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Environmental Heterogeneity in Parasitoid-Host Interaction for Mutillidae (Hymenoptera: Apocrita).

R Aranda1, G Graciolli2

  • 1Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde - Cidade Universitária s/n - CEP: 79070900, Caixa Postal 549, Campo Grande, MS, Brasil (rodrigoaranda.biologo@gmail.com) rodrigoaranda.biologo@gmail.com.

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Environmental heterogeneity shapes insect distribution. This study found leaf-litter depth influences parasitic Mutillidae and their host distribution, particularly Crabronidae wasps, in Cerrado ecosystems.

Keywords:
Savannahabitat heterogeneityparasitoidism

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Entomology
  • Parasitology

Background:

  • Environmental heterogeneity significantly influences organism distribution.
  • Parasitic insects, like Mutillidae (velvet ants), exhibit heightened sensitivity to environmental variations due to host-parasite relationships.
  • Understanding these relationships is crucial for predicting insect community structure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between the spatial distribution of Mutillidae and their potential hosts.
  • To assess the impact of environmental heterogeneity on the distribution patterns of both Mutillidae and their hosts.
  • To test hypotheses regarding host-dependency and heterogeneity effects on mutillid distribution.

Main Methods:

  • Field sampling across four Cerrado fragments over one year.
  • Utilized Malaise traps for Hymenopteran host collection (bees and wasps) and hand collection for female Mutillidae.
  • Collected environmental data, including leaf-litter depth, from multiple plots within each sampling area.

Main Results:

  • A total of 1,089 potential host individuals (127 species) and 300 Mutillidae individuals (42 species) were collected.
  • Leaf-litter depth demonstrated a significant correlation with host-parasitoid distribution patterns.
  • Mutillidae spatiotemporal distribution aligned with predator-prey models, with environmental heterogeneity structuring the community.

Conclusions:

  • Environmental heterogeneity is a key determinant of host-parasitoid community structure in the Cerrado.
  • A strong association exists between Mutillidae and specific host groups, notably Crabronidae, Sphecidae, and certain Apidae subfamilies.
  • Crabronidae wasps are identified as the most likely primary hosts for Mutillidae in this ecosystem.