A unique nest-protection strategy in a new species of spider wasp
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In: PLoS ONE, Vol. 9, No. 7, e101592, 02.07.2014.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - A unique nest-protection strategy in a new species of spider wasp
AU - Staab, Michael
AU - Ohl, Michael
AU - Zhu, Chao-Dong
AU - Klein, Alexandra-Maria
N1 - National Natural Science Foundation of China: Funding Number J1210002
PY - 2014/7/2
Y1 - 2014/7/2
N2 - Hymenoptera show a great variation in reproductive potential and nesting behavior, from thousands of eggs in sawflies to just a dozen in nest-provisioning wasps. Reduction in reproductive potential in evolutionary derived Hymenoptera is often facilitated by advanced behavioral mechanisms and nesting strategies. Here we describe a surprising nesting behavior that was previously unknown in the entire animal kingdom: the use of a vestibular cell filled with dead ants in a new spider wasp (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) species collected with trap nests in South-East China. We scientifically describe the 'Bone-house Wasp' as Deuteragenia ossarium sp. nov., named after graveyard bone-houses or ossuaries. We show that D. ossarium nests are less vulnerable to natural enemies than nests of other sympatric trap-nesting wasps, suggesting an effective nest protection strategy, most likely by utilizing chemical cues emanating from the dead ants.
AB - Hymenoptera show a great variation in reproductive potential and nesting behavior, from thousands of eggs in sawflies to just a dozen in nest-provisioning wasps. Reduction in reproductive potential in evolutionary derived Hymenoptera is often facilitated by advanced behavioral mechanisms and nesting strategies. Here we describe a surprising nesting behavior that was previously unknown in the entire animal kingdom: the use of a vestibular cell filled with dead ants in a new spider wasp (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) species collected with trap nests in South-East China. We scientifically describe the 'Bone-house Wasp' as Deuteragenia ossarium sp. nov., named after graveyard bone-houses or ossuaries. We show that D. ossarium nests are less vulnerable to natural enemies than nests of other sympatric trap-nesting wasps, suggesting an effective nest protection strategy, most likely by utilizing chemical cues emanating from the dead ants.
KW - Ecosystems Research
KW - Biology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84903769516&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/28ba17fb-89c6-3d55-a18f-3a9f29b90735/
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0101592
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0101592
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 24987876
VL - 9
JO - PLoS ONE
JF - PLoS ONE
SN - 1932-6203
IS - 7
M1 - e101592
ER -