Pompilidae Research Articles

Systematics of Australian Agenioideus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) with the first record of a spider wasp parasitizing Latrodectus hasselti Thorell (redback spider)

AbstractThe Australian members of the spider wasp genus Agenioideus are revised, and its two constituent species, Agenioideus expulsus Turner and A. nigricornis (Fabricius), are redescribed. A third species, Agenioideus ultimus (Turner), is transferred to Spuridiophorus Arnold, a genus that is newly recorded here from the Australian continent. Diagnoses and criteria to facilitate the identification of the two genera are provided, along with information on the distribution and host biology of Agenioideus species. The first records of a pompilid utilising Latrodectus hasselti Thorell (redback spider) as a host at multiple locations across southern Australia are presented, along with a brief synopsis of insect parasitoids and predators of L. hasselti in Australia.

Functional morphology and wasp pollination of two South American asclepiads (Asclepiadoideae–Apocynaceae)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The extreme complexity of asclepiad flowers (Asclepiadoideae-Apocynaceae) has generated particular interest in the pollination biology of this group of plants especially in the mechanisms involved in the pollination processes. This study compares two South American species, Morrenia odorata and Morrenia brachystephana, with respect to morphology and anatomy of flower structures, dynamic aspects of the pollination mechanism, diversity of visitors and effectiveness of pollinators. Floral structure was studied with fresh and fixed flowers following classical techniques. The pollination mechanism was studied by visiting fresh flowers in the laboratory with artificial pollinator body parts created with an eyelash. Morphometric and nectar measurements were also taken. Pollen transfer efficiency in the flowers was calculated by recording the frequency of removed and inserted pollinia. Visitor activity was recorded in the field, and floral visitors were captured for subsequent analysis of pollen loads. Finally, pollinator effectiveness was calculated with an index. The detailed structure of the flowers revealed a complex system of guide rails and chambers precisely arranged in order to achieve effective pollinaria transport. Morrenia odorata is functionally specialized for wasp pollination, and M. brachystephana for wasp and bee pollination. Pollinators transport chains of pollinaria adhered to their mouthparts. Morrenia odorata and M. brachystephana present differences in the morphology and size of their corona, gynostegium and pollinaria, which explain the differences in details of the functioning of the general pollination mechanism. Pollination is performed by different groups of highly effective pollinators. Morrenia species are specialized for pollination mainly by several species of wasps, a specialized pollination which has been poorly studied. In particular, pompilid wasps are reported as important pollinators in other regions outside South Africa. A putative new function of nectar in asclepiads is presented, as it would be contributing to the pollination mechanism.

먹이 종 감각 정보 제공에 따른 긴호랑거미(Argiope bruennichi)의 웹 건축 전략

거미의 건축물인 웹의 구조는 먹이 포획을 위한 자원의 투자이자 그 자체가 포식 전략이다. 잠재적인 먹이종으로부터 제공되는 감각정보를 바탕으로 포식 전략을 수정하는 개체는 그렇지 못한 개체에 비해 더 높은 적응도를 가질 것이다. 본 연구는 공중에 둥근 웹을 건축하는 긴호랑거미(Argiope bruennichi)를 대상으로 자외선을 인식하는 비행성 곤충인 서양뒤영벌(Bombus terrestris)의 정보를 경험한 개체가 자신의 건축 행동을 수정하는지를 알아보기 위해 수행되었다. 서양뒤영벌(B. terrestris)의 정보를 제공받은 실험군의 개체가 건축한 웹의 구조를 대조군(정보 없음)의 웹과 비교하였다. 본 연구의 가설은 실험군 개체들은 웹과 흰띠줄 건축에 더 많은 투자를 할 것이라는 것이다. 실험 결과는 당초의 가설을 기각했다. 웹과 흰띠줄 건축은 실험군과 대조군 모두에서 전반적으로 감소하는 경향을 나타냈다. 개체는 꽃꿀채집자의 정보에도 불구하고 흰띠줄을 더 길게 만들지도 웹을 확장하지도 않았다. Web structure of spiders is a foraging strategy as well as an investment to get prey. In order to increase the fitness consequence, spiders change their foraging strategy based on sensory information provided by prey species. We conducted an experiment to demonstrate whether an orb-web building spider, Argiope bruennichi modifies its web-building behavior after experiencing sensory information emitted by a UV recognizing flying insect, Bombus terrestris. To know how the web structure would be modified, we observed web characteristics after providing sensory information of a potential prey species, the bumblebee (experimental group) and compared them to the control group (no information provided). We hypothesized that the spiders of the experimental group would increase investments in their web construction and stabilimentum decoration. The results rejected our hypothesis. Web and stabilimentum constructions decreased in the course of the experiment in both the control group and the experimental group. The individuals did not increase their stabilimentum length and did not extend their web areas, in spite of sensory information given by the nectar collector.

Rapid spread of the wasp spider Argiope bruennichi across Europe: a consequence of climate change?

Numerous species are expanding their ranges towards the North Pole, a pattern that is usually explained with climate change. However, few studies have actually tested the potential role of climate in such range expansions. Here, we studied the wasp spider Argiope bruennichi, which has multiplied its range in Central and Northern Europe during the 20th century and is still spreading. Using current and historical climate data, we analysed whether this spread can be explained by climate warming, increasing cold tolerance or if it is unrelated to temperature. Spatial partial regression showed that the spread of A. bruennichi into formerly cooler areas is independent of spatial autocorrelation, indicating that it is driven by temperature. Some aspects of the spread, as e.g. the patchy distribution at the beginning of the century are likely to be relicts of climate fluctuations before our study period. From the middle of the 20th century until the 1980s, A. bruennichi was recorded from gradually cooler climates, while temperature was relatively constant. This indicates that A. bruennichi either increased its cold tolerance or that the spread continued with a time lag following an earlier warming event, due to dispersal limitation. In the last two decades, temperature rose sharply. The temperatures at which A. bruennichi was newly recorded increased as well, indicating that the spider is dispersal limited and that the spread will continue even in the absence of further climate warming.

Structural characterization of a variety of spider silks from Turkey using different biophysical techniques

Various experimental methods (XRD, FTIR, SAXS, DLS and SEM) were used to investigate structures of the silk samples weaved by spiders in Turkey. Silk samples were collected from the natural habitats belonging to the spider species (i.e., Near Salt Lake/şereflikoçhisar, İvriz Dam/Ereǧli-Konya, Karataş Lake/Burdur and several locations in Black Sea Region of Turkey). Among all collected species, Araneidae(Araneus angulatus, Argiope bruennichi, Argiope lobata, Larinoides cornutus), Eresidae(Eresus cinnaberinus), Agelenidae(Agelena labyrinthica), Oecobidae(Uroctea durandi), Miturgidae(Cheiracanthium erraticum), Salticidae(Heliophanus flavipes, Philaeus chrysops), Theridiidae(Steatoda paykulliana)and Gnaphosidae were found significant amongst other spider species. Structural differences and similarities of these species were reported. Diameter range of draglines, inter crystallite distance of nano-size structures, mean size range of nano-structure aggregations, crystallite size range, information about protein content were obtained. The mechanical properties of some silk fibers were also investigated.

Structural characterization of a variety of spider silks from Turkey using different biophysical techniques

Various experimental methods (XRD, FTIR, SAXS, DLS and SEM) were used to investigate structures of the silk samples weaved by spiders in Turkey. Silk samples were collected from the natural habitats belonging to the spider species (i.e., Near Salt Lake/ ¸ Sereflikochisar, u Dam/Ereu gli-Konya, Karatas Lake/Burdur and several locations in Black Sea Region of Turkey). Among all collected species, Araneidae (Araneus angulatus, Argiope bruennichi, Argiope lobata, Larinoides cor- nutus), Eresidae (Eresus cinnaberinus), Agelenidae (Agelena labyrinthica), Oecobidae (Uroctea durandi), Miturgidae (Cheira- canthium erraticum), Salticidae (Heliophanus flavipes, Philaeus chrysops), Theridiidae (Steatoda paykulliana) and Gnaphosi- dae were found significant amongst other spider species. Structural differences and similarities of these species were reported. Diameter range of draglines, inter crystallite distance of nano-size structures, mean size range of nano-structure aggregations, crystallite size range, information about protein content were obtained. The mechanical properties of some silk fibers were also investigated.

Spider wasps collected from the western region of Saudi Arabia

A faunistic list of spider wasps (Pompilidae) collected from the western region of Saudi Arabia is presented. It comprises 29 species belonging to 18 genera in three subfamilies, of which 22 are newly recorded from Saudi Arabia. The previously unknown male of Agenioideus spiniprivus (Priesner) is discussed. This first part is followed by a list of the species names previously recorded from Saudi Arabia or which are expected to occur there.

Investigating the effects of L- to D-amino acid substitution and deamidation on the activity and membrane interactions of antimicrobial peptide anoplin

Isolated from the venom sac of solitary spider wasp, Anoplius samariensis, anoplin is the smallest linear α-helical antimicrobial peptide found naturally with broad spectrum activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and little hemolytic activity toward human erythrocytes. Deamidation was found to decrease the peptide's antibacterial properties. In the present work, interactions of amidated (Ano-NH2) and deamidated (Ano-OH) forms of anoplin as well as Ano-NH2 composed of all D-amino acids (D-Ano-NH2) with model cell membranes were investigated by means of Langmuir Blodgett (LB) technique, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (X-PEEM) and carboxyfluorescein leakage assay in order to gain a better understanding of the effect of these peptide modifications on membrane binding and lytic properties. According to LB, all three peptides form stable monolayers at the air/water interface with Ano-NH2 occupying a slightly greater area per molecule than Ano-OH. All three forms of the peptide interact preferentially with anionic 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] (DPPG), rather than zwitterionic 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) lipid monolayer. Peptides form nanoscale clusters in zwitterionic but not in anionic monolayers. Finally, membrane lytic activity of all derivatives was found to depend strongly on membrane composition and lipid/peptide ratio. The results suggest that amidated forms of peptides are likely to possess higher membrane binding affinity due to the increased charge.

Insecta, Hymenoptera, Vespoidea, Pompilidae, Epipompilus aztecus (Cresson, 1869): first record in South America

The genus Epipompilus occurs throughout the Neotropical region, United States, Australia and New Zealand. South American members of this genus appear to have evolved separately from the others Pompilidae for a considerably time. E. aztecus was initially recorded only for Mexico and Central America. Our record expands the distribution of E. aztecus to South America, bringing new perspectives to the biogeography of spider wasps.

Cavity-Nesting Wasps and Bees of Central New York State: The Montezuma Wetlands Complex

Solitary nest-provisioning wasps and bees in North America include species that naturally construct nests within existing cavities, such as hollow plant stems or tunnels left by wood-boring insects. The materials used to construct brood cells within nest cavities and the types of food provisions provided to offspring vary considerably among species. Over five summers (2001-2002, 2005-2007), we used trap nests to survey the cavity-nesting wasp and bee assemblage within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex in central New York State. Over 350 trap nests were occupied by 6 species of apoid wasps (Sphecidae, Crabronidae; 34% of nests), 7 vespid wasps (Vespidae: Eumeninae; 39%), 2 spider wasps (Pompilidae; 3%), and 12 bees (Megachilidae, Colletidae; 26%), as well as brood parasites and parasitoids of the nest provisioners. The most common nest-provisioning wasp was Trypoxylon lactitarse, followed by Ancistrocerus antilope, Isodontia mexicana, Symmorphus canadensis, Symmorphus cristatus, and Euodynerus foraminatus. The only two bee species with comparable incidences were Hylaeus annulatus and Heriades cari- natus. Natural enemies emerging from nests included at least 17 species from 10 families, the most common of which were brood-parasitic cuckoo wasps (7 species of Chrysididae; 39 nests) and flies (Sarcophagidae; 11 nests). We also report brood sex ratios of the seven most abundant species, finding them to be either male-biased (A. antilope, T. lactitarse), female-biased (E. foraminatus), or not significantly dif- ferent from unity. We compare our survey results to others done in north-central and eastern North America.

Phylogeny and the evolution of nesting behaviour in the tribe Ageniellini (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)

The Pompilidae (spider hunting wasps) show a marked diversity in their hunting and reproductive ecology, but difficulties in phylogenetic taxonomy have hindered the elucidation of their evolutionary processes. We present here a review of the hunting and reproductive ecology of the pepsine tribe Ageniellini (including the first prey record for Macromerella), and phylogenetic analyses of this group to reconstruct the evolution of nest-constructing behaviour. The maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference analyses are based on 45 adult morphological characters, coded for 41 exemplar species, including five out-group species, representing almost all the genera and subgenera in this tribe. Results supported the following eight clades uniting more than one genus: (1) Cyphononyx + Cryptocheilus + Ageniellini; (2) Ageniellini; (3) Auplopodina, containing Dimorphagenia, Auplopus, Machaerothrix, Phanagenia, Dichragenia, Paragenia, Macromerella, and Macromeris; (4) Phanagenia + Dichragenia + Auplopus artemis + Paragenia + Macromerella + Macromeris; (5) Auplopus artemis + Paragenia + Macromerella + Macromeris; (6) Paragenia + Macromerella + Macromeris; (7) Macromerella + Macromeris; and (8) Ageniella (Lissagenia) + Phanochilus. The monophyly of the genera Auplopus and Ageniella s.l. was not confirmed. The evolution of nesting behaviour was inferred, as burrowing in the soil without using water was ancestral in Ageniellini, and constructing nests by plastering mud obtained by softening soil with water was derived only once at the ancestor of the Auplopodina. The origin of cleptoparasitism was unclear. The origin of communal nesting is also discussed in relation to the evolution of nest-constructing behaviour. The following new combinations are proposed: Ageniella (Alasagenia) sartoriana (Cresson) comb. nov., Cyemagenia certator (Nurse) comb. nov., and Auplopus artemis (Bingham) comb. nov. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 160, 88–117.

Mate choice in males with one-shot genitalia: limited importance of female fecundity

Male mate choice is expected in species in which future mating opportunities of males are strongly diminished after their first copulation and mate quality is variable unless the costs of choice exceed the benefits. Males of the spider Argiope bruennichi are mostly monogynous; they damage their paired one-shot genitalia during copulation and fall victim to sexual cannibalism. Even males that are not cannibalized can achieve a maximum of two matings. Such a high mating effort implies that a male’s reproductive success can be increased by selecting the best possible mate. Mate quality may depend on female mating status and/or fecundity. Males should be selected to prefer virgin females over mated ones since previously used female genital ducts can be blocked by genital mating plugs. Fecundity is a common approximation of female quality and in invertebrates is generally correlated with body size and mass. Argiope bruennichi females vary in body size and fecundity, providing a basis for male selectivity. By creating binary choice situations in field and laboratory experiments in which search costs were largely removed, we tested whether males show mate choice. There was weak evidence for a male preference based on female phenotype. However, virgin females were significantly preferred over mated females even if the virgin had a less fecund phenotype. We conclude that selective benefits of mating first with a female override potential benefits of choice based on female fecundity, leading to competition for virgin females.

The missing stink: sulphur compounds can mediate a shift between fly and wasp pollination systems

The radiation of the angiosperms is often attributed to repeated evolutionary shifts between different pollinators, as this process drives diversification of floral forms and can lead to reproductive isolation. Floral scent is an important functional trait in many pollination systems but has seldom been implicated as a key mechanism in pollinator transitions. In this study, we suggest a role for sulphur compounds in mediating a shift between specialized carrion-fly and pompilid-wasp pollination systems in Eucomis (Hyacinthaceae). Flowers of closely related Eucomis species pollinated by carrion flies or pompilid wasps have very similar greenish-white flowers, but differ markedly in floral scent chemistry (determined by GC-MS analysis of headspace extracts). Comparison of the floral colours of the four Eucomis species in the visual systems of flies and wasps suggests that colour plays little role in pollinator discrimination. Nectar properties and morphology also do not differ strongly between fly- and wasp-pollinated flowers. By comparing floral scent bouquets and experimentally manipulating the scent of plants in the field, we demonstrate that shifts between wasp and fly pollination in these four congeners can depend on the production or suppression of sulphur compounds (dimethyl disulphide and dimethyl trisulphide) in the fragrance bouquet. This suggests that mutations affecting the production of particular scent compounds could precipitate shifts between pollinators, independently of floral morphology, colour or nectar properties.

The Sex Pheromone of the Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

Wasp spider looking for a mate: Female wasp spiders (see picture) use trimethyl methylcitrate as a volatile cue to attract males. The experiments were performed on a sunny meadow, showing for the first time that spider traps can be used to trap spiders in the field (photo: Helen Sandford).

Prey and Nesting Behavior of Some North American Spider Wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)

This study presents prey records and nesting information for 13 species of spider wasps: Hemipepsis ustulata, Priocnessus nebulosus, and Priocnemis cornica (Tribe Pepsini); Auplopus architectus, A. caerulescens (Tribe Auplopodini); and Tachypompilus ferrugineus, T. unicolor, Anoplius (Pompilinus) marginatus complex, A. (P) splendens, A. (Anoplius) nigerrimus, A. (A.) virginiensis, Arachnospila arctus, and A. scelestus (Tribe Pompilini). Cumulative prey records for Priocnessus nebulosus, Tachypompilus ferrugineus, T. unicolor, and Arachnospila scelestus indicate limited prey selection. Cursorial hunting spiders were more susceptible to predation by the spider wasps than web-spinning spiders. Wasp nesting sites varied among natural and man-made microhabitats.

Effect of L- to D-Peptide Isomerisation on the Activity of Antimicrobial Peptide Anoplin

Isolated from the venom sac of solitary spider wasp, Anoplius samariensis, Anoplin is the smallest linear α-helical antimicrobial peptide found naturally up to date. It has broad spectrum activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and little hemolytic activity toward human erythrocytes (1,2). Previous studies showed that substitution of all amino acids in the peptide with D-isomers can increase the bioavailability and reduce peptide degradation without affecting the antimicrobial properties since the net charge and the hydrophobicity are retained (3). In the present work, two stereoisomers of Anoplin were studied using UV resonance Raman spectroscopy, Langmuir Blodgett, atomic force microscopy, calcein leakage assay and antimicrobial assay. UV resonance Raman data indicate that the two forms of the peptide adopt similar conformations in aqueous buffer and in membrane mimicking solutions. Monolayer isotherms show that D-Anoplin has a lightly greater area per molecule than L-Anoplin. Finally, membrane rupturing ability of both stereoisomers was found to depend strongly on membrane composition.(1) Konno, K., Hisada, M., Fontana, R., Lorenzi, C.C.B., Naoki, H., Itagaki, Y., Miwa, A., Kawai, N., Nakata, Y., Yasuhara, T., Neto, J.R., de Azevedo Jr., W.F., Palma, M.S. and Nakajima, T. (2001) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1550: 70-80.(2) Ifrah, D., Doisy, X., Ryge, R.S. and Hansen, P.R. (2005) J. Pept. Sci. 11: 113-121.(3) Wade, D., Boman, A., Wahlin, B., Drain, C.M., Andreu, D., Boman, H.G. and Merrifield, R.B. (1990) Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 87: 4761-4765.

Chemical Mediation of Prey Recognition by Spider‐Hunting Wasps

AbstractPredator–prey interactions are important in maintaining the structure and dynamics of ecological communities. Both predators and prey use cues from a range of sensory modalities to detect and assess one another; identification of these cues is necessary to understand how selection operates to shape predator–prey interactions. Mud‐dauber wasps (Sphecidae) provision their larval nests with paralyzed spiders, and different genera of wasps specialize on particular spider taxa.Sceliphron caementarium(Drury 1773) wasps preferentially capture spiders that build two‐dimensional (2D) webs, rather than those that construct three‐dimensional (3D) webs, but the basis of this preference is not clear. Wasps may choose spiders based on an assessment of their web architecture, as 3D webs may provide better defenses against wasp predation than do 2D webs. However, because many hymenopterans use chemical cues to locate and recognize prey, it is also possible that mud‐dauber wasps rely on chemical cues associated with the spider and/or the web to assess prey suitability. When we offered foragingS. caementariumwasps 2D and 3D spiders both on and off their webs, we found that in both cases the wasps took 2D spiders and avoided 3D spiders, demonstrating that the web itself is not the impediment. Results of a series of behavioral choice assays involving filter paper discs containing spider cues and chemically manipulated spiders or spider dummies corroborated the importance of spider chemical cues in mediation of prey recognition by mud‐dauber wasps. We also discuss the relative importance of visual and chemical cues for prey recognition by wasps, examine the anti‐predator behaviors of 2D and 3D spiders, and consider the role of wasp predation in spider diversification.

Pompiles de l'île d'Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Pompilidae)

Wahis R., Durand F. & Villemant C. 2009. — Pompiles de l'île d'Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Pompilidae). Zoosystema 31 (3): 707-718.Spider wasps from Espiritu Santo island, Vanuatu (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Pompilidae).The study of the spider-wasps collected during the exploration of the Espiritu Santo Island (Vanuatu) led to the descriptions of a new genus in the tribe Ageniellini, Melanagenia n. gen., and two new endemic species Melanagenia penaoru n. gen., n. sp. and Anoplius santo n. sp. Priocnemis corynodes Vachal, 1907 is transferred to the genus Melanagenia n. gen.; and a lectotype is designated for Pompilus inquirendus Vachal, 1907. Some new data (synonymies and distribution) about Anoplius opulentus (Smith, 1860), a species widely distributed in the South Pacific Region, are also provided.

Courtship raises male fertilization success through post-mating sexual selection in a spider.

Courtship is well known for its positive effects on mating success. However, in polyandrous species, sexual selection continues to operate after copulation. Cryptic female choice is expected under unpredictable mating rates in combination with sequential mate encounters. However, there are very few accounts of the effects of courtship on cryptic female choice, and the available evidence is often correlative. Mature Argiope bruennichi females are always receptive and never attack or reject males before mating, although sexual cannibalism after mating occurs regularly. Still, males usually perform an energetic vibratory display prior to copulation. We tested the hypothesis that beneficial effects of courtship arise cryptically, during or after mating, resulting in increased paternity success under polyandry. Manipulating courtship duration experimentally, we found that males that mated without display had a reduced paternity share even though no differences in post-copulatory cannibalism or copulation duration were detected. This suggests that the paternity advantage associated with courtship arose through female-mediated processes after intromission, meeting the definition of cryptic female choice.

Scent of a Woman – The Effect of Female Presence on Sexual Cannibalism in an Orb‐Weaving Spider (Araneae: Araneidae)

AbstractPost‐mating sexual cannibalism occurs as a regular element of mating behaviour in a number of spider species. Frequencies of cannibalism, however, are highly variable between and within species. In Argiope bruennichi, males apparently differ in their motivation to escape a female attack but causes for this variability are unknown. We observed that the probability of sexual cannibalism is positively correlated with male age, i.e. the number of days that passed between male maturation and copulation. The mating season in this species is short with 3–4 wk and males mostly mature days before the females, whose maturation phase is longer. Consequently, as the season progresses, the availability of virgin females increases, quickly reaches a peak and then rapidly declines. In addition, the age of still unmated males increases with the season and both of these factors can potentially affect the degree of sexual cannibalism. To separate these factors, males were collected in their penultimate stage and kept until mating either with or without contact to female pheromones. Thereby, we experimentally manipulated the male’s perception of female presence. Within each treatment, we formed three male age groups: (1) 2–6 d, (2) 12–16 d and (3) 22–28 d. Our results demonstrate that the probability of cannibalism was independent of male age but was explained by the treatment of males: males exposed to virgin female pheromones were significantly more likely to be cannibalised than males that were kept without female pheromones. This suggests that males change their reproductive strategy according to perceived mating prospects.