Lorenzi M C, Bagnères A G
Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo, Università di Torino, via Accademia Albertina 17, 10123 Torino, Italy.
Parasitology. 2002 Dec;125(Pt 6):507-12. doi: 10.1017/s003118200200238x.
Polistes atrimandibularis is a species of obligate social wasp parasite, which introduces into nests of the host species P. biglumis, where it rears its own brood relying on the workers of the host species. Wasps of the host species discriminate between nestmates and non-nestmates by means of their epicuticular hydrocarbons. To overcome the host recognition systems, parasites have to modify their epicuticular recognition cues. Compared to individuals of the host species, parasites have 3-4 times less epicuticular hydrocarbons, although they share with their hosts the habitat and even the nests. We hypothesize that a dilution of the recognition cues in social parasites could have a facilitating role in entering host nests, in integrating within their host colony and in sneaking into secondary colonies to steal larvae and pupae.
三齿胡蜂是一种专性社会性黄蜂寄生虫，它会进入宿主大胡蜂的巢穴，依靠宿主的工蜂来养育自己的后代。宿主物种的黄蜂通过其表皮碳氢化合物来区分巢友和非巢友。为了克服宿主的识别系统，寄生虫必须改变其表皮识别线索。与宿主物种的个体相比，寄生虫的表皮碳氢化合物减少了3至4倍，尽管它们与宿主共享栖息地甚至巢穴。我们推测，社会性寄生虫识别线索的稀释可能在进入宿主巢穴、融入宿主蜂群以及潜入次级蜂群偷取幼虫和蛹方面起到促进作用。
