Parasitism of the katydid Neoconocephalus triops (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) by the tachinid flies Ormia lineifrons and Neomintho sp. (Diptera: Tachinidae)
Abstract
Conspicuous mating signals of insects can be exploited by unintended predators and parasites to locate the signaler. Since these interactions can bear a substantial cost for the signaler, selection may cause changes in their signals, possibly contributing to the evolution of the communication system. Understanding the life history of the interacting species, especially that of the eavesdropper, is essential to better quantify the selective pressures in these interactions. The katydid, Neoconocephalus triops L. (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), is parasitized by the lethal tachinid fly, Ormia lineifrons Sabrosky (Diptera: Tachinidae), in Florida. I collected N. triops in the field to characterize its parasitism by O. lineifrons and determine the efficiency of the fly’s host use. The parasitism rate of N. triops was 48.2% and about half of the parasitized males (47.2%) were superparasitized. All parasitized katydids died and no larva that was the result of superparasitism survived the host’s death. The average parasite load was 2.73 ± 1.20 larvae, and 49.5% of the fly pupae successfully developed into adult flies in 12.12 ± 0.60 d. Neoconocephalus triops also was parasitized by an undescribed species of Neomintho (Diptera: Tachinidae). The high superparasitism rate despite its low success suggests that O. lineifrons has not evolved traits to reliably distinguish between unparasitized and parasitized hosts. The high parasitism rate of N. triops suggests that O. lineifrons exerts substantial selective pressure on N. triops. However, the low developmental success of fly larvae may indicate that N. triops has evolved counter adaptations in its arms race with O. lineifrons, or N. triops might be a low-quality host.
Resumen
Depredadores y parasitoides no intencionados pueden aprovechar las conspicuas señales de apareamiento de los insectos para localizar al emisor. Dado que estas interacciones pueden asumir un costo sustancial para el emisor de señales, la selección puede provocar cambios en sus señales, lo que posiblemente contribuya a la evolución del sistema de comunicación. Comprender la historia de vida de las especies que interactúan, especialmente la del espía, es esencial para cuantificar mejor las presiones selectivas en estas interacciones. La esperanza, Neoconocephalus triops L. (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), es parasitado por la letal mosca taquínida, Ormia lineifrons Sabrosky (Diptera: Tachinidae) en la Florida. Recolecté N. triops en campo para caracterizar su parasitismo por O. lineifrons y determinar la eficiencia del uso de este como un hospedero de la mosca. La tasa de parasitismo de N. triops fue del 48,2% y aproximadamente la mitad de los machos parasitados (47,2%) estaban superparasitados. Todos las esperanzas parasitadas murieron y ninguna larva resultante del superparasitismo sobrevivió a la muerte del hospedero. El promedio de la razón de parasitismo fue de 2,73 ± 1,20 larvas y el 49,5 % de las pupas de mosca se convirtieron con éxito en moscas adultas en 12,12 ± 0,60 días. Neoconocephalus triops también fue parasitado por una especie no descrita del género Neomintho (Tachinidae). La alta tasa de superparasitismo a pesar de su bajo éxito sugiere que O. lineifrons no ha desarrollado rasgos para distinguir de manera confiable entre hopederos parasitados y no parasitados. La alta tasa de parasitismo de N. triops sugiere que O. lineifrons ejerce una presión selectiva sustancial sobre N. triops. Sin embargo, el bajo éxito en el desarrollo de las larvas de mosca puede sugerir que N. triops ha desarrollado adaptaciones defensivas en su carrera armamentista con O. lineifrons, o que N. triops podría ser un hospedero de baja calidad.
Key Words: eavesdropping; parasitoid; superparasitism
View this article in BioOne https://doi.org/10.1653/024.105.0205
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright for any article published in Florida Entomologist is held by the author(s) of the article. Florida Entomologist is an open access journal. Florida Entomologist follows terms of the Creative Commons, Attribution Non-Commercial License (cc by-nc). By submitting and publishing articles in Florida Entomologist, authors grant the FOJ and Florida Entomologist's host institutions permission to make the article available through Internet posting and electronic dissemination, and to otherwise archive the information contained both electronically and in a hard printed version. When used, information and images obtained from articles must be referenced and cited appropriately. Articles may be reproduced for personal, educational, or archival purposes, or any non-commercial use. Permission should be sought from the author(s) for multiple, non-commercial reproduction. Written permission from the author(s) is required for any commercial reproduction.