Nuevos datos sobre la esfecidofauna ibèrica (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). III

S'estudia material esfecidològic de la península Ibèrica pertanyent a les subfamilies Crabroninae, Nyssoninae i Philanthinae (sensu Bohart & Menke, 1976); s'han identificat un total de 82 espècies i subspècies. De totes s'amplia llur distribució geogràfica, posant en relleu les citacions d'Encopognathus braunsi Mercet, 1915, Lindenius major Beaumont, 1956, Crossocerus (Blepharipus) nigritus (Lepeletier et Brulle, 1834) i Bembecinus Pulchellus (Mercet, 1906). Es comenta la variació cromàtica d'Ectemnius dives (Lepeletier et Brulle, 1834).Specimens coming from different parts of the Iberian peninsula are studied. 82 species (belonging to the subfamilies Crabroninae, Nyssoninae and Philanthinae sensu Bohart & Menke, 1976), have been identified, increasing the extant knowledge on their distribution. From the faunistic point of view the presence of Encopognathus braunsi Mercet, 1915, Lindenius major Beaumont, 1956, Crossocerus (Blepharipus) nigritus (Lepeletier et Brulle, 1834) and Bembecinus pulchellus (Mercet, 1906) stands out. The chromatic variation in Ectemnius dives (Lepeletier et Brulle, 1834) is discussed.Se estudia material esfecidológico de la península ibérica perteneciente a las subfamilias Crabroninae, Nyssoninae y Philanthinae (sensu Bohart & Menke, 1976); se ha identificado un total de 82 especies y subespecies. De todas se amplía su distribución geográfica, resaltando las citas de Encopognathus braunsi Mercet, 1915; Lindenius major Beaumont, 1956; Crossocerus (Blepharipus) nigritus (Lepeletier et Brulle, 1834) y Bembecinus pulchellus (Mercet, 1906). Se comenta la variación cromática de Ectemnius dives (Lepeletier et BruIle, 1834)

A note on facultative kleptoparasitism in Prionyx kirbii (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) as a consequence of multi-specific shared nesting site, with description of its prepupa

Observations of a female of Prionyx kirbii at an aggregation of Stizus continuus revealed an alternative nesting behaviour of the first wasp due to the presence of the second one. The overlap of some resources (prey, kind of soil) allowed P. kirbii to act as a kleptoparasite of S. continuus. The observed female often re-used as nests pre-existing S. continuus emergence holes, but no S. continuus nests. The prey were obtained sometimes by stealing the grasshoppers from S. continuus nests and/or by attacking the females while carrying the prey. From a review of interspecific kleptoparasitism among sphecoid wasps it appears that family Sphecidae includes the highest number of facultative parasitism cases and this finding is discussed. In addition, the description of the prepupa of P. kirbii is given and is shown to be in agreement with the description of the mature larvae of the other species of the genus

Complex-to-predict generational shift between nested and clustered organization of individual prey networks in digger wasps

Although diet has traditionally been considered to be a property of the species or populations as a whole, there is nowadays extensive knowledge that individual specialization is widespread among animal populations. Nevertheless, the factors determining the shape of interactions within food webs remain largely undiscovered, especially in predatory insects. We used an aggregation of the digger wasp Bembix merceti to 1) analyse patterns of individual prey use across three flying seasons in a network-based context; and 2) test the effect of four potential factors that might explain network topologies (wasp mass, nest spatial distribution, simultaneous nest-provisioning, prey availability). Inter-individual diet variation was found in all three years, under different predator-prey network topologies: Individuals arranged in dietary clusters and displayed a checkerboard pattern in 2009, but showed nestedness in 2008 and 2010. Network topologies were not fully explained by the tested factors. Larger females consumed a higher proportion of the total number of prey species captured by the population as a whole, in such a way that nested patterns may arise from mass-dependent prey spectrum width. Conversely, individuals with similar body mass didn't form clusters. Nested patterns seemed to be associated with a greater availability of the main prey species (a proxy for reduced intra-specific competition). Thus, according with theory, clusters seemed to appear when competition increased. On the other hand, the nests of the individuals belonging to a given cluster were not more closely located, and neither did individuals within a cluster provision their nests simultaneously. Thus, a female-female copying behaviour during foraging was unlikely. In conclusion, wasp populations can maintain a considerable individual variation across years under different food web organizations. The tested factors only partially accounted for the shift in network properties, and new analyses should be carried out to elucidate how diet network topologies arise in wasp populations. © 2014 Ballesteros et al.This work was supported by the Projects SA094A09 and SA010A06 (Junta de Castilla y León) and CGL2010-16730 (MICINN). CP was funded by a post-doctoral contract within the Program JAE-Doc ‘‘Junta para la Ampliacio´n de Estudios,’’ funded by the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) and the FSE.Peer Reviewe

Post-mating shift towards longer-chain cuticular hydrocarbons drastically reduces female attractiveness to males in a digger wasp

[EN]Females of most aculeate Hymenoptera mate only once and males are therefore under a strong competitive pressure which is expected to favour the evolution of rapid detection of virgin females. In several bee species, the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile exhibited by virgin females elicits male copulation attempts. However, it is still unknown how widespread this type of sexual communication is within Aculeata. Here, we investigated the use of CHCs as mating cues in the digger wasp Stizus continuus, which belongs to the family (Crabronidae) from within bees arose. In field experiments, unmanipulated, recently emerged virgin female dummies promptly elicit male copulation attempts, whereas 1–4 days old mated females dummies were still attractive but to a much lesser extent. In contrast, old (10–15 days) mated female dummies did not attract males at all. After hexane-washing, attractiveness almost disappeared but could be achieved by adding CHC extracts from virgin females even on hexane-washed old mated females. Thus, the chemical base of recognition of females as appropriate mating partner by males is coded in their CHC profile

A note on facultative kleptoparasitism in <i>Prionyx kirbii</i> (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) as a consequence of multi-specific shared nesting site, with description of its prepupa

Observations of a female of Prionyx kirbii at an aggregation of Stizus continuus revealed an alternative nesting behaviour of the first wasp due to the presence of the second one. The overlap of some resources (prey, kind of soil) allowed P. kirbii to act as a kleptoparasite of S. continuus. The observed female often re-used as nests pre-existing S. continuus emergence holes, but no S. continuus nests. The prey were obtained sometimes by stealing the grasshoppers from S. continuus nests and/or by attacking the females while carrying the prey. From a review of interspecific kleptoparasitism among sphecoid wasps it appears that family Sphecidae includes the highest number of facultative parasitism cases and this finding is discussed. In addition, the description of the prepupa of P. kirbii is given and is shown to be in agreement with the description of the mature larvae of the other species of the genus

Importance of feeding behaviour on life cycle in the zoophytophagous bug Dicyphus geniculatus

Dicyphus geniculatus (Fieber) (Heteroptera Miridae) is a Mediterranean mirid that has been observed in public green areas in towns of eastern and western provinces of Spain feeding on whiteflies and thrips on Dianthus caryophyllus L. carnations. In this article, the relative importance of feeding behaviour with respect to the duration of nymphal development and nymphal survival, as well as reproduction, was investigated. Nymphs of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), larvae of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) and carnation plants introduced into a 50 × 50 × 50 cm methacrylate box, together with adults mirids, in a climate-controlled chamber (25 ± 1 °C, 60 ± 5% HR, 16:8 h L:D photoperiod) were used to analyse feeding behaviour. In particular, data on realised fecundity, sex ratio and adult longevity were analysed. Realised fecundity differed significantly with respect to prey availability (F1, 267 = 44504.92; p ≤ 0.001). The sex ratio did not differ from 1(♂♂):2(♀♀+♂♂) with respect to feeding regimes [“with B. tabaci prey” (37/53+37 = 0.41), χ2 = 1.434, df 1, p = 0.231, “with F. occidentalis prey” (42/50+42 = 0.46), χ2 = 0.200, df 1, p = 0.655] or prey type (B. tabaci or F. occidentalis, χ2 = 0.564, df 1, p = 0.453). Adult longevity differed significantly in terms of prey availability (F2, 534 = 58.89, p ≤ 0.001) and longevity differed for each sex within each feeding regime (F1, 534 = 14.13; p ≤ 0.001). D. geniculatus can survive on a host plant diet exclusively but could not complete its development in the absence of supplemental prey food, indicating that D. geniculatus requires an animal component in its diet. Other zoophytophagous dicyphines are successfully used as beneficials in integrated pest management in horticultural crops. Thus, D. geniculatus has a potential role in the biological control of carnation pests, and therefore may be a promising pest biological control agent, thus contributing to urban area sustainability

Desarrollo de rúbricas para la evaluación de los Trabajos Fin de Grado en la Facultad de Biología

Memoria ID-0055. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2015-2016

Influence of natal host on parasitism by Spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

Spalangia cameroni Perkins (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) is sold commercially as a biocontrol agent of fi lth fl ies, including the house fl y, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae). For this reason, S. cameroni is mass-reared for inundative releases to control harmful fl ies. However, the mass-rearing protocols include very little information on the infl uence of natal host on subsequent host selection by parasitoids with more than one potential host as in the genus Spalangia. Here, we report on the use of S. cameroni against M. domestica. The S. cameroni were reared using Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae) (natal host) pupae for several generations. Freeze-killed fl y pupae were used in assays to determine the fecundity, number of adult progeny and sex-ratio of this parasitoid. Realized fecundity and number of adult progeny were greater when provided with house fl y pupae than Mediterranean fruit fl y pupae. Thus S. cameroni parasitized more house fl y pupae than C. capitata pupae, even though the parasitoid was reared on Mediterranean fruit fl y for many generations. These results indicate that S. cameroni reared on C. capitata can be successfully used in inundative releases against both fruit fl ies (agriculture) and house fl ies (livestock farming)