Rev. Biol. Trop. 36 (2B): 441-446, 1988.

Ficus microcarpa L., F. benjamina L. and other introduced in the New World, their pollinators () and other tig wasps

William Ramírez B. Escuela de Fitotecnia, Universidad de Costa Rica. Costa Rica, América Central. Jorge Montero S. Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica. Costa Rica, América Central.

(Rec. 25-11-88. Acep. 22-VI-88)

Abstract: The invasion of the Old World t1g F. mieroearpa L. (section Conosyeea) in U.S.A., Mexico and Central America by its Old World pollinator Parapristina vertieillata is reported. Because of the size of the seedlings growing naturally in Florida, Honduras, and the State of Morelos, Mexico, and the fact that no seedlings were found in other parts of Mexico and El Salvador, we postulate that P. vertieillata probably arrived to those areas within the last five years. It is probable that P. vertieillata will move south invading a11 the tropical and subtropical countries where 1': microcarpa is abundantly planted. Walkerella, a non­ pollinating wasp was also found in Brazil and Florida inhabiting the syconia of F. microearpa. The syconia of Old World F. benjamina L. (section Conosycea) in Costa Rica, were found pollinated by the New World Pegoscapus tristani. the pollinator of F. padifolia H.B.K. (section Americana). The syconia of Old World F. religiosa L. (section Urostigma) in Miami, Florida, were found to be pollinated by the symbiotic agaonid of the native F. aurea Nutt. Hybrid seedings were found growing natura11y. Species of Fieus which evolved in different geographic areas, such as islands or continents could also evolve equally or similarly attracting synomones, which can confuse foreing agaonids and other sycophilous wasps when a species of fig is introduced.

Invasion of Old World species of in not and not juicy (for F. microcarpa see Galil native regions and Copland 1981). F. benjamina and F. microcarpa are Old World Urostigma banyanfigs Introduced species of Ficus do not set which beIong to section Conosycea (Comer seed until their specific pollinators (the Agao­ 1965). F. microcarpa grows naturally in nidae) are al50 introduced; for a review of Ceylon, India, Southem China, Ryu Kyu and Ficus transport see Ramírez (1970). eastward throughout South-East Asia and F. benjamina, F. microcarpa and F. reli­ Malaysia to New Britain, Australia, Carolina giosa are widely cultivated as omamentals Islands, Cocos, and Chrlstmas Island (Indian in many cities and parks in Old and New Ocean) (Comer 1965). F. microcarpa has World tropical and subtropical countries. often been wrongly named F. retusa L. or These species are ideal omamentals because F. nitida Thunb (Comer 1965). The pollinator of their height, impressive crown and leaves of F. microcarpa in Asia and Australasia is which usually drop gradually rather than Parapristina verit.cillata (Waterston 1921). F. synchronously, as in many other species of benjamina grows naturallyin India and Southem Ficus. As the native pollinators were not China throughout Malaysia to Solomon IsIand, introduced with the trees, the syconia, although North Australia (Arhem Land Queesland) abundant, drop to the ground while small (Comer 1965). F. benjamina is pollinated by

441 442 REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA TROPICAL

Eupristina adempta (Wiebes 1966). F. religiosa b), revealed the presenee of non-polleniferous is native in sub-Himalayan forest from Walkerella wasps with wingless males (Wiebes, Rawlpingi to Yunnan, Coehinehina to North Rijmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden; Thailand (Corner 1965). It belongs to seetion pers. eom.). The invasion of F. microcarpa Urostigrna and is pollinated by Platiscapa by Walkerella seems to be a recent phenomenon quadraticeps (Wiebes 1986). dating baek about five to 10sears. Stange and Knight (1987) report that two On August 24, 1985, Ramírez observed foreign fig-pollinating wasps have beeome in downtown Cuernavaea, Morelos, Mexieo a

established in Florida in the past few years small . F. microcarpa tree (planted in a pot) on exotie figs. P. verticillata has been found whieh had ripe, purple, juiey syeonia (Fig. 2). in F. microcarpa and also in the native fig A elose examination of the fruits revealed the F. aurea Nutt. E. masoni Saunders (1882) presenee of small tunnels bored through their oeeurs in the Asian fig F. benghalensis (seetion ostiola, whieh indieate that sorne kind of Conosycea) P. verticillata was sueeessfully syeophllous wasp was stimulating the matu­ introdueed into Hawaii in 1921 (Condit 1969) ration of the syeonia. Mieroseopie examination and was eolleeted frrst in the Miami area in of other fruits in the early D. phase showed Mareh, 1986 in seeded syeonia of F. microcar­ ripe syeonia with developing agaonids inside. pa. It is also knownfrom Bermuda on F. micro­ On the same day, a small seeding of F. micro­ carpa. Stange and Knight (1987) assumed that carpa about 20 ems. high (Fig. 3) was found sinee many F. microcarpa trees are imported growing among sorne roeks on a wall of a hotel from Hawaii, it is probable that this was the in Cuernavaea, Mexieo. mode of introduetion of P. verticillata into The agaonid was later identified both by Florida. Ramírez and J. T. Wiebes as Parapristina Stange and Knight (1987) also mentíon verticillata, the native pollinator of F. micro­ the presenee in Florida of the eeeidogenous carpa in the Old World. Walkerella yashiroi (Ishii) and Odonto­ During a seeond trip to Cuernavaea in froggatia sp. (pteromalidae) in figs of F. micro­ 1985, Ramírez found P. verticillata normally carpa. H. Anderson (Ent. Dept. Univ. of Cali­ developing in the syeonia of F. microcarpa fornia) informed Ramírez about the deve­ and many small seedings (less than 20 ems tall) lopment of the syeonia of F. rubginosa Desf, growing among roeks and walls of the gardens in California in assoeiation with the normal of an Hotel (Fig. 3). development of an agaonid, probably Pleisto­ Other loeations in Mexieo (Tonatieo, Ixta­ dontes imperialis (Saunders 1882). F. rubi­ pan de la Sal and Atlixeo in the states of Mexi­ ginosa and its pollinator P. imperialis were eo and Puebla, Aeapuleo, la Y-griega in Guerre­ introdueed into Hawaii early during tbis ro, and in Zinapeeuaro, Miehoaean) had tree eentury (Pemberton 1921), Galil and Eisi­ figs with agaonid inhabited syeonia but n o kowiteh (1968a) inform about Platyscapa seedlings were found. Beeause of the size of the quadraticeps in Israel normally developing seedlings from Cuernavaea, it seems that the in the syeonia of F. religiosa Both, the wasp arrival of P. verticillata to this plaee in Mexieo and the host are not native to Israel*. may have oeeurred less than five years ago. All Parapristina wasps observed seemed to Introdueed fig wasps in Mexieo, Central and develop normally in the syeonia of F. microcar­ South America: pa. Usually on1y one pollinating wasp (no more than three) penetrated the female phase (B During 1984, Ramírez observed ripe and phase). Syeonia observed in Mexieo fmished almost blaek syeonia in F. microcarpa in development in about 54 days. Frugivorous Río de Janeiro (Fig. 1), Sau Paulo and Viyosa, bats visíted and eolleeted the ripe syeonia, Brazil. A close examination of almost ripe although birds also ate the syeonia during syeonia in D-phase (for developmental phases day time. of syeonia; see Galil and Eisikowiteh, 1968 During January 1986, P. verticillata was also found in every adult fig tree of F. micro­ * RamÍrez and Galll found, for the rust time in carpa in downtown San Salvador, and in the Nov. 1988, P. verticillata developing in the syconiA of F. microcarpa in downtown Tel-Aviv. Small surroundings. Females were observed penetrat­ seedling (less than 20 mm tali) were found in a ing and developing in the most populated and greenhouse polluted areas of the eity. Nevertheless, no RAMIREZ & MONTERO: Introduced Ficus, pollinators and other wasps 443

Fig. 1. Left: Branch of Ficus microcarpa without developing Walkerella sp. Right: Branch with parthenocarpic ripe syconia (large fruits) where Walkerella sp. is developing. Ribeirao Preto, S. Paulo, Brazil. Fig. 2. Branch of Ficus microcarpa wíth two normal ripe syconia (dark-colored fruits) where Parapristina vertici­ Ilata developed. Key Vaca, Florida. Fig. 3. Naturally growing seedling of Ficus microcarpa in Mexico. The seedling was about two years old and measured aproximately 29 cm. Hg. 4. Branch of F. benjamina with two pollinated ripe syconia (large fruits) which were penetrated by the agaonid symbiont of F. padifolia HBK. in San José, Costa Rica. Fig. 5. Seedlíng of F. microcarpa, the seeds were obtained from rípe syconia pollinated by P. verticillata in Cuerna­ vaca, Mexico. 444 REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA TROPICAL

seedings were found growing naturally. A visit interfloral phase of the pollinated syconia in to Honduras (Feb. 1986) revealed the presence a tree was found to be 58 days. of P. verticillata developing in syconia of Wiebes (1982) considers that the pollinators F. microcarpa in downtown Tegucigalpa. of the Old World section Conosycea figs to Seedlings about the same age and size as which F. benjamina and F. microcarpa belong, those found in Cuernavaca, Mexico, were section Stilpnohyllum and the New World also found growing in cr8ks of walls in section Americana (to which F. padifolía dowtown Tegucigalpa. Seeds obtained from belongs) have coalesced male thoracic sclerites. syconia in Mexico germinated in a high per­ Rarnírez (1977) located the agaonids of the centage when planted in unsterilized soll three fig sections mentioned on a common (Fig. 5). branch of his cladogram. Wiebes (1963) Because of the size of the seedlings inMexi­ considers Eupristina (with which Parapristi­ co (Fig. 3) and Honduras, it is difficult to na was formerly included) to be the Asian guess in which are P. verticillata fust arrived, analogue of American Julíanella (a subgenus but its arrival certainIy was within the last of Pegoscapus). This resemblance makes one five to ten years. It is possible that the Mexican suspect that the pollinators of the three fig Parapristina arrived from Florida, Marcelo D. sections Ficus mentioned may be related. Vázquez A. (Instituto Botánico Darwinion, Since the Agaonidae usually Uve less than Argentina) informed Rarnírez about the three days as adults, it is probable that the high presence of P. verticillata developing in F. ratio of introductionand distribution of Agaoni­ microcarpa in Colombia. dae wasps into new areas is associated with the era of the fast-flyingairplanes.

Agonidae in the introduced F. benjamina in Why do agaonids and other fig wasps penetrate Costa Rica and search syconia of other species of figs which are not their own host? At the same that P. verticillata was found pollinating F. microcarpa in Mexico, El Salva­ There are only a few reports about agaonids dor and Honduras (1985-86), one of us (Monte­ penetrating and pollinating species of figs which ro) found a Costa Rican agaonid penetrating are not their normal host (Ramírez 1970, ths syconia of the Old World F. benjamina 1986, Stange and Knight 1987). According in the campus of the Universidad de Costa to Ramírez (1970) the evolution of mechanical Rica. and chemical barriers (specific allomones) The agonid pollinating F. benjamina in by different isolated populations of figs and Costa Rica was tentatively identified as Pegos­ the evolution of morphological and physiolo­ capus tristani (Grandi 1919), a pol1inator of gical characters by their symbiotic pollinators F. padifolia HBK, a fig that grows on the may have contributed to the extensive university campus and is very abundant in speciation of Ficus and Agonidae and the the Central Valley where the university is evolution of specific pollinators in Ficus. located. P. tristani pollinated most of the Janzen (1979) suggests that each species of female florest of F. benjamina and probably Ficus seems to have a specific odor which oviposited in some of them. When the rype attracts on1y one specific pollinator. He also syconia were opened (phase D), it was found hypothesizes that the fig tree produces the that on1y the long-styled florets set seeds. species-specific synomone at the time the fig Fifty short (galls) and long-styled (female) crop comes to receptive age (female phase) florets were planted separately in two Petri and that the parasitoids respond to it as do the dishes with normal soll. On1y the long-styled pollinating agaonids. Nevertheless, he did florets germinated, and gave origin to hybrid not consider that each species of Ficus has seedlings (probably F. banjamina X F. padifo­ many primary and secondary sycophilous lía). In F. benjamina in Costa Rica, partial wasps and that not all arrive when the syconia fertilization of the long-styled female flowers are receptive for the Agaonidae. is produced by P. tristani and the syconia In the New World species of Ficus the non­ reach normal maturation (phase D) without the cecidogenous /dames wasps (subfamily Syco­ development of the strange agaonid. The phaginae: Torymidae) usually appear at the RAMIREZ & MONTERO: Introduced Ficus, pollinators and other wasps 445 same time or before the pollínators arrive at presence of introduced wasps (agaonids and the receptive syconia or slightly latero These other primary sycophilous chalcidoids) long-ocipositor parasitic wasps are very specific stimulates the production of soft and juicy to their hosts at the species and subgeneric syconia which accumulate in large numbers (Gordh 1975). under the trees and on sidewalks, making We observed that in a F benjamina tree in these areas slippery and dangerous for walking: Costa Rica the pollinator P. tristani as well the frugivorous bats and birds feeding on the as its parasitoid ldarnes, were attracted at the ripe syconia, splatter theír droppings onto same time to two branches with receptive sidewalks, cards and buildings causing damages syconia. Most, if not aH, the syconia of two to the paint and structures; 4) finally, the high receptive branches, were penetrated by the population of fig wasps produced in towns pollinating agaonids the same day, and their where their host grow make them accidentally attractiveness ceased completely after pollí­ enter into the eyes of people, causing bad nation occurred as normally happens to other itching and pain. species of figs. !ti is probable that the REFERENCES cleptoparasitic torymids and the pteromalids fig wasps (subfamily Sycoryctinae) are also Condit, 1. J. 1969. Ficus: the exotic species. Univ. attracted to the syconía by thesame synomones Calif. Div. Agr. Se. Berkeley, 363 p. that attract the agaonid pollinators. 1. The attracting allomones of Ficus may be Comer, E. H. 1965. Cheek-list of Ficus in Australa­ produced by fue white receptive stigmata sia with keys to identifieation. Gdn's bul!. Singa­ pore 21: 1-86. of the female fiorets which wilt and become brownish after poHination and that fertilization Galil, J. & J. W. Copland. 1981. Odontofroggatia and, or oviposition; may cut the production galili. Wiebes in Israel a primary figs wasp of of the attracting synomones (se e Pemberton Ficus microcarpa L. with a unique ovipositor meehanism (Epichrysomallinae, Chalcidoidea). Proc. 1921). K. Med. Akad Wet 84: 183-195. F religiosa, an Old World species, is also producing seeds which normally germinate Janzen, D. 1979. How to be a fig. Ann. Rev. Eco!. and develop in Miami, while F septica is Syst. 10: 13-51. penetrated by P. assuetus, the pollínator of Galil, J. & D. Eisikowiteh. 1968a. On the pollination F aurea (Knight pers. com.). Ramírez also ecology of Ficus religiosa L. in Israel. Phytomor­ observed the same phenomenon in Miami, phology 18: 356-362. Florida, during 1987. The pollinator of F reli­ & giosa in Florida was identified by Ramírez Galil, J. D. Eisikowitch 1968b. Flowering cycles and fruit types of Fícus sycomorus L. New Phytol. as the symbiont of F aurea Nutt. Hybrid 67: 745-756. sl�ed1il1gs about 75 cm tall were found growing natural1y. Gordh, G. 1975. The comparative externa! morpho­ logy ans systematies of the neotropical parasitic figs genus Idarnes : Torymidae, Consequences of the iníroduction of foreign Univ. Kansan. Sei. Bull. 50: 389-544. species (lf Ficus and its cecidogenous poUinatiol1 and non poHinating wasps: Grandí, G. 1919. Contributo alla conoscenza degli Agaoniní (Hymenoptera-Chacídidae) dell' America The production of viable seeds and pollen Agaonini di Costa Rica. Boll. Lab. Zool!. Portid. by íntroduced specíes of figs once they become 13: 13-56. associated with their own or a native wasp, Pemberton, C. E. 1921. The fig wasp in its relation brings about several consequences: 1) the to development of fertile seeds in the Moreton seedings produced become epíphytes on native Bay fig, Hawaiian Plant Rec. 24: 197-319. trees or man made structures competing with Ramírez, B, W. 1970. Host especificity of fig wasp the figs and other native trees, especially when (Agonidae). Evolution 24: 680-691. the introduced figs are more xerophytic than the native ones; 2) the production of hybrids Ramírez, B. W. 1974. Coevolution of Ficus and between native and introduced figs may upset Agaonidae . Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard 61: 770-760. the native figs gene pools and biology of the Ramírez, B. W. 1977. A new elassifícation of Ficus introduced and native Agaonídae; 3) the Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 64: 269-310. 446 REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA TROPICAL

Ramírez , B. W. 1986. Artificial and self-fertilization Wiebes, J. T. 1966. Provisional host catalog of the in Ficus. Brenesia 25-26: 265-272. fig wasps (Hymenoptera Chalcidoidea). Zool. Verth 83: 1-44. Saunders, S. S. 1882. Error as to fig from Ficus religiosa. Ent. Monthly Mag. 19: 163-164. Wiebes, J. T. 1980. The genus Odontofroggatia Ishü (Hymenoptera Chaicidoidea), Pteromalidae Ephi­ Stange, L. A. & R. J. Knight, Jr. 1987. Fig pollinating chrysomallinae. Zo11. Medes. Leiden 56: 1-6. wasps in Florida Hymenoptera Agaonidae) Florida Dept. Agríe. and Consumer Serv, Entomology Wiebes, J. T. 1982. The phy110geny of the Agaonidae Circular No. 206: 4 p. (Hymenoptera Chaíeidoidea) Netherlands J. Zol1. Medel 32: 395-411. Waterston, J. 1921. On sorne Bornean fig- (Agaonidae-Hymenoptera Chaicidoidea) Bu11. Ent. Wiebes, 1. T. 1986. Agaonidae (Hymenoptera Chalci­ Res. 12: 35-40. doidea) and Ficus (Moraceae) fig wasps and their hosts. Proc. Kon. Ned . Akad. Wetensch 89: Wiebes, 1. T. 1963. Taxonomic and host preferences 335-355. of Indo-Australian fig wasps of the genus Cera­ tosolen (Agaonidae). Tijdschr. Ent. 106: 1-112.