The importance of valuing resources: host weight and contender age as determinants of parasitoid wasp contest outcomes

Humphries, Emily L.; Hebblethwaite, Alison J.; Batchelor, Tim P.; Hardy, Ian C.W.

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.02.015

Cited by 90 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Otra característica de esta especie es que la hembra permanece junto a la larva parasitada por algún tiempo, lo que ha sido descrito como una forma de protección o cuidado de su progenie, para evitar el multi o superparasitismo como también ha sido sugerido para otros betílidos (Goubault et al, 2006;Hardy y Blackburn, 1991;Petersen y Hardy, 1996;Takasu y Overholt, 1998;Pérez-Lachaud et al, 2004;Humphries et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

Primer registro de Goniozus legneri (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) para Chile

et al. 2007

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Section: Discussionunclassified

Primer registro de Goniozus legneri (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) para Chile

et al. 2007

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“…due to their lower life-expectancy (Humphries et al, 2006;Stockermans and Hardy, 2013) and/or the opportunity to hostfeed, whereas fed wasps may perceive a host as having lower value due to their more abundant reserves. Thus, it remains possible that diet influences G. legneri contests between starved and fed wasps, but via opposing and coincidentally equal effects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…indicate that G. legneri fed with honey live longer than starved adults, suggesting that G. legneri can use dietary carbohydrates as a maintenance energy supply. Feeding on honey has the potential to counter the effect of the increased value, V, that older contestants place on host possession (Stockermans and Hardy, 2013, see also Humphries et al, 2006); if so, we might expect starved wasps to win contests against similarly aged but fed wasps. Conversely, honey-fed contestants may have enhanced contest abilities, RHP, due to higher energy reserves (Tsai et al, 2014); if so we might expect starved wasps to lose such contests.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustenance and Performance: Nutritional Reserves, Longevity, and Contest Outcomes of Fed and Starved Adult Parasitoid Wasps

et al. 2018

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Dyadic contests for possession of resources occur across a wide range of animal taxa, with contest outcome often being heavily influenced by the energetic reserves of the competitors. The majority of studied parasitoid wasps lack de novo lipogenesis, with adult lipid reserves being limited to those acquired throughout larval development. Carbohydrate-and lipid-rich diets can increase adult parasitoid lifespan and fecundity by potentially acting as a maintenance energy store. However, the effects of such diets on fat reserve compositions and contest outcome have not been examined. This study assesses the effects of a carbohydrate rich diet (honey) on the longevity, metabolic state and contest performance of Goniozus legneri, a bethylid wasp. The longevity of honey-fed adults was typically more than twice that of starved wasps. Compared to similarly-aged starved wasps, honey feeding increased concentrations of common haemolymph sugars and amino acids in 3-day old and 7-day old wasps, and higher concentrations of stored lipid in 7-day old wasps. However, nutritional status did not affect the outcome of dyadic contests over host possession when both contestants were either 3 days or 7 days old. While contest outcome may be unaffected by diet, it remains possible that an enhancing effect of feeding on contest ability is matched by an effect of higher value being placed on winning by starved wasps.

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“…Fighting ability, often termed resource holding potential (or resource holding power, RHP [7]), represents the phenotypic variation that differentiates winners from losers. If both opponents value the resource equally, the individual with greater RHP should prevail [8]. Therefore, enhanced RHP should offer a selective advantage and it is not surprising that a central question in the study of contests should thus be centred on understanding which traits contribute to RHP: in other words, what makes a good fighter?…”

Section: (A) What Makes a Good Fighter?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of skill in animal contests: a neglected component of fighting ability

Briffa¹,

Lane²

2017

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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What attributes make some individuals more likely to win a fight than others? A range of morphological and physiological traits have been studied intensely but far less focus has been placed on the actual agonistic behaviours used. Current studies of agonistic behaviour focus on contest duration and the vigour of fighting. It also seems obvious that individuals that fight more skilfully should have a greater chance of winning a fight. Here, we discuss the meaning of skill in animal fights. As the activities of each opponent can be disrupted by the behaviour of their rival, we differentiate among ability, technique and skill itself. In addition to efficient, accurate and sometimes precise movement, skilful fighting also requires rapid decision-making, so that appropriate tactics and strategies are selected. We consider how these different components of skill could be acquired, through genes, experiences of play-fighting and of real fights. Skilful fighting can enhance resource holding potential (RHP) by allowing for sustained vigour, by inflicting greater costs on opponents and by minimizing the chance of damage. Therefore, we argue that skill is a neglected but important component of RHP that could be readily studied to provide new insights into the evolution of agonistic behaviour.

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The importance of valuing resources: host weight and contender age as determinants of parasitoid wasp contest outcomes

Cited by 90 publications

References 48 publications

Primer registro de Goniozus legneri (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) para Chile

Primer registro de Goniozus legneri (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) para Chile

Sustenance and Performance: Nutritional Reserves, Longevity, and Contest Outcomes of Fed and Starved Adult Parasitoid Wasps

The role of skill in animal contests: a neglected component of fighting ability

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