In:
Physiological Entomology, Wiley, Vol. 31, No. 2 ( 2006-06), p. 170-177
Abstract:
Abstract. Leptopilina boulardi is a parasitoid wasp specialist of Drosophila larvae of the melanogaster subgroup. In Mediterranean areas, natural populations are highly virulent against their main host Drosophila melanogaster . In Congo, populations are less virulent against D. melanogaster but are able to develop successfully inside the tropical African species Drosophila yakuba . Host preferences are compared between two laboratory isofemale lines of L. boulardi , obtained from populations of Congo and Tunisia, respectively, and differing in virulence levels against D. melanogaster and D. yakuba . Host selection is studied by offering female parasitoids a choice between larvae of the two host species. In agreement with optimal foraging models, the line highly virulent against D. melanogaster shows a clear preference for this host species. The other line, less virulent against D. melanogaster but more virulent against D. yakuba , prefers to oviposit on D. yakuba . Such preferences can be observed after a period of host‐patch exploitation only, suggesting that experience plays an important role in the host‐selection process. These results evidence the existence of intraspecific variability in preference between two host species in L. boulardi , a major requisite in theoretical models of parasite specialization by the host. They also sustain the hypothesis that intraspecific variation in parasitoid preferences between host species might mirror intraspecific variation in virulence.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0307-6962
,
1365-3032
DOI:
10.1111/pen.2006.31.issue-2
DOI:
10.1111/j.1365-3032.2006.00505.x
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2006
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2020838-8
SSG:
12
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