Superparasitism, immune response and optimum progeny yield in the gregarious parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis

Abstract

An optimum number of three clutches laid per host pupa was detected for P. elaeisis. As immune response via haemocyte production, encapsulation and melanisation decreased with the number of clutches laid per host, the higher parasitoid yield and fitness observed is the likely consequence of a compromised immune response coupled with an accommodative (i.e. scramble) larval competitive strategy allowing enough resources for optimum balance of parasitoid number and quality produced. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Reproductive Potential and Biological Characteristics of the Parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Depending on Parasitoid-Host Ratio

“…The small size of the progenies found with 9:1 and 12:1 (parasitoid to host) ratio may also be explained by the lower amount of resources available per host, which limits the parasitoid development. However, Pereira et al (2017) reported insect hosts that already have been parasitized are considered a low quality resource, which may affect the number of ovipositions made by other parasitoids. Because the number of eggs laid affects the host immune response, the offspring survivorship also may be affected.…”

“…Oenocytes and espherulocytes were not affect by the number of parasitoid ovipositions in the host. Superparasitism is a strategy of P. elaeisis for optimal progeny fitness, balancing optimal progeny performance with amelioration of host immune response (Pereira et al 2017).…”

Reproduction of Trichospilus diatraeae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) with Different Densities and Parasitism Periods in Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Pupae

“…The number of parasitoid females used per host is one of the factors that can affect the lifespan of the progeny (CHEN et al 2017). A reduction of egg-adult development time of the parasitoid by increasing the density of females of the natural enemy per host, may be related to factors such as immature competition (PEREIRA et al 2010), and competition between immature, physical combat or physiological suppression (ANDRADE et al 2010;PEREIRA et al 2017). After parasitism, the host becomes the source of food and shelter of the natural enemy (CÔNSOLI & VINSON 2002).…”

“…The use of parasitoid numbers higher than those borne by the host can lead to the rapid reduction of nutritional resources as a consequence of superparasitism and low benefit of host defense (ANDRADE et al 2010). Superparasitism is a peculiar characteristic of parasitoids, defined as the deposition of one or more eggs in a host already parasitized by an insect of the same species (PEREIRA et al 2017) and directly affects the duration of the insect cycle, usually slowing it down (BARBOSA et al 2008).…”

Evolutionary constraints on polyembryony in parasitic wasps: a simulation model

“…This is because monoembryonic females may make mistakes in estimating the final size of the host encountered while deciding how many eggs to lay in it (Godfray 1994). This mis-estimation error, often observed in koinobiont species (Elzinga et al 2005, de S Pereira et al 2017, might lead monoembryonic females to lay non-optimal clutches in attacked hosts. Polyembryonic wasps, on the other hand, have a longer period of developmental interaction with the host (the proliferation phase) that allows them to adjust brood size to host size.…”