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Suboptimal oviposition of tephritid flies supports parasitoid wasps
Author(s) -
Xi Xinqiang,
Zhang Liang,
Zhang Beibei,
Dong Yuran,
Niklas Karl J.,
Sun Shucun
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
ecological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.865
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2311
pISSN - 0307-6946
DOI - 10.1111/een.12746
Subject(s) - biology , parasitoid , tephritidae , hymenoptera , zoology , population , parasitoid wasp , ecology , botany , pest analysis , demography , sociology
1. Female insects lay eggs on low‐quality plants, resulting in progeny with no or low reproductive potential; this is referred to as ‘suboptimal oviposition’ in this study. 2. Here, it is reported that suboptimal oviposition of a tephritid fly species ( Tephritis femoralis ) supports the populations of parasitoid wasp species in a Tibetan alpine meadow. 3. Suboptimal oviposition was confirmed because the adult flies emerging from Asteraceae species Anaphalis flavescens flowerheads did not survive cold winters. 4. DNA barcoding of puparia indicated that tephritid larvae developing from suboptimal oviposition hosted populations of at least five parasitoid wasp species. Consequently, suboptimal oviposition has significant effects on parasitoid population dynamics and species diversity.