Mechanism and consequences for avoidance of superparasitism in the solitary parasitoid Cotesia vestalis

A parasitoid's decision to reject or accept a potential host is fundamental to its fitness. Superparasitism, in which more than one egg of a given parasitoid species can deposit in a single host, is usually considered sub-optimal in systems where the host is able to support the development of only a single parasitoid. It follows that selection pressure may drive the capacity for parasitoids to recognize parasitized hosts, especially if there is a fitness cost of superparasitism. Here, we used microsatellite studies of two distinct populations of Cotesia vestalis to demonstrate that an egg laid into a diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) larva that was parasitized by a conspecific parasitoid 10 min, 2 or 6 h…

• CS
  Charles Sturt University
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 31320103922, No. 31320103922, No. 31230061, 31230061
• ZU
  Zhejiang University
• RP
  Recruitment Program of Global Experts
• FA
  Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences