Fröhlich David, Zangl Lukas, Raspotnig Günther, Koblmüller Stephan
Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Universalmuseum Joanneum, Studienzentrum Naturkunde, Weinzöttlstraße 16, 8045 Graz, Austria.
Insects. 2022 Feb 1;13(2):159. doi: 10.3390/insects13020159.
Cuckoo wasps (Chrysididae, Hymenoptera) are known for their parasitoid or cleptoparasitic life histories. Indeed, the biology of only a few species has been studied in detail and often only little more is known than the host species. By mimicking their hosts' cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles, species that parasitize single (or a few closely related) host species manage to deceive their hosts. However, the variability of the CHC profile in generalist cuckoo-wasp species is still unknown. Here, we used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and DNA barcoding to study intraspecific variation in cuticular hydrocarbons of one less host-specific species of cuckoo wasps, . Cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) patterns were found to differ between males and females. Additionally, we found chemical polymorphism among females, which formed three distinct chemical subgroups characterized by different alkene patterns. A lack of divergence in the DNA barcoding region suggests that these different chemotypes do not represent cryptic species. Whether this intrasexual CHC-profile variation is an adaptation (mimicry) to different host species, or simply signaling the reproductive status, remains unclear.
杜鹃蜂（膜翅目：金小蜂科）以其寄生或盗寄生的生活史而闻名。实际上，只有少数物种的生物学特性得到了详细研究，而且通常除了宿主物种外所知甚少。通过模仿宿主的表皮碳氢化合物（CHC）谱，寄生于单一（或少数密切相关）宿主物种的物种成功地欺骗了它们的宿主。然而，广食性杜鹃蜂物种CHC谱的变异性仍然未知。在这里，我们使用气相色谱 - 质谱联用（GC-MS）和DNA条形码技术来研究一种宿主特异性较低的杜鹃蜂表皮碳氢化合物的种内变异。发现雄性和雌性之间的表皮碳氢化合物（CHC）模式存在差异。此外，我们在雌性中发现了化学多态性，它们形成了三个不同的化学亚组，其特征在于不同的烯烃模式。DNA条形码区域缺乏差异表明这些不同的化学型并不代表隐存种。这种性别内CHC谱变异是对不同宿主物种的一种适应（拟态），还是仅仅用于表明繁殖状态，目前尚不清楚。
