Raja, S, Suleman, N, Quinnell, RJ orcid.org/0000-0003-1557-7745 et al. (1 more author) (2015) Interactions between pollinator and non-pollinator fig wasps: correlations between their numbers can be misleading. Entomological Science, 18 (2). pp. 230-236. ISSN 1343-8786
Abstract
Ficus and their species–specific pollinator fig wasps represent an obligate plant–insect mutualism, but figs also support a community of non-pollinating fig wasps (NPFWs) that consist of phytophages and parasitoids or inquilines. We studied interactions between Kradibia tentacularis, the pollinator of a dioecious fig tree species Ficus montana, and an undescribed NPFW Sycoscapter sp. Members of Sycoscapter sp. oviposited 2–4 weeks after pollinator oviposition, when host larvae were present in the figs. No negative correlation was found between the numbers of the two wasp species emerging from figs in a semi-natural population. However, in experiments where the numbers of pollinator foundresses entering a fig were controlled, Sycoscapter sp. significantly reduced the numbers of pollinator offspring. Consequently, it can be concluded that Sycoscapter sp. is a parasitoid of K. tentacularis (which may also feed on plant tissue). Sycoscapter females concentrate their oviposition in figs that contain more potential hosts, rendering invalid conclusions based on simple correlations of host and natural enemy numbers.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2014 The Entomological Society of Japan. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Raja, S., Suleman, N., Quinnell, R. J. and Compton, S. G. (2015), Interactions between pollinator and non-pollinator fig wasps: correlations between their numbers can be misleading. Entomological Science, 18: 230–236. doi: 10.1111/ens.12100, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/ens.12100.This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving. |
Keywords: | Agaonidae; Ficus; inquiline; Kradibia; NPFW; parasitoid; Sycoscapter |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Biological Sciences (Leeds) > School of Biology (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 12 Sep 2017 15:33 |
Last Modified: | 19 Jan 2018 14:45 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/ens.12100 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:115327 |