Superparasitism and host size effects in Oomyzus sokolowskii, a parasitoid of diamondback moth

Many aspects of a parasitoid's biology may be affected by its host. Host size, for example, could affect parasitoid fitness, especially in gregarious parasitoids, in which the resource is used by multiple siblings. Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gregarious larval...

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Published in:Entomologia experimentalis et applicata 2009-10, Vol.133 (1), p.65-73
Main Authors: Silva-Torres, Christian S.A, Ramos Filho, Izeudo T, Torres, Jorge B, Barros, Reginaldo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
Biological control
Control
Eulophidae
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
gregarious parasitoid
host quality
Hymenoptera
intraspecific competition
Lepidoptera
Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection
Plutella xylostella
Plutellidae
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Protozoa. Invertebrates
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Summary:Many aspects of a parasitoid's biology may be affected by its host. Host size, for example, could affect parasitoid fitness, especially in gregarious parasitoids, in which the resource is used by multiple siblings. Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gregarious larval-pupal endoparasitoid of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), a major pest of crucifers worldwide, and is able to superparasitize the host. This study focuses on the hypothesis that because resource availability is higher in larger hosts, parasitoids developing in larger hosts will fare better. However, superparasitized hosts are expected to yield larger numbers of parasitoid offspring of smaller body size. Results showed that superparasitism increased the number of parasitoid offspring produced per host and increased offspring longevity, but decreased offspring body size. However, developmental time and sex ratio of parasitoid offspring was similar among hosts parasitized once, twice, or three times. Regardless of superparasitism, parasitoids emerging from larger hosts that were fed honey solution lived longer than similarly fed progeny from smaller hosts (36.4 vs. 22.1 days). The results partially support the hypothesis that Oomyzus gained fitness from an increase in host size; moreover, superparasitism seems advantageous for Oomyzus due to increased offspring numbers and longevity.
ISSN:0013-8703
1570-7458
DOI:10.1111/j.1570-7458.2009.00903.x