Two new species ofHymenoepimecis(Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) with notes on their spider hosts and behaviour manipulation

An alternative host of Hymenoepimecis japi (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) on a novel family (Araneae, Araneidae), with notes on behavioral manipulations

“…In fact, many spider-polysphinctine interactions typically occur at low relative frequency, with little impact on their host spider's populations. In contrast, Gonzaga and Sobczak (2007) reported a high mortality rate (~40%) of Araneus omnicolor (Keyserling, 1893) (Araneidae) caused by the polysphinctine wasp H. veranii Loffredo & Penteado-Dias, 2009. Although we have found few spiders parasitized, they were all large adult individuals.…”

Host manipulation by an ichneumonid spider ectoparasitoid that takes advantage of preprogrammed web-building behaviour for its cocoon protection

“…Several recent studies have suggested that polysphinctine larvae manipulate host spiders to make a tougher structure for more persistent cocoon webs, to enhance parasitoid pupae survival (Eberhard, 2000(Eberhard, , 2001(Eberhard, , 2010b(Eberhard, , 2013Gonzaga and Sobczak, 2011;Gonzaga et al, 2010;Korenko et al, 2014;Matsumoto and Konishi, 2007;Sobczak et al, 2009). However, to our knowledge, the present study is the first to show the durability of cocoon webs compared with normal webs with regards to their mechanical properties.…”

“…Amongst the Polysphincta genus-group (informally, polysphinctines; Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), which are exclusively koinobiont spider ectoparasitoids, some members are well known to manipulate their host spiders to modify web construction (Eberhard, 2000(Eberhard, , 2001(Eberhard, , 2010a(Eberhard, ,b, 2013Gonzaga and Sobczak, 2011;Gonzaga et al, 2010;Korenko et al, 2014;Korenko and Pekár, 2011;Matsumoto, 2009;Matsumoto and Konishi, 2007;Sobczak et al, 2009). Prior to killing the host spider, the parasitoid larva ( penultimate instar) manipulates the host to build a specific and durable 'cocoon web' (sensu Eberhard, 2000), seemingly enhancing survival of parasitoid pupae, which depends on the host web's persistence against the elements or enemies.…”

Modification of Tetragnatha montana (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) web architecture induced by larva of the parasitoid Acrodactyla quadrisculpta (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Polysphincta genus-group)

“…Eberhard (2000aEberhard ( , b, 2001Eberhard ( , 2013 and Sobczak et al (2009) studied parasitoids associated with orb web building spiders from the family Tetragnathidae; Gonzaga et al (2010) described the manipulation of spiders from the family Nephilidae; and Sobczak (2007, 2011), Eberhard (2013) and Korenko et al (2014) studied the manipulation of spiders from the family Araneidae. The studies revealed that the manipulated spider modifies the architecture of its web in various ways.…”

“…The tetragnathid spider Leucauge argyra (Walckenaer, 1841) is manipulated by the larva of Hymenoepimecis argyraphaga Gauld, 2000 to build a web which consists of a low number of radial threads radiating in a plane from a central hub; the architecture of the cocoon web remains two-dimensional (hereafter 2D) (Eberhard 2000a(Eberhard , b, 2001. A similar 2D cocoon web is built by the related species Leucauge roseosignata Mello-Leitão, 1943 manipulated by Hymenoepimecis japi Sobczak, Loffredo, Penteado-Dias and Gonzaga, 2009(Sobczak et al 2009. A similar 2D architecture of the cocoon web, but protected by the 3D structure of the tangle positioned below the hub, was recently described in the spider hosts Leucauge mariana (Keyserling, 1881) manipulated by Hymenoepimecis tedfordi Gauld, 1991 (Eberhard 2013) and Leucauge volupis (Keyserling, 1893) manipulated by Hymenoepimecis jordanensis Loffredo & Penteado-Dias, 2009 (Gonzaga et al 2014).…”