Mutualism from the inside: coordinated development of plant and insect in an active pollinating fig wasp

Autor(es)

Jansen-Gonzalez, Sergio ^[1] ; Teixeira, Simone de Padua ^[2] ; Santinelo Pereira, Rodrigo A. ^[3]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Posgrad Entomol FFCLRP, BR-14040900 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Farmaceut FCFRP, BR-14040903 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Biol FFCLRP, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: ARTHROPOD-PLANT INTERACTIONS; v. 6, n. 4, p. 601-609, DEC 2012.
• Citações Web of Science: 21

Resumo

Recent studies on the obligate interaction between fig trees and their pollinating agaonid wasps have focused on population aspects and wasp-seed exploitation at the level of the inflorescence. Detailed studies on larval and gall development are required to more fully understand how resources are exploited and adaptations fine-tuned by each partner in nursery pollination mutualisms. We studied the larval development of the active pollinating fig wasp, Pegoscapus sp., and the galling process of individual flowers within the figs of its monoecious host, Ficus citrifolia, in Brazil. The pollinator development is strongly dependent on flower pollination. Figs entered by pollen-free wasps were in general more likely to abort. Retained, unpollinated figs had both higher larval mortality and a lower number of wasps. Pegoscapus sp. larvae are adapted to plant development, with two contrasting larval feeding strategies proceeding alongside gall development. The first two larval stages behave as ovary parasites. Later larval stages feed on hypertrophied endosperm. This indicates that a successful galling process relies on endosperm, and also reveals why pollination would be a prerequisite for the production of high-quality galls for this Pegoscapus species. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 09/10273-9 - Estratégias de utilização de sementes como recurso alimentar em Chalcidoidea
• Beneficiário: Sergio Jansen González
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 04/10299-4 - Efeitos da fragmentação florestal no funcionamento das populações de figueiras e no mutualismo ficus-vespas de figo
• Beneficiário: Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo Pereira
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa BIOTA - Jovens Pesquisadores
• Processo FAPESP: 06/05465-8 - Biologia larval de vespas polinizadoras de figo (Chalcidoidea: Agaonidae) associadas a figueiras dos subgêneros Urostigma e Pharmacosycea (Moraceae)
• Beneficiário: Sergio Jansen González
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado