Open access journal: http://periodicos.uefs.br/ojs/index.php/sociobiology ISSN: 0361-6525 Sociobiology 60(1): 123-124 (2013) Biological Notes on the Parasitism of Apoica flavissima Van der Vecht (Hymenoptera: Vesp- idae) by Seminota marginata (Westwood) (Hymenoptera: Trigonalidae): Are Social Paper Wasps Primary or Secundary Hosts of Trigonalidae? EF Santos1, FB Noll2 Trigonalidae comprises species of diurnal parasitic wasps that lay their eggs on the foliage, depending on a her- bivorous primary host to ingest their eggs together with plant material (Weinstein & Austin, 1991). Trigonalids may have a secondary host, such as wasps or tachinid fly larvae, which are predators or parasites of the primary host, and ingest eggs (Gauld & Bolton, 1988; Weinstein & Austin, 1991). Mechanical and chemical stimuli from the host mandibles lead to the eclosion of trigonalid egg (Clausen, 1931), and larvae at the first larval instar penetrates the gut lining into the primary host haemocoel (Weinstein & Austin, 1991). Al- though primary hosts are not known for social wasps, it is assumed that trigonalid larvae infect their larvae after inges- tion of tissues of the primary host (usually caterpillars) by trophallaxis, or they may penetrate directly through the cu- ticle of the secondary host to gain access to the haemolymph (Weinstein & Austin, 1991). Several Trigonalidae have been recorded as parasi- Abstract Hosts of Trigonalidae include larvae of social paper wasps, which have been considered secondary hosts, supposedly following predation of the primary host (usually cater- pillars) by adult wasps. This study provides observations on biological aspects of the parasitism of Apoica flavissima Van der Vecht by Seminota marginata (Westwood), and suggests that social wasps may be both primary and secondary hosts, whereas they extract and chew vegetable fiber. Sociobiology An international journal on social insects 1 - Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil 2 - Universidade Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil Article History Edited by: Gilberto M. M. Santos, UEFS - Brazil Received 07 November 2012 Initial acceptance 03 December 2012 Final acceptance 17 December 2012 Keywords Epiponini, Polistinae, facultative host, Neotropical. Corresponding author Eduardo Fernando dos Santos Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Univ. de São Paulo. Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Bairro Monte Alegre, 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. E-Mail: efs.wasp@gmail.com toids of social paper wasps (Polistinae and Vespinae). Spe- cies of Seminota Spinola have been recorded as parasitoids of Polistes Latreille, Mischocyttarus de Saussure, Apoica Lepeletier, Pseudopolybia de Saussure, and Parachartergus R. von Ihering (Weinstein & Austin, 1991). Seminota margi- nata was recorded parasitizing Polistes versicolor (Olivier), P. cinerascens de Saussure, P. melanosoma de Saussure, P. canadensis (Linnaeus), Pseudopolybia vespiceps (de Sau- ssure), and possibly Apoica pallida (Olivier) (Weinstein & Austin, 1991). Apoica flavissima Van der Vecht, like other species of Apoica, are nocturnal wasps that build their nest using plant material, more specifically plant hairs (Wenzel, 1998). Their nests are circular with only one comb, lacking an envelope (Wenzel, 1998). Foragers of Apoica are general- ists, preying upon invertebrates, mainly lepidopteran larvae, regurgitating their crop contents to feed their own brood. Specimens of Seminota marginata Westwood emerged or were taken off from nest cells of a Apoica flavis- SHORT NOTE EF Santos, FB Noll - Biological Notes on the Parasitism of Apoica flavissima124 sima nest, which was collected in Indiaporã (19°58’54’’S 50°17’48’’W), São Paulo State, Brazil, on May 16th of 2010. A. flavissima, like other species of Apoica, are noc- turnal wasps that build their nest using plant material, more specifically plant hairs (Wenzel, 1998). The nest was well developed and the eleven cells with parasitoids were at the center of the nest. We recovered one adult trigonalid male, one larva, two pupae in early development and two in late development from the A. flavissima nest on May 21th, while four males emerged on May 27th, and one male on June 9th of 2010. Two adults were deposited in the MZUSP’s Hymenoptera collection, and four adults and three im- matures, preserved in alcohol 70%, were deposited in the Hymenoptera collection of the Departamento de Botânica e Zoologia of the Instituto Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas da Universidade Estadual Paulista (IBILCE – UNE- SP). Parasitized cells were easily recognized because unlike regular Apoica larvae that spin their cocoons above the cell margin, S. marginata larvae spin their cocoons about one third the cell height below the margin. Parasitism of Apoica species by Trigonalidae was re- corded by Bertoni (1912), who found S. marginata parasit- izing larvae of A. pallida Van der Vecht in a nest sampled in Puerto Bertoni, Paraguay. A. pallida is a valid name, but in the past the name was used for several other species of Apoica, among them A. flavissima and Angiopolybia pal- lens (Fabricius) (Pickett & Wenzel, 2007). Bertoni (1912) highlights the similarity among the specimens identified as Apoica pallens from Guyana and as A. pallida from Para- guay. Thus, possibly Bertoni’s (1912) record is for Angio- polybia pallens. Paper wasps have been considered the secondary host of Trigonalidae, although no primary host has been as- sociated with the host wasp species (Weinstein & Austin, 1991). The first host, in this case, would be a lepidopteran larvae, one of the main preys of Apoica and other Epiponini. However, considering that polistines use plant material to build their nests, it is possible that species of Apoica, like other social paper wasps, could be facultative primary hosts of Seminota. Weinstein & Austin (1995) observed larvae of Perga Leach, which are herbivorous, as facultative primary hosts. Species of Apoica possess shorter and more ventrally curved mandibles with a higher ventral tooth, and a long and high dorsal tooth. Sarmiento (2004) suggests that man- dibular structure is strongly adaptaded for a fine manipula- tion of plant fibers. Then, adults of Polistinae may ingest Trigonalidae eggs while collecting fibers to build their nests. Similarly to other primary hosts, the mechanical action of the mandible and digestive secretions, present in the adult oral cavity, would lead to egg hatch, and consequently larval emergence. According to Sarmiento (2004), short mandibles, like those found in Apoica, are efficient in fiber management and may be less effective in prey chewing. As in the second- ary host condition, parasitoid larvae pass from adult to host larvae by trophallaxis. If the adult ingests the parasitoid eggs collecting vegetable fibers, the parasitoid may be transferred to the host larvae indirectly by trophallaxis or directly by penetrating the cuticle of Polistinae larvae from the nest. In this regard, Apoica as well as other Polistinae and species of Vespinae may be facultative secondary hosts of Trigonalidae (Weinstein & Austin, 1991). Acknowledgments We thank Dr. David Carmean for help in species identification, and Dr. James Carpenter and Dr. Marcel Hermes for the critical reading of an early version of the manuscript. References Bertoni, A. W. (1912). Contribucción a la biología de las avispas y abejas del Paraguay (Hymenoptera). An. Mus. Nac. Hist. Nat. de Buenos Aires, 22: 97-146. Carmean, C. & Kimsey, L. (1998). Phylogentic revision of the parasitoid wasp family Trigonalidae (Hymenoptera). Sys- tem. Entomol., 23: 35-76. Clausen, C. P. (1931). Biological notes on the Trigonalidae (Hymenoptera). Proc. of the Entomol. Soc. of Wash., 33: 72- 81. Gauld, I. & Bolton, B. (1988). The Hymenoptera. London: British Museum. Jeanne, R. L. (1970). 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