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TCOURTSHIP BEHAVIOR of a POLYPHAGOUS PARASITOID WASP Sarah R

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TCOURTSHIP BEHAVIOR of a POLYPHAGOUS PARASITOID WASP Sarah R TCOURTSHIP BEHAVIOR OF A POLYPHAGOUS PARASITOID WASP Sarah R. Parry 1, Jun Abe 2, and Jorge M. Gonzalez 1 1Department of Plant Science, California State University, Fresno, CA, USA. 2Department of Biology, Kanagawa University, Kanagawa 259-1293, Japan. ABSTRACT: The courtship behavior of the polyphagous wasp Melittobia Melittobia species are also recognized for having a complex courtship that RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: australica (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was observed, studied and compared involves repetitive and rhythmic movements of the male legs, antennae and M. hawaiiensis • After morphological comparisons of heads, antennae, and legs of males and with a similar species we have identified as , a cryptic member of wings (figs 12 – 13). The timing of the courtship and some of the movements females of M. australica and M. hawaiiensis , we could not find clear its own "species-group." Melittobia is a genus of ectoparasitoid wasps that involved are species-specific and can be clearly used to recognize the different differences except for the number and location of certain setae in the male commonly attacks pollinating bees, as well as other hymenopterans and even species (González et al. 1996; González & Matthews 2005). scapes (Figure 14). some dipterans. Scanning Electron Microscope pictures of both species under Since the two species under scrutiny are cryptic and highly similar study were taken with the purpose of establishing possible morphological morphologically, a study of the courtship of both of them was undertaken. differences among them. Since both species are so similar morphologically, a study of their courtship was planned. All species in the genus exhibit a complex courtship. Each species displays unique behaviors during courtship in such a way that they can be used to separate cryptic species. Even though the courtship of M. australica is known, not much detail is recognized for the morphologically similar M. hawaiiensis . Cultures of M. australica and the species we suspect is M. hawaiiensis were kept in an incubator at 25 °C. Female pupae were extracted from wasps cultures. Once emerged, virgin Fig. 12. Couple of Melittobia wasp during courtship. Male on top. Fig. 13. Sequence of courtship females between 24 to 48 hours old were coupled with experienced males (2-5 movements done by Melittobia wasps. Left: male rubbing the female antenna. Center: Male is Figs. 14 . Antennal scape of male M. australica . Fig. 15. Antennal scape of male M. days old) extracted from cultures. Fifty courtships per species were recorded “kicking” its legs and releasing the female antennae. Right: male “backs up” to copulate, hawaiiensis . The red circles in the pictures illustrate the differences in setae numbers and female expose the vulva. with a digital microscope-video camera. Results show that there are behavioral location for both species. differences in the two species during courtship. • Courtship rituals observed in Melittobia australica and suspected M. METHODOLOGY: hawaiiensis are highly elaborate and intricate, as expected from species of the genus. INTRODUCTION: Melittobia parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) are Laboratory stock cultures of Melittobia australica and the suspected M. • Melittobia australica males use their hind legs during courtship as previously small (1 mm) gregarious idiobionts that parasitize many species of pollinating hawaiiensis were started with individuals reared from field-parasitized nests of stated and corroborated by other authors (González et al. 1996), however M. bees, as well as wasps (Hymenoptera) (Fig. 1), and even some flies (Diptera). bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Muddaubers (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). The hawaiiensis males use both mid and hind legs sequentially during courtship. All species are sexually dimorphic (Figs. 2-3). They are cosmopolitan and 12 parasitoids were maintained in continuous culture at 25 °C and 75% RH on the This marks a clear behavioral difference between both species. species have been described worldwide (Dahms 1984). Nine of them are factitious host Sarcophaga bullata (Sarcophagidae). • Even though there is no significant difference between M. australica and M. present in North America, and (M. australica and M. hawaiiensis ) are known to Pupae of macropterous (Long Winged) females to be used in courtship trials were hawaiiensis in courtship time (Table 1), there is a tendency of expending a belong to the same “species-group” (species that share similar traits or closely collected and separated in gelatin capsules until adults emerged. Experienced longer time in the case of M. australica . Copulation time is slightly longer in M. related behaviors) (Assem 1982; Dahms 1984). males 1-5 days old were taken directly from the cultures. australica (Table 1) Each male-female pair was placed in a deep well slide (8 mm diameter, 3 mm • Evidence indicates that there are certain morphological and behavioral (in depth), capped with a glass cover slip, and illuminated with a fiber optic lamp. courtship) differences between both species of Melittobia studied. Interactions were observed at ambient temperatures (24 °C ± 1°C) and were • Presently, we are in the process of studying other behavioral aspects, as well recorded with a 2.5 Megapixel HD microscope camera Leica MC120 HD. Data on as crossbreeding, and DNA of both studied species, to finally corroborate that pairing outcomes and durations of selected courtship components were they are indeed different. subsequently transcribed from the video recordings (Table 1). Fifty pairings were ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Funding for this study was provided by the California State recorded for every species. Individual males were used for 1-5 successive University, Fresno (CSUF) Provost’s Undergraduate Research Grant (Study of the Fig. 1. Honey bee prepupae covered with Larvae of the ectpoparasitoid Melittobia . Fig. 2: Male of pairings; because females mate only once, every trial used a different female. Melittobia australica . Fig. 3: Female of M. australica . Courtship Behavior of Polyphagous Parasitoid Wasps) to Sarah Parry, and the CSUF Species Complete Leg # Leg Liftings Cease Copulation Agricultural Research Initiative seed Grant (study of chemically mediated behaviors of Morphologically, both M. australica and M. hawaiiensis are very similar (Figs. 4 courtship Liftings /Minute Movement to time (s) bee associated polyphagous parasitoid wasps) of professor Jorge M. González. We are – 11). time (s) copulation (s) grateful to Drs. Ulrike Muller and Dr. Otto Berg (Biology Dept., Fresno State) for allowing us the use of their laboratory and equipment. To Yositaka Kamimura (Keio Univ.) for his help in earlier stages of this research. Thanks also to Marlene Miyasaki (Dept. Plant M. 747.78 ± Mid legs 3.69 ± 0.37 5.37 ± 4.88 12.87 ± 3.72 Science, Fresno State) for her unconditional help at various stages of this investigation. 247.35 australica REFERENCES: Mid legs 5.66 ± 1.46 Assem, J. van den, H. A. J. in Den Bosch, & E. Prooy. 1982. Melittobia courtship M. 494.16 ± & 5.33 ± 2.13 10.13 ± 3.02 behavior: A comparative study of the evolution of a display. Netherlands 160.97 hawaiiensis Hind legs 18.93 ± 10.10 Journal of Zoology 32: 427-471. Dahms, E. C. 1984. Revision of the genus Melittobia (Chalcidoidea; Eulophidae) with the description of seven new species. Memoirs of the Queensland M. digitata* 79.6 ± 50.2 Hind legs 39.5 ± 7.5 6.6 ± 2.5 5.0 ± 1.4 Museum 21: 271-336. González, J.M. & R.W. Matthews. 2005. Courtship of the two female morphs of Melittobia digitata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Florida Entomologist 88(3): Table 1. Frequency and duration of some activities during the courtship of three species of Fig. 4 – 11. Scanning Electron Microscope pictures of some parts of females and males of M. australica 258 – 267. Melittobia . Results for M. australica and M. hawaiiensis were obtained during courtship trials (Fig. 4: Female head; Fig. 5: Female antenna; Fig 6: Male middle leg; Fig 7: Male scape) and M. González, J. M., R. W. Matthews, & J. B. Terán. 1996. CorteJo en las avispas in this study. Results from M. digitata are from González & Matthews (2005) and used for hawaiiensis . ( Fig. 8: Female antenna; Fig. 9: Female head; Fig 10: Male scape; Fig. 11: Male middle leg) parasitoides Melittobia acasta y Melittobia australica (Hymenoptera: showing morphological similarities. comparison purposes. Eulophidae). Revista de Biologia Tropical 44: 687-692..
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