RESPONSES OF FIG WASPS TO HOST-PLANT VOLATILE CUES

Citation
Ab. Ware et Sg. Compton, RESPONSES OF FIG WASPS TO HOST-PLANT VOLATILE CUES, Journal of chemical ecology, 20(3), 1994, pp. 785-802
Citations number
49
Categorie Soggetti
Ecology,Biology
Journal title
ISSN journal
00980331
Volume
20
Issue
3
Year of publication
1994
Pages
785 - 802
Database
ISI
SICI code
0098-0331(1994)20:3<785:ROFWTH>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
Fig wasps (Chalcidoidea; Agaonidae) are intimately associated with the 750 or so species of fig trees (Ficus, Moraceae). Each tree species i s usually pollinated by a single species of wasp belonging to the subf amily Agaoninae, while other wasps of the family are parasitoids or se ed predators. Previous experiments have shown that the wasps are attra cted to the trees by volatiles emanating from the figs. Using fig-bear ing trees and arrays of sticky traps baited with figs, we investigated the specificity of wasp attraction and its timing. The pollinators of two closely related Ficus species were specifically attracted to figs of their host species and only at the time when figs were ready to be pollinated. Some nonpollinating fig wasps appear to respond to the sa me volatile cues.