First record of the parasitoid wasp Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae) associated with spider eggs-sac of Araneus vincibilis (Araneae: Araneidae) in Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

<jats:p>Abstract Lymeon Förster, 1869 is a very large genus of the Cryptinae (Ichneumonidae) with predominantly Neotropical distribution where females attack small cocoons of various groups of insects and spider eggs-sac. In the present study, we report the first record the interaction between the parasitoid wasp Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae), with eggs-sac of spider Araneus vincibilis (Araneidae) in Northeastern Brazil. We observed that although the female of A. vincibilis cares for the eggs that were attacked by Lymeon sp, the wasp larva consumed about 80% of spider eggs, indicating that both maternal care and the physical barrier offered by the eggs-sac may not provide absolute defense against predators.</jats:p>

Egg sac construction and camouflage behaviors of Deinopis cf. cylindracea (Araneae: Deinopidae)

“…Barrantes et al (2014) recorded pupae of an unknown egg predator within the egg sac of Deinopis sp. In other species of spiders, predation of up to 100% of eggs by wasps of the subfamily Cryptinae (Ichneumonidae), regardless of maternal care (Villanueva-Bonilla et al 2016;Sobczak et al 2020), is commonly reported.…”

Hyperparasitoids of polysphinctine Darwin wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in South America

“…Hence, the records verified in this study help to confirm that species of Lymeon can act as hyperparasitoids, with further research needed in order to elucidate how prevalent this natural history may be in the genus. There is also a record for an undetermined species of Lymeon attacking egg sacs of the spider Araneus vincibilis (Keyserling, 1893) (Araneidae) (Sobczak et al 2020). In that study, five wasps emerged from a spider egg sac, and they collectively consumed about 80% of the eggs in the sac.…”

“…There is also a record for an undetermined species of Lymeon attacking egg sacs of the spider Araneus vincibilis (Keyserling, 1893) (Araneidae) (Sobczak et al . 2020). In that study, five wasps emerged from a spider egg sac, and they collectively consumed about 80% of the eggs in the sac.…”

“…The reared specimens are similar in colour pattern to the species recorded by Sobczak et al . (2020) attacking Araneus vincibilis . If confirmed, this would indicate that the species can act both as a primary egg parasitoid/predator upon the spiders and as a hyperparasitoid, thus displaying an impressive degree of ecological flexibility.…”