Abstract
The study of parasitoids and their hosts suffers from a lack of reliable taxonomic data. We use a combination of morphological characters and DNA sequences to produce taxonomic determinations that can be verified with reference to specimens in an accessible collection and DNA barcode sequences posted to the Barcode of Life database (BOLD). We demonstrate that DNA can be successfully extracted from consumed host spiders and the shed pupal case of a wasp using non-destructive methods. We found Acrodactyla quadrisculpta to be a parasitoid of Tetragnatha montana; Zatypota percontatoria and Zatypota bohemani both are parasitoids of Neottiura bimaculata. Zatypota anomala is a parasitoid of an as yet unidentified host in the family Dictynidae, but the host species may be possible to identify in the future as the library of reference sequences on BOLD continues to grow. The study of parasitoids and their hosts traditionally requires specialized knowledge and techniques, and accumulating data is a slow process. DNA barcoding could allow more professional and amateur naturalists to contribute data to this field of study. A publication venue dedicated to aggregating datasets of all sizes online is well suited to this model of distributed science.
Highlights
Parasitoid wasps are among the most significant enemies of spiders (Foelix 2011)
The "Polysphincta group" of the tribe Ephialtini informally refers to those ichneumonids that attack postembryonic spiders, typically of web-building species. These wasps develop as larvae attached to the abdomen of the spider (Figs 1, 5, 9). This host-parasitoid relationship is distinctive because the mobile spider continues to grow and develop along with the larval parasitoid attached to its abdomen
We found that the condition of the host specimens did not prevent the generation of DNA barcode sequence data
Summary
Parasitoid wasps are among the most significant enemies of spiders (Foelix 2011). Among the ichneumonid wasps, there are parasitoids of spider eggs, as well as ectoparasitoids of post-embryonic spiders. The "Polysphincta group" of the tribe Ephialtini ( referred to by its junior synonym Polysphinctini) informally refers to those ichneumonids that attack postembryonic spiders, typically of web-building species. These wasps develop as larvae attached to the abdomen of the spider (Figs 1, 5, 9). Live Tetragnatha montana (RMNH.ARA.14127) parasitized by Acrodactyla quadrisculpta larva (RMNH.INS.593867). We successfully obtained DNA barcode sequences from the spider host remains left by the wasp just before pupation (Figs 2, 3, 6, 10, 11, 14, 17). Tetragnatha montana (RMNH.ARA.14129) preserved in alcohol after being consumed by Acrodactyla quadrisculpta larva. (RMNH.ARA.14254) preserved in alcohol after being consumed by Zatypota anomala larva (RMNH.INS.593866). A morphological structure found in some dictynid species, but relatively few other European spiders
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