FUNCTIONAL-ANATOMY OF THE OVIPOSITOR CLIP IN THE PARASITOID LEPTOPILINA-HETEROTOMA (THOMPSON) (HYMENOPTERA, EUCOILIDAE), A STRUCTURE TO GRIP ESCAPING HOST LARVAE

Observations on the host attack behaviour of the parasitoid Leptopilin a heterotoma (Hymenoptera: Eucoilidae) led to the supposition that thi s wasp should possess a structure on its ovipositor by which it can ho ld a host larvae in a fixed position until the larva is paralyzed. The ovipositor was studied by light, scanning and transmission electron m icroscopy and appeared to have a clip with teeth on the unpaired valve of the ovipositor, about 50 mu m from the tip. Based on the structure of this ovipositor clip and the oviposition behaviour, the functionin g of the ovipositor clip is discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.