scholarly journals Arthropod Community Associated With the Asexual Generation of Bassettia pallida (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (5) ◽  
pp. 373-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly L Weinersmith ◽  
Andrew A Forbes ◽  
Anna K G Ward ◽  
Pedro F P Brandão-Dias ◽  
Y Miles Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Arthropod Community ◽  
Insect Communities ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
Major Question ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Quercus Virginiana ◽  
Asexual Generation ◽  
Gall Wasps

Abstract Cynipid gall wasps play an important role in structuring oak arthropod communities. Wasps in the Cynipini tribe typically lay their eggs in oaks (Quercus L.), and induce the formation of a ‘gall’, which is a tumor-like growth of plant material that surrounds the developing wasp. As the wasp develops, the cynipid and its gall are attacked by a diverse community of natural enemies, including parasitoids, hyperparasitoids, and inquilines. Determining what structures these species-rich natural enemy communities across cynipid gall wasp species is a major question in gall wasp biology. Additionally, gall wasps are ecosystem engineers, as the abandoned gall is used by other invertebrates. The gall-associated insect communities residing on live oaks (Quercus geminata Small and Quercus virginiana Mill.) are emerging as a model system for answering ecological and evolutionary questions ranging from community ecology to the evolution of new species. Documenting the arthropods associated with cynipids in this system will expand our understanding of the mechanisms influencing eco-evolutionary processes, record underexplored axes of biodiversity, and facilitate future work. Here, we present the community of natural enemies and other associates of the asexual generation of the crypt gall wasp, Bassettia pallida Ashmead. We compare the composition of this community to communities recently documented from two other cynipid gall wasps specializing on live oaks along the U.S. Gulf coast, Disholcaspis quercusvirens Ashmead and Belonocnema treatae Mayr. B. pallida and their galls support a diverse arthropod community, including over 25 parasitoids, inquilines, and other associated arthropods spanning 5 orders and 16 families.

scholarly journals Invertebrate Community Associated with the Asexual Generation of Bassettia pallida Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly L. Weinersmith ◽  
Andrew A. Forbes ◽  
Anna K.G. Ward ◽  
Pedro F. P. Brandão-Dias ◽  
Y. Miles Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Insect Communities ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
Major Question ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Asexual Generation ◽  
Gall Wasps ◽  
Diverse Community ◽  
Future Work

AbstractCynipid gall wasps play an important role in structuring oak invertebrate communities. Wasps in the Cynipini tribe typically lay their eggs in oaks (Quercus L.), and induce the formation of a “gall”, which is a tumor-like growth of plant material that surrounds the developing wasp. As the wasp develops, the cynipid and its gall are attacked by a diverse community of natural enemies, including parasitoids, hyperparasitoids, and inquilines. Determining what structures these species-rich natural enemy communities across cynipid gall wasp species is a major question in gall wasp biology. Additionally, gall wasps are ecosystem engineers, as the abandoned gall is used by other invertebrates. The gall-associated insect communities residing on live oaks (Quercus geminata Small and Q. virginiana Mill.) are emerging as a model system for answering ecological and evolutionary questions ranging from community ecology to the evolution of new species. Documenting the invertebrates associated with cynipids in this system will expand our understanding of the mechanisms influencing eco-evolutionary processes, record underexplored axes of biodiversity, and facilitate future work. Here, we present the community of natural enemies and other associates of the asexual generation of the crypt gall wasp, Bassettia pallida Ashmead. We compare the composition of this community to communities recently documented from two other cynipid gall wasps specializing on live oaks along the U.S. Gulf coast, Disholcaspis quercusvirens Ashmead and Belonocnema treatae Mayr. B. pallida and their crypts support a diverse arthropod community, including over 25 parasitoids, inquilines, and other associated invertebrates spanning 5 orders and 16 families.

Two new oak gall wasp species (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Cynipini) from Quercus pontica (Fagaceae) in Turkey

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5016 (3) ◽  
pp. 382-394
Author(s):  
MUSA AZMAZ ◽  
YUSUF KATILMIŞ
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
First Record ◽  
Sem Images ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
Asexual Generation ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Sexual Generation

Two new species of oak gall wasp, Andricus mammadovi Azmaz &  Katılmış sp. n. sexual generation and Cynips fatihi Azmaz &  Katılmış sp. n. asexual generation (Cynipidae: Cynipini) are described from the eastern Black Sea region in Turkey. These species induce galls on Quercus pontica K.Koch representing the first record of cynipids associated with the natural Q. pontica population in Turkey. SEM images, photos of the host galls, and data on the diagnosis, distribution, and biology of both new species are provided.  

A new species of Cerroneuroterus Melika & Pujade-Villar from the Eastern Palaearctic (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Cynipini)

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4869 (4) ◽  
pp. 515-528
Author(s):  
JULI PUJADE-VILLAR ◽  
YIPING WANG ◽  
RUI GUO ◽  
ALBA SALA-NISHIKAWA ◽  
VICTOR CUESTA-PORTA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Molecular Analyses ◽  
Asexual Generation ◽  
Sexual Generation ◽  
A New Species

A new gall wasp species, Cerroneuroterus yukawamasudai Pujade-Villar & Melika sp. nov., is described from China. The asexual generation induces leaf lenticular galls, and the sexual generation induces catkin galls on Q. acutissima and Q. variabilis. Sexual females and males are not described yet. Data on the diagnosis, distribution, and biology of the new species are provided, including a key to sexual and asexual females of all described Cerroneuroterus species. Previous misidentifications of host galls recorded in Japan are commented on. Molecular analyses were performed to assess the validity of the genus Cerroneuroterus and the affiliation of the new species.  

scholarly journals Diversity, Host Ranges, and Potential Drivers of Speciation Among the Inquiline Enemies of Oak Gall Wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna K G Ward ◽  
Sofia I Sheikh ◽  
Andrew A Forbes
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Host Shifts ◽  
The North ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Gall Wasps ◽  
Oak Tree ◽  
New Hosts

Abstract Animals that exploit living spaces of other animals (inquilines) may have specialized traits that adapt them to extended phenotypes of their ‘hosts’. These adaptations to host traits may incur fitness trade-offs that restrict the host range of an inquiline such that shifts to new hosts might trigger inquiline diversification. Speciation via host shifting has been studied in many animal parasites, but we know less about the role of host shifts in inquiline speciation. Synergus Hartig (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) is a speciose but taxonomically challenging genus of inquilines that feed inside galls induced by oak gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini). Here, we report on a large collection of Synergus reared from galls of 33 oak gall wasp species in the upper Midwestern United States. We integrated DNA barcodes, morphology, ecology, and phenology to delimit putative species of Synergus and describe their host ranges. We find evidence of at least 23 Synergus species associated with the 33 gall wasp hosts. At least five previously described Synergus species are each complexes of two to five species, while three species fit no prior description. We find evidence that oak tree phylogeny and host gall morphology define axes of specialization for Synergus. The North American Synergus have experienced several transitions among gall hosts and tree habitats and their host use is correlated with reproductive isolation. It remains too early to tell whether shifts to new hosts initiate speciation events in Synergus inquilines of oak gall wasps, or if host shifts occur after reproductive isolation has already evolved.

The Heterogonic Life Cycles of Oak Gall Wasps Need to Be Closed: A Lesson From Two Species of Dryophanta (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsuya Ide ◽  
Yoshihisa Abe
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Junior Synonym ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
Adult Morphology ◽  
Asexual Generation ◽  
Gall Wasps ◽  
Sexual Generation ◽  
Taxonomic Confusion

Abstract In heterogonic gall wasps, the gall structure, phenology, and adult morphology differ between the asexual and sexual generations, even within the same species. Dryophanta japonica Ashmead and Dryophanta mitsukurii Ashmead were described in 1904, but their heterogonic life cycles were uncertain. To match their asexual and sexual generations, we compared the type specimens of both species with specimens of gall wasps reared to demonstrate heterogonic life cycles. This revealed that these two species are the respective asexual and sexual generations of a single heterogonic species. Based on the morphological characteristics, we transferred D. japonica to Cerroneuroterus Melika and Pujade-Villar as Cerroneuroterus japonicus (Ashmead, 1904) comb. nov. and treated the sexual generation as a junior synonym: Dryophanta mitsukurii  Ashmead, 1904  syn. nov. Moreover, we examined the type specimens of other species previously suggested to be synonymous with D. mitsukurii. This showed that Neuroterus vonkuenburgi  Dettmer, 1934  syn. nov. (and N. vonkuenburgi wakayamensis  Monzen, 1954  syn. nov.) is the asexual generation of C. japonicus and that Neuroterus bonihenrici  Dettmer, 1934  syn. nov. is the sexual generation. Judging from the original descriptions, Andricus asakawae  Shinji, 1943  syn. nov., Andricus kanagawae  Shinji, 1943  syn. nov., Andricus asakawae  Shinji, 1944  syn. nov., Andricus kanagawae  Shinji, 1944  syn. nov., and Neoneuroterus kashiyamai  Monzen, 1954  syn. nov. were also regarded as the sexual generation of C. japonicus. Finally, we discussed how matching asexual and sexual generations in heterogonic gall wasps not only avoids taxonomic confusion but also contributes to progress in gall wasp biology.

scholarly journals Diversity, host ranges, and potential drivers of speciation among the inquiline enemies of oak gall wasps

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna KG Ward ◽  
Sofia I Sheikh ◽  
Andrew A Forbes
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Host Use ◽  
Extended Phenotype ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Host Shifts ◽  
The North ◽  
Gall Wasps ◽  
Oak Tree ◽  
Fitness Tradeoffs

ABSTRACTAnimals that exploit an extended phenotype (e.g., residences, resources, etc.) of other animals are called inquilines. Not strictly parasites, inquilines may nevertheless possess specialized traits that adapt them to particular dimensions of the extended phenotype of their “host”. These adaptations to host traits can in turn lead to fitness tradeoffs that restrict the host range of an inquiline such that shifts to novel hosts might trigger inquiline diversification. Speciation via host shifting has been studied in many animal parasites, but we know far less about the role of host shifts in inquiline speciation. Synergus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) is a speciose but taxonomically-challenging group of inquilines that feed on the tissue of galls induced by oak gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini). Currently too little is known about Nearctic Synergus diversity or host associations to evaluate whether and how host use affects their diversification. Here, we report on a large collection of Synergus reared from galls of 33 oak gall wasp species in the upper Midwestern United States. We integrated DNA barcodes, morphology, ecology, and phenology to delimit putative species of Synergus and describe their host ranges. We find evidence of at least 23 Synergus species associated with the 33 gall wasp hosts. At least five previously described Synergus species are each a complex of two to five species, while three species fit no prior description. We also find strong evidence that oak tree section and host gall morphology define axes of specialization for Synergus. Without over-interpreting our singlegene tree, it is clear that the North American Synergus have experienced several transitions among gall hosts and tree habitats and that host-use is correlated with reproductive isolation, though it remains too early to tell whether shifts to new hosts are the initiators of speciation events in Synergus inquilines of oak gall wasps, or if host shifts occur after reproductive isolation has already evolved.

scholarly journals A Case of Intragenic Recombination Dramatically Impacting the Phage WO Genetic Diversity in Gall Wasps

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dao-Hong Zhu ◽  
Cheng-Yuan Su ◽  
Xiao-Hui Yang ◽  
Yoshihisa Abe
Keyword(s):  
Southern China ◽  
Multiple Infections ◽  
Intragenic Recombination ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Evolutionary Force ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Gall Wasps ◽  
High Level ◽  
Almost All

The phage WO was characterized in Wolbachia, a strictly intracellular bacterium causing several reproductive alterations in its arthropod hosts. This study aimed to screen the presence of Wolbachia and phage WO in 15 gall wasp species from six provinces of southern China to investigate their diversity and prevalence patterns. A high incidence of Wolbachia infection was determined in the gall wasp species, with an infection rate of 86.7% (13/15). Moreover, seven species had double or multiple infections. All Wolbachia-infected gall wasp species were found to harbor phage WO. The gall wasp species infected with a single Wolbachia strain were found to harbor a single phage WO type. On the contrary, almost all species with double or multiple Wolbachia infections harbored a high level of phage WO diversity (ranging from three to 27 types). Six horizontal transfer events of phage WO in Wolbachia were found to be associated with gall wasps, which shared identical orf7 sequences among their respective accomplices. The transfer potentially took place through gall inducers and associated inquilines infected with or without Wolbachia. Furthermore, 10 putative recombination events were identified from Andricus hakonensis and Andricus sp2, which harbored multiple phage WO types, suggesting that intragenic recombination was the important evolutionary force, which effectively promoted the high level of phage WO diversity associated with gall wasps.

Consequences of plant water limitation for aphids, their natural enemies, and insect communities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jessica Tarron Kansman
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Stress Intensity ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Herbivorous Insects ◽  
Plant Water ◽  
Arthropod Community ◽  
Insect Communities ◽  
Water Limitation ◽  
Aphid Populations

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Climate change is causing an increase in drought events around the world. Water limitation affects the quality and quantity of plant resources for herbivorous insects, resulting in cascading effects for higher trophic levels. Physiological changes due to water limitation may make plants more nutritious for insect herbivores, but it comes at the cost of increased plant defensive responses, declining biomass, and restricted access to the phloem. These changes in the plant have direct effects on natural enemies of herbivorous insects by changing the attractiveness of the habitat, and indirect effects by changing the quality of their insect prey. However, the outcomes of these interactions are still up for debate. My research examined the broad effects of water limitation on insect communities and elucidated mechanisms driving the response. This research is novel in that I assessed insect responses to multiple levels of water limitation and across several levels of ecological organization: plant-herbivore, tri-trophic, and within the framework of the greater arthropod community. First, I examined effects of plant water limitation on the arthropod community associated with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), with specific focus on aphids and their natural enemies. Second, I determined how plant water limitation affects bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi) performance and population growth, and investigated plant traits that influence the aphid response. Third, I assessed aphid behavioral responses to plant water limitation and their contribution to aphid performance outcomes. Finally, I determined the indirect consequences of plant water limitation for aphid population suppression by parasitic wasps. Across all studies, I found evidence that aphid populations may decline as droughts become more frequent and intense. I determined that all levels of water limitation reduced total insect abundance and shifted the composition of the insect community. Using structural equation modeling, I showed that aphids were affected by stress induced changes in plant properties other than plant biomass, whereas natural enemies were strongly affected by changes in plant biomass; these effects were exacerbated as water stress increased. Aphid population size, population growth rate, and individual fecundity were negatively affected by even mild levels of plant water limitation. Diminished aphid performance on stressed plants may be driven by reduced amino acid concentrations and increased sucrose concentrations, both conditions which reduce plant quality for aphids. In addition, aphid host-plant selection was affected by plant water limitation, and aphid feeding rate declined on stressed hosts. Finally, parasitic wasps were better at suppressing aphid populations on stressed plants, with the highest mummy production found under mild stress conditions. However, the mechanism driving improved aphid suppression by wasps on stressed plants was reliant on water stress intensity. Taken together, I found that plant water limitation negatively affects insect communities and influences tri-trophic interactions. These studies highlight the intricate ways plant water stress intensity can affect insect behavior, performance, and species interactions, which are critical for our ability to predict outcomes of a changing climate for insects.

scholarly journals Impact of an Exotic Invasive Pest, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), on Resident Communities of Pest and Natural Enemies in Maize Fields in Kenya

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1074
Author(s):  
Bonoukpoè Mawuko Sokame ◽  
Boaz Musyoka ◽  
Julius Obonyo ◽  
François Rebaudo ◽  
Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Spodoptera Frugiperda ◽  
Fall Armyworm ◽  
Invasive Pest ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Insect Communities ◽  
Exotic Invasive Species ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Exotic Invasive ◽  
Lepidoptera Noctuidae

The interactions among insect communities influence the composition of pest complexes that attack crops and, in parallel, their natural enemies, which regulate their abundance. The lepidopteran stemborers have been the major maize pests in Kenya. Their population has been regulated by natural enemies, mostly parasitoids, some of which have been used for biological control. It is not known how a new exotic invasive species, such as the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), may affect the abundance and parasitism of the resident stemborers. For this reason, pest and parasitism surveys have been conducted, before and after the FAW invaded Kenya, in maize fields in 40 localities across 6 agroecological zones (AEZs) during the maize-growing season, as well as at 3 different plant growth stages (pre-tasseling, reproductive, and senescence stages) in 2 elevations at mid-altitude, where all maize stemborer species used to occur together. Results indicated that the introduction of the FAW significantly correlated with the reduction of the abundance of the resident communities of maize stemborers and parasitoids in maize fields; moreover, the decrease of stemborer density after the arrival of FAW occurred mostly at both reproductive and senescent maize stages. It also suggests a possible displacement of stemborers by FAW elsewhere; for example, to other cereals. However, since this study was conducted only three years after the introduction of the FAW, further studies will need to be conducted to confirm such displacements.

scholarly journals Twelve oak gall wasp species (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) new to the Turkish fauna

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 962-964
Author(s):  
Serap MUTUN ◽  
Serdar DİNÇ
Keyword(s):  
Gall Wasp ◽  
Wasp Species
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