A unique nest-protection strategy in a new species of spider wasp

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A unique nest-protection strategy in a new species of spider wasp. / Staab, Michael; Ohl, Michael; Zhu, Chao-Dong et al.
In: PLoS ONE, Vol. 9, No. 7, e101592, 02.07.2014.

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Staab M, Ohl M, Zhu CD, Klein AM. A unique nest-protection strategy in a new species of spider wasp. PLoS ONE. 2014 Jul 2;9(7):e101592. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101592

Bibtex

@article{cbc09d5163d94473a9ded75804214a82,
title = "A unique nest-protection strategy in a new species of spider wasp",
abstract = "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.",
keywords = "Ecosystems Research, Biology",
author = "Michael Staab and Michael Ohl and Chao-Dong Zhu and Alexandra-Maria Klein",
note = "National Natural Science Foundation of China: Funding Number J1210002",
year = "2014",
month = jul,
day = "2",
doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0101592",
language = "English",
volume = "9",
journal = "PLoS ONE",
issn = "1932-6203",
publisher = "Public Library of Science",
number = "7",

}

RIS

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 -

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