Sex determination meltdown upon biological control introduction of the parasitoid Cotesia rubecula?

Sex determination meltdown upon biological control introduction of the parasitoid Cotesia rubecula?

Natural enemies may go through genetic bottlenecks during the process of biological control introductions. Such bottlenecks are expected to be particularly detrimental in parasitoid Hymenoptera that exhibit complementary sex determination (CSD). CSD is associated with a severe form of inbreeding depression because homozygosity at one or multiple sex loci leads to the production of diploid males...

Introduction and evaluation of Cotesia rubecula, a parasitoid of Pieris rapae in New Zealand

The host specificity of Cotesia rubecula (Marshall) was examined through literature searches, behavioural and ecological observations, and host specificity tests of a South Australian population. The results led to the importation and testing of C. rubecula in quarantine in New Zealand where its specificity to the genus Pieris was confirmed. Introduction of the parasitoid was approved and the s...

Optimal patch-leaving behavior: A case study using the parasitoid <i>Cotesia rubecula</i>

1. Parasitoids are predicted to spend longer in patches with more hosts, but previous work on Cotesia rubecula (Marshall) has not upheld this prediction. Tests of theoretical predictions may be affected by the definition of patch leaving behavior, which is often ambiguous. 2. In this study whole plants were considered as patches and assumed that wasps move within patches by means of walking or ...

Experimental support for multiple-locus complementary sex determination in the parasitoid Cotesia vestalis.

Despite its fundamental role in development, sex determination is highly diverse among animals. Approximately 20% of all animals are haplodiploid, with haploid males and diploid females. Haplodiploid species exhibit diverse but poorly understood mechanisms of sex determination. Some hymenopteran insect species exhibit single-locus complementary sex determination (sl-CSD), where heterozygosity a...

Experimental Support for Multiple Locus Complementary Sex Determination in the 3 Parasitoid Cotesia vestalis 4 5