasitoid Wasp |
| title_sort | age dependent constraints of sex allocation in a parasitoid wasp |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/363174 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT takatoshiueno agedependentconstraintsofsexallocationinaparasitoidwasp |