Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Matthew G. E. Mitchell, Emery Hartley, Matt Tsuruda, Andrew Gonzalez, Elena M. Bennett
Summary: Our study in Southern Quebec found that pests, primary parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids responded in contrasting ways to landscape structure, displaying opposite trends and complex relationships with forest fragment size and isolation. Wider fields consistently had lower aphid abundances, primary parasitoid rates, and hyperparasitoid rates. This highlights the complexity of trophic dynamics and how changes in landscape structure can have conflicting effects on pest regulation.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Salbi Fuat, Nur Azura Adam, Izfa Riza Hazmi, Salmah Yaakop
Summary: This study investigated the diversity of Metisa plana parasitoids and found that their diversity was significantly higher in Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) plantations compared to non-GAP plantations. The study also revealed a negative correlation between hyperparasitoids and primary parasitoids.
Review
Entomology
Erik H. Poelman, Antonino Cusumano, Jetske G. de Boer
Summary: Hyperparasitoids are diverse members of insect food webs that parasitize the larvae of other parasitoids. They can affect herbivore population dynamics and pose a major challenge in biological control. Recent research has shown that hyperparasitoids challenge nutrient use efficiency, impact herbivore outbreaks, and use cues from complex interaction networks to locate their hosts.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Entomology
Zeljko Tomanovic, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Zhengpei Ye, Erifili P. Nika, Andjeljko Petrovic, Ines M. G. Vollhardt, Christoph Vorburger
Summary: This review summarizes the current knowledge on the taxonomy, biodiversity, and ecology of cereal aphid parasitoids in Europe. The study presents approaches to studying aphid-parasitoid-hyperparasitoid food webs and the effects of secondary endosymbionts on parasitoid community composition. It also reviews the impacts of agricultural practices, environmental variation, and landscape complexity on cereal aphid food webs and biological control.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mark P. Zimmerman, David M. Chan, Karen M. Kester, Rosalyn C. Rael, Suzanne L. Robertson
Summary: The study explores the impacts of allelochemicals from plants on the population dynamics of hosts, parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids. Findings suggest both detrimental effects and increased attack rates can promote coexistence. The allocation of hyperparasitoid attacks between nicotine-producing and nicotine-free plants can impact species diversity at the fourth trophic level.
NATURAL RESOURCE MODELING
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Casey R. Hall, Rhiannon C. Rowe, Meena Mikhael, Elizabeth Read, Sue E. Hartley, Scott N. Johnson
Summary: The addition of silicon has little impact on aphid and parasitoid numbers, but significantly reduces their size. Silicon supplementation alters secondary metabolites in plants, affecting higher trophic levels.
Article
Entomology
Claudine Desroches, Joseph Moisan-De Serres, Emilien Rodrigue, Genevieve Labrie, Eric Lucas
Summary: The study aimed to determine the trophic associations of Ceutorhynchus insects with their host plants and parasitoids in the agricultural landscape. This was done by identifying Ceutorhynchus species and their parasitoids from Brassicaceae plants collected near canola fields and other crops. Five Ceutorhynchus species were found to be hosts of parasitoids in the families Pteromalidae and Eulophidae, and two functional groups were identified. The exotic wormseed wallflower and native tower rockcress were identified as new host plants for Ceutorhynchus obstrictus and Ceutorhynchus neglectus, respectively. Additionally, an association between the exotic Ceutorhynchus typhae and a parasitoid of the genus Elachertodomyia was reported for the first time.
Review
Zoology
Davide Badano, Alice Lenzi, James E. O'Hara, Kelly B. Miller, Andrea Di Giulio, Filippo Di Giovanni, Pierfilippo Cerretti
Summary: Dipteran parasitoids of Embioptera have been found in all biogeographical regions except Australasia/Oceania, and they all belong to the hyperdiverse and widespread fly family Tachinidae. The paper reviewed Diptera species parasitizing webspinners, with a new genus and several new species described. Multiple colonization events of webspinners by different tachinid species were likely independent, originating from hosts such as Lepidoptera.
Article
Ecology
Tim Haye, Jinping Zhang, Marion Risse, Tara D. Gariepy
Summary: Competition studies on coevolved parasitoids reveal differences in host acceptance, developmental suitability, and guarding behavior, highlighting potential strategies for avoidance or exploitation of shared resources. Additionally, the competitive advantage of Asian Trissolcus japonicus and T. cultratus is influenced by their intrinsic and extrinsic competition, with evidence of facultative hyperparasitism as a competitive niche in geographically separated populations.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Srwa K. Bandyan, Ralph S. Peters, Nawzad B. Kadir, Mar Ferrer-Suay, Wolfgang H. Kirchner
Summary: This study surveyed aphids and associated parasitoid wasps from six important crop species in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, identifying multiple species of primary and hyperparasitoids. Some species were recorded in Iraq for the first time, laying the foundation for future biological control efforts.
JOURNAL OF HYMENOPTERA RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Entomology
Xingeng Wang, Xiao-Yi Wang, Marc Kenis, Liang-Ming Cao, Jian J. Duan, Juli R. Gould, Kim A. Hoelmer
Summary: Parasitoids play a unique role in reducing woodborer populations by shifting from more specialist endoparasitoids to more generalist ectoparasitoids; Larval ectoparasitoids dominate the guilds by locating hosts through substrate vibration and rendering attacked hosts undetectable by other parasitoids; Novel associations between exotic woodborers and extant larval parasitoids promote coexistence and synergistic regulation of host populations.
Article
Ecology
Thomas Denoirjean, Charlotte Engels, Guillaume Jean Le Goff, Francoise Dubois, Kevin Tougeron, Geraldine Doury, Arnaud Ameline, Aude Couty
Summary: Variability in host plant quality can impact the performance of phytophagous insects and their interactions with parasitoids. This study assessed the effects of different apple tree cultivars on the rosy apple aphid and its parasitoid, showing that resistant cultivars negatively affected aphids but had limited bottom-up effects on parasitoids.
ARTHROPOD-PLANT INTERACTIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Christopher T. Monk, Michael Power, Carla Freitas, Philip M. Harrison, Michelle Heupel, Anna Kuparinen, Even Moland, Colin Simpfendorfer, David Villegas-Rios, Esben M. Olsen
Summary: This study investigated the correlation between behavior type and diet in a protected population of Atlantic cod. By using acoustic telemetry and stable isotope compositions, the researchers determined the behavior and diet of the cod. The study further explored whether there were survival costs associated with behavior and diet.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Andrew Polaszek, Lars Vilhemsen
Summary: Parasitoid wasps, comprising over half of Hymenoptera's known diversity, are highly successful insect parasitoids that have been utilized as pest control agents, bringing significant economic benefits to global agriculture. From a simple parasitoid lifestyle on wood-living beetle larvae, Hymenoptera diversified into a wide range of hosts and parasitoid lifestyles, such as hyperparasitoidism, kleptoparasitoidism, egg parasitoidism, and polyembryony, often utilizing viruses to subdue their hosts. Many lineages evolved beyond parasitism, giving rise to herbivorous or predatory nest provisioners and eventually insect societies.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Polina Yu Dgebuadze, Elena S. Mekhova, Andrey G. Zuev, Anna K. Zalota
Summary: This paper investigates the feeding strategies of gastropods from the family Eulimidae that inhabit echinoderm hosts. The results suggest that these molluscs may obtain food particles from the environment, possibly by stealing detritus particles. Furthermore, the study reveals that the hosts and symbionts rely on different food sources, indicating a different feeding mode in this symbiotic association.
Article
Zoology
Maja Lazarevic, Sasa S. Stankovic, Andjeljko Petrovic, Marijana Ilic Milosevic, Zeljko Tomanovic, Ana Ivanovic, Vladimir Zikic
ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER
(2020)
Article
Entomology
Jelisaveta Ckrkic, Andjeljko Petrovic, Korana Kocic, Milana Mitrovic, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Cornelis van Achterberg, Paul D. N. Hebert, Zeljko Tomanovic
Article
Entomology
Korana Kocic, Andjeljko Petrovic, Jelisaveta Ckrkic, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Ehsan Rakhshani, Judit Arno, Yahana Aparicio, Paul D. N. Hebert, Zeljko Tomanovic
Article
Entomology
Andjeljko Petrovic, Korana Kocic, Jelisaveta Ckrkic, Zeljko Tomanovic
Summary: This study provides additional data on the Aphidiinae fauna of Kyrgyzstan, identifying 18 species including a new one. Additionally, 11 species are reported for the first time in the region. The current knowledge of Aphidiinae in Kyrgyzstan is summarized and discussed.
JOURNAL OF HYMENOPTERA RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Ana Mitrovski-Bogdanovic, Milana Mitrovic, Marijana Ilic Milosevic, Vladimir Zikic, Aiman Jamhour, Ana Ivanovic, Zeljko Tomanovic
Summary: The study analyzed and compared the patterns of molecular and morphological divergence in European parasitoid wasps of the genus Aphidius Nees, 1818, identifying significant phylogenetic lineages. Despite some low resolution in molecular data, there was still a correlation between morphological variance and molecular evolution in certain well-defined groups.
ORGANISMS DIVERSITY & EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Andjeljko Petrovic
Summary: This article discusses the crucial role of taxonomy in biology and the difficulties and challenges associated with it. By analyzing taxonomical studies on Aphidiinae, the knowledge gap and taxonomic impediment are evaluated. The article summarizes the available taxonomic knowledge gathered over the past decade and discusses its relevance in the current state of taxonomy. Furthermore, the future prospects for taxonomy are also discussed.
Review
Entomology
Zeljko Tomanovic, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Zhengpei Ye, Erifili P. Nika, Andjeljko Petrovic, Ines M. G. Vollhardt, Christoph Vorburger
Summary: This review summarizes the current knowledge on the taxonomy, biodiversity, and ecology of cereal aphid parasitoids in Europe. The study presents approaches to studying aphid-parasitoid-hyperparasitoid food webs and the effects of secondary endosymbionts on parasitoid community composition. It also reviews the impacts of agricultural practices, environmental variation, and landscape complexity on cereal aphid food webs and biological control.
Article
Zoology
Zeljko Tomanovic, Andjeljko Petrovic, Korana Kocic, Jelisaveta Ckrkic, Alice Casiraghi, Jose M. Michelena Saval
Summary: This article describes two new species of cone snails, Falciconus hispanicus sp. n. from Spain and Monoctonus montenegrinus sp. n. from high mountain habitats of Montenegro. The authors discuss the main diagnostic characters of these new species and their associations with host plant-host aphid.
Article
Biology
Aleksandra D. Trajkovic, Maja J. Lazarevic, Sasa S. Stankovic, Milos A. Popovic, Marijana M. Ilic Milosevic, Vladimir A. Zikic
Summary: This study improves the identification of exophytophagous lepidopteran larvae by developing simplified characters and descriptive matrices for different species. The results indicate that this framework can improve data storage and interpretation, contributing to further research on biodiversity and species monitoring.
ARCHIVES OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Zeljko Tomanovic, Sasa S. Stankovic, Andjeljko Petrovic, Cinthya Villegas, Francisca Zepeda-Paulo, Blas Lavandero, Vladimir Zikic
Summary: This study describes four new species endemic to South America, belonging to the genus Pseudephedrus. The discovery of these new species provides insights into the phylogeny and morphological characteristics of Pseudephedrus. The study also suggests that the aphid hosts of these new species exhibit a dropping behavior as a defense mechanism against parasitoids.
NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jelisaveta Ckrkic, Korana Kocic, Milan Plecas, Andjeljko Petrovic, Zeljko Tonnanovic
Summary: The genus Diaeretellus is a small group of Aphidiinae wasps that inhabit semi-aquatic habitats and specialize in aphid hosts and plants. The biology of Diaeretellus species is still not well-known due to their lack of economic importance as biocontrol agents. This study describes a new species, Diaeretellus nymphaealis sp. nov., which is the first member of the genus to be described from the Nearctic region and is found in wetland habitats. Conservation efforts for wetland habitats, which are under anthropogenic pressure, should focus on hyperdiverse entomofauna to achieve positive outcomes.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Andjeljko Petrovic, Nicolas Perez Hidalgo, Jose Manuel Michelena Saval, Zeljko Tomanovic
Summary: In this study, a new plant-feeding wasp Aphidius erodii sp. n. associated with the herbaceous ornamental plants and strawberry pest Acyrthosiphon malvae is described. Diagnosis of Aphidius erodii sp. n. was based on the COI barcode gene and morphological traits, with illustrations provided. Additionally, the phylogenetic relationships of all Aphidius species parasitizing A. malvae in Europe were discussed.
Article
Biology
Marijana M. Ilic Milosevic, Olivera T. Petrovic-Obradovic, Sasa S. Stankovic, Maja J. Lazarevic, Aleksandra D. Trajkovic, Zeljko M. Tomanovic, Vladimir A. Zikic
ARCHIVES OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2020)
