FUNCTIONAL-MORPHOLOGY OF THE MYMARIFORM AND SACCIFORM LARVAE OF THE EGG PARASITOID ANAPHES-VICTUS HUBER (HYMENOPTERA, MYMARIDAE)

The mymariform and sacciform larvae of Anaphes victus Huber (Hymenopte ra: Mymaridae), an egg parasitoid of Curculionidae, are apneustic and segmented. We found a perioral cordiform structure around the buccal c avity of the mymariform larva that may have a role in the ingestion of host contents or in fights with conspecific larvae in situations of s uperparasitism. We observed fights between mymariform larvae, which re gulate superparasitism in this strictly solitary species, in which sen sorial structures of two distinct types found on the thoracic setae co uld have played a role. The adaptive value of these larval fights is d iscussed.