תוצאות חיפוש: מיכל סגולי

We modeled the possible effect of limited kin discrimination on larval aggression in polyembryonic wasps. In these organisms, each egg divides clonally to produce several genetically identical embryos inside an arthropod host. If more than one egg is laid inside a host (superparasitism), several clones compete for the host resources. In some species, a proportion of embryos develop into sterile soldier larvae that attack competitors inside the host.

Debates on the relative importance of different factors in limiting the realized fitness of insect parasitoids and herbivores have continued for decades. We used a novel technique to estimate lifetime reproductive success in two Anagrus spp. parasitoids, whose hosts are eggs of leafhoppers that feed on grape leaves.

Brood size has important implications for the fitness of both parents and offspring. In polyembryonic parasitoid wasps, each egg develops into many genetically identical embryos through clonal division inside the host. Thus, offspring may have the potential to affect brood size by adjusting the degree of embryonic division. We investigated the effect of relatedness between competing clones on brood size in the polyembryonic wasp Copidosoma koehleri.