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The effect of exposure to conspecifics on restlessness in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2012

B.H. King
B.H. King
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, United States of America (e-mail: bking@niu.edu)
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Abstract

When habitat quality is variable, there should be strong selection for the ability to detect and respond to the variation. Adult females of the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) are known to increase their restlessness (the proportion of time in locomotion) both during and after exposure to a poor quality host. Doing so provides a mechanism for leaving a poor host and potentially finding a better host. This study examined whether restlessness also changes in response to competition as indicated by the presence of adult conspecifics. Both restlessness and the probability of dispersing across an inhospitable environment were greater when a female was with another female than when she was alone. However, restlessness did not remain elevated after the other female was removed. In contrast with females, restlessness of males did not increase either during or after exposure to other males, and the probability of dispersing across an inhospitable environment was unaffected by the presence of another male. The difference between females and males may be related to differences in dispersal ability and in the abundance and distribution of hosts versus mates.

Résumé

Lorsque la qualité de l'habitat est variable, il devrait y avoir une forte sélection de la capacité de déceler cette variation et d'y réagir. Les femelles adultes de la guêpe parasitoïde Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) sont connues pour augmenter leur agitation (le pourcentage du temps consacré aux déplacements) au moment où elles sont mises en présence d'un hôte de faible qualité et durant la période qui suit. Cela leur procure un mécanisme pour abandonner un hôte peu intéressant et pour potentiellement en trouver un meilleur. La présente étude examine si l'agitation change aussi en réaction à la compétition marquée par la présence d'adultes de la même espèce. Lorsqu'une femelle est en présence d'une autre femelle, son agitation ainsi que la probabilité qu'elle traverse un environnement hostile sont plus grandes que lorsqu'elle est seule. Cependant, l'agitation accrue ne se prolonge pas lorsque l'autre femelle est retirée. Contrairement aux femelles, les mâles ne s'agitent pas plus durant ou après une rencontre avec d'autres mâles; leur probabilité de se déplacer vers un environnement hostile n'est pas affectée par la présence d'un autre mâle. La différence entre les femelles et les mâles peut être reliée à des différences dans leur pouvoir de dispersion et dans l'abondance et la répartition des hôtes plutôt que celles des partenaires.

[Traduit par la Rédaction]

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 139 , Issue 5 , October 2007 , pp. 678 - 684
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 2007

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