Title data
Maschwitz, Ulrich ; Feldhaar, Heike ; Disney, Ronald H. L.:
A virgin killer : The phorid Trucidophora feldhaarae sp n. parasitizes female reproductives of obligate plant-ants of the genus Crematogaster (Diptera : Phoridae; Formicidae : Myrmicinae).
In: Sociobiology.
Vol. 47
(2006)
.
- pp. 811-828.
ISSN 0361-6525
Abstract in another language
Female reproductives of two closely related species of obligate plant-ants of the genus Crematogaster (Decacrema) were found to be parasitized by a scuttle fly. Its larvae were found in the gaster of its ant host. Non-mated females were parasitized when they were still inside the nest within the interior of their Macaranga host-plants. In contrast, no parasitoids could be bred from mated foundresses, pupae of female reproductives, males, or workers. The scuttle fly parasitoid was observed in twelve of the 31 colonies (in 39) examined of C morphospecies 2, with an average of 5 of the virgin queens being infested. Additionally, in one of six examined colonies of the closely related C morphospecies I alate females were found to be parasitized. In other species from the SE-Asian Crematogaster (Decacrema) complex that are also associated with Macaranga host plants the parasitoid was not found. The scuttle fly is described by RHLD and assigned to the genus Trucidophora, whose recognition is clarified, and named T. feldhaarae Disney sp. n.