Foraging on insect mutualists by the thatching ant Formica obscuripes: Interspecific and intraspecific mechanisms and implications

Experimental exclusion of ants confirmed that a mutualism existed between the thatching ant Formica obscuripes and the cynipid gall wasp Disholcaspis perniciosa. The success of all but specialized parasites, Eudecatoma spp that attack before the gall is available for ant attendance, decreased in the presence of ants. Gall wasp survivorship and fecundity schedules fell and the incidence of parasitism increased over a seven year period, including five years of data from galls that were retained on the host. Local persistence of the gall wasp despite increasing parasitism appeared to depend on escape in time due to polymorphic emergence resulting from diapausing prepupae.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Seibert, Thomas Floyd

• Biology, Ecology
• Biology, Entomology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1990 Seibert, Thomas Floyd

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9021753
(UMI)AAI9021753

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/22462