Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Covariance of adult size and development time in the parasitoid waspAphidius ervi in relation to the size of its host,Acyrthosiphon pisum

  • Papers
  • Published:
Evolutionary Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Adult size (in terms of dry weight; DW) and development time (T p ) of the solitary parasitoidAphidius ervi varied when reared in different nymphal instars of its host, apterous virginoparae of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum). Parasitoid DW increased with an increase in the DW of the host at parasitization, from the first to the third aphid instar. Female wasps gained 1.1 times more in DW than their male counterparts in all four host classes, butT p did not significantly differ between the sexes. Parasitoid DW was consistently more variable thanT p . The two traits covaried positively with an increase in host size from the first to the third instar, but they varied independently in parasitoids from fourth-instar hosts. The host size (and stage) at the time of parasitization imposes constraints on the growth and development of immatureA. ervi that are reflected in the pattern of covariation between DW andT p . When growing in aphids below a certain size threshold, parasitoids can maximize fitness by a trade-off between DW andT p . Consequently, the assumption implicit in host-size models of parasitoid oviposition decisions — that females incur a relatively greater reduction in size (used as an index of fecundity) than males when developing in poor quality hosts — can be falsified.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arthur, A. P. and Wylie, H. G. (1959) Effects of host size on sex ratio, developmental time and size ofPimpla turionellae L.Entomophaga 4, 297–301.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, G. (1984a) Measuring the cost of reproduction. I. The correlation structure of the life table of a plankton rotifer.Evolution 38, 300–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, G. (1984b) Measuring the cost of reproduction. II. The correlation structure of the life table of five freshwater invertebrates.Evolution 38, 314–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boggs, C. L. (1981) Nutritional and life history determinants of resource allocation in holometabolous insects.Am. Nat. 117, 692–709.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brough, C. N., Dixon, A. F. G. and Kindlmann, P. (1990) Pattern of growth and fat content of somatic and gonadal tissues of virginoparae of the vetch aphid,Megoura viciae Buckton.Ent. Exp. Appl. 56, 269–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charnov, E. L. (1979) The genetical evolution of patterns of sexuality: Darwinian fitness.Am. Nat. 113, 465–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charnov, E. L. (1982)The Theory of Sex Allocation. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charnov, E. L., Los-den Hartog, R. L., Jones, W. T. and van den Assem, L. (1981) Sex ratio evolution in a variable environment.Nature 289, 27–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cloutier, C. (1986) Amino acid utilization in the aphidAcyrthosiphon pisum infected by the parasitoidAphidius smithi.J. Ins. Physiol. 32, 263–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cloutier, C. and Mackauer, M. (1979) The effect of parasitism byAphidius smithi (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) on the food budget of the pea aphid,Acyrthosiphon pisum (Homoptera: Aphididae).Can. J. Zool. 57, 1605–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornuet, J. M. (1982) Représentation graphique de populations multinormales par des ellipses de confiance.Apidologie 13, 15–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henkelman, D. H. (1979) A study of weight variation inAphidius smithi (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae), a parasite of the pea aphid,Acyrthosiphon pisum (Homoptera: Aphididae). MSc thesis, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurlbutt, B. L. (1987) Sexual size dimorphism in parasitoid wasps.Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 30, 63–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R. L. and Lewis, W. J. (1971) Physiology of the host-parasite relationship betweenHeliothis zea andMicroplitis croceipes.J. Ins. Physiol. 17, 921–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, B. H. (1988) Sex-ratio manipulation in response to host size by the parasitoid waspSpalangia cameroni: a laboratory study.Evolution 42, 1190–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, B. H. (1989) Host-size-dependent sex ratios among parasitoid wasps: does host growth matter?Oecologia 78, 420–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, P. O. (1981) Interference competition and optimal host selection in the parasitic wasp,Biosteres longicaudatus.Ann. Ent. Soc. Am. 74, 540–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, P. O. (1986) Host-parasitoid hormonal interactions: an overview.J. Ins. Physiol. 32, 295–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, P. O., Baranowski, R. M. and Greany, P. D. (1976) Effect of host age on development ofBiosteres (= Opius) longicaudatus, a parasitiod of the Caribbean fruit fly,Anastrepha suspensa.Florida Ent. 59, 33–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewontin, R. C. (1965) Selection for colonizing ability. In:The genetics of colonizing species (H. G. Baker and G. L. Stebbins, eds) pp. 77–91. Academic Press, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, S. S. (1985) Development, adult size and fecundity ofAphidius sonchi reared in two instars of its aphid host,Hyperomyzus lactucae.Ent. Exp. Appl. 37, 41–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackauer, M. (1986) Growth and developmental interactions in some aphids and their hymenopterous parasites.J. Ins. Physiol. 32, 275–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackauer, M. and Kambhampati S. (1984) Reproduction and longevity of cabbage aphid,Brevicoryne brassicae (Homoptera: Aphididae), parasitized byDiaeretiella rapae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae).Can. Ent. 116, 1605–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackauer, M. and Kambhampati, S. (1988) Parasitism of aphid embryos byAphidius smithi: some effects of extremely small host size.Ent. Exp. Appl. 49, 167–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miles, L. R. and King, E. G. (1975) Development of the tachinid parasite,Lixophaga diatraeae, on various developmental stages of the sugar cane borer in the laboratory.Environ. Ent. 4, 811–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murdoch, W. (1966) Population stability and life history phenomena.Am. Nat. 100, 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, P. A., Giesel, J. T. P. and Manlove, M. N. (1983) Temperature effects on life history variation inDrosophila simulans.Evolution 37, 1181–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nechols, J. R. and Kikuchi, R. S. (1985) Host selection of the spherical mealybug (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) byAnagyrus indicus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae): influence of host stage on parasitoid oviposition, development, sex ratio, and survival.Environ. Ent. 14, 32–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nechols, J. R. and Tauber, M. J. (1977) Age specific interaction between the greenhouse whitefly andEncarsia formosa: influence of host on the parasite's oviposition and development.Environ. Ent. 6, 143–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nijhout, H. F. (1981) Physiological control of moulting in insects.Am. Zool. 21, 631–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Opp, S. B. and Luck, R. F. (1986) Effects of host size on selected fitness components ofAphytis melinus andA. lingnanensis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae).Ann. Ent. Soc. Am. 79, 700–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen, R. E. (1989) Differential size variation of male and female bumblebees.J. Heredity 80, 39–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roff, D. A. (1981) On being the right size.Am. Nat. 118, 405–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salt, G. (1940) Experimental studies in insect parasitism VII. The effects of different hosts on the parasiteTrichogramma evanescens Westwd (Hym. Chalcidoidea).Proc. R. Ent. Soc. Lond. A 15, 81–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sequeira, R. and Mackauer, M. (1991) Nutritional ecology of an insect host-parasitoid association: the pea aphid —Aphidius ervi system.Ecology (in press).

  • Sibly, R., Calow, P. and Nichols, N. (1985) Are patterns of growth adaptive?J. Theor. Biol. 112, 553–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smilowitz, Z. and Iwantsch, G. F. (1973) Relationships between the parasitoidHyposoter exiguae and the cabbage looper,Trichoplusia ni: effects of host age on developmental rate of the parasitoid.Environ. Ent. 2, 759–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • SPSSx (1983)SPSS x Users Guide. McGraw-Hill, Chicago, IL, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stearns, S. C. (1980) A new view of life history evolution.Oikos 35, 266–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stearns, S. C. and Koella, J. C. (1986) The evolution of phenotypic plasticity in life-history traits: predictions of reaction norms for age and size at maturity.Evolution 40, 893–913.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg, P. W. (1990) Genetic control of cell type and pattern formation inCaenorhabditis elegans.Adv. Genet. 27, 63–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoltz, D. B. (1986) Interactions between parasitoid-derived products and host insects: an overview.J. Ins. Physiol. 32, 347–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strand, M. R. (1986) The physiological interactions of parasites with their hosts and their influence on reproductive strategies. InInsect Parasitoids (J. Waage and D. Greathead, eds), pp. 97–136. Academic Press, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Takagi, M. (1985) The reproductive strategy of the gregarious parasitoidPteromalus puparum (Hymenoptera: Pteromaidae). 1. Optimal number of eggs in a single host.Oecologia 68, 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinson, S. B. (1972) Effect of the parasitoidCampoletis sonorensis on the growth of its host,Heliothis virescens.J. Ins. Physiol. 18, 1509–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinson, S. B. and Iwantsch, G. F. (1980) Host regulation by insect parasitoids.Q. Rev. Biol. 55, 145–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waage, J. K. (1986) Family planning in parasitoids: adaptive patterns of progeny and sex allocation. InInsect Parasitoids (J. Waage and D. Greathead, eds) pp. 63–95. Academic Press, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waage, J. K. and Ng, S. M. (1984) The reproductive strategy of a parasitic wasp. I. Optimal progeny and sex allocation inTrichogramma evanescens.J. Anim. Ecol. 53, 401–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Werren, J. H. (1984) A model for sex ratio selection in parasitic wasps: local mate competition and host quality effects.Netherl. J. Zool. 34, 81–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Werren, J. H. and Simbolotti, G. (1989) Combined effects of host quality and local mate competition on sex allocation inLariophagus distinguendus.Evol. Ecol.,3, 203–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, M. J. D. (1973)Animal Cytology and Evolution 3rd edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Pest Management, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, BC, Canada

    R. Sequeira & M. Mackauer

Authors
  1. R. Sequeira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Mackauer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sequeira, R., Mackauer, M. Covariance of adult size and development time in the parasitoid waspAphidius ervi in relation to the size of its host,Acyrthosiphon pisum . Evol Ecol 6, 34–44 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02285332

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02285332

Keywords

Search

Navigation