Relationships between Body Size and Parasitic Fitness and Offspring Performance of Sclerodermus pupariae Yang et Yao (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae).

ABSTRACT: The relationship between body size and fitness in parasitoid wasps has several effects on parasitic ability, reproductive behavior in female wasps, and progeny fitness. Female wasps with various body sizes were obtained by mass-rearing a gregarious ectoparasitoid, Sclerodermus pupariae, which is one of the excellent parasites to control the larvae and pupae of Buprestidae and Cerambycidae. We investigated the effects of body size of adult females introduced on Thyestilla gebleri (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) larvae on their paralysis time, pre-oviposition period, oviposition period and fecundity, and the related fitness of their offspring. Results showed that small female wasps needed more time to paralyze a host and had a higher mortality rate than large female wasps. More offspring were pro

SUBMITTER: Gao S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4930212 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature