The Wonder of the Fig
(Part 6- Of parasites and hyper-parasites)
In this part we'll look at the other actors revolving around the story
of fig and their wasps. Not every relation between the fig and the wasps
is purely based on mutualism. And this is where our free-loaders come
in- the parasitic wasps that you see in the picture.
The female parasitic wasp, by definition, doesn't help the fig in
pollination like the other wasps at all. Instead of entering the fig
through the hole at the top, these parasitic wasps normally inject their
eggs inside the fig with the help of the spectacularly long and thin
hypodermic (adjacent pic) which is a very unique and specialised
ovipositor. Once it bores its way through the fig, the tip of the
hypodermic seeks out the little flowers in which eggs of the true,
pollinating wasps have been laid. The hole she bores is again very
impressive, on her scale, it's like drilling a 100-foot well. Males are
often wingless, but winged males are also present. Inside the fig, these
males of the parasitic wasps have savage pincer jaws which they only
use for fighting- lacerating and slicing other males to death that they
may encounter in their search of the female parasitic wasp eggs.
But that's not the end of parasitism; and whenever the female parasitic
wasps drills a hole to lay her eggs, the hyper-parasitic wasps
(parasite of a parasite) quickly use that already drilled hole to lay
their own eggs down the hole!
Have a look at the parasitic wasp and its specialised and extra-ordinarily long ovipositor: http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/group/
In our next parts, we'll look at more of such interesting stuff concerning other players in our story!
Sources:
1) ‘Climbing Mount Improbable’, Richard Dawkins, 1996
2) http://nirmukta.com/2012/08/
3) www.figweb.org
4)http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/group/
Image: http://www-tc.pbs.org/wnet/
The Wonder of the Fig
(Part 6- Of parasites and hyper-parasites)
In this part we'll look at the other actors revolving around the story of fig and their wasps. Not every relation between the fig and the wasps is purely based on mutualism. And this is where our free-loaders come in- the parasitic wasps that you see in the picture.
(Part 6- Of parasites and hyper-parasites)
In this part we'll look at the other actors revolving around the story of fig and their wasps. Not every relation between the fig and the wasps is purely based on mutualism. And this is where our free-loaders come in- the parasitic wasps that you see in the picture.
The female parasitic wasp, by definition, doesn't help the fig in
pollination like the other wasps at all. Instead of entering the fig
through the hole at the top, these parasitic wasps normally inject their
eggs inside the fig with the help of the spectacularly long and thin
hypodermic (adjacent pic) which is a very unique and specialised
ovipositor. Once it bores its way through the fig, the tip of the
hypodermic seeks out the little flowers in which eggs of the true,
pollinating wasps have been laid. The hole she bores is again very
impressive, on her scale, it's like drilling a 100-foot well. Males are
often wingless, but winged males are also present. Inside the fig, these
males of the parasitic wasps have savage pincer jaws which they only
use for fighting- lacerating and slicing other males to death that they
may encounter in their search of the female parasitic wasp eggs.
But that's not the end of parasitism; and whenever the female parasitic wasps drills a hole to lay her eggs, the hyper-parasitic wasps (parasite of a parasite) quickly use that already drilled hole to lay their own eggs down the hole!
Have a look at the parasitic wasp and its specialised and extra-ordinarily long ovipositor: http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/group/
In our next parts, we'll look at more of such interesting stuff concerning other players in our story!
Sources:
1) ‘Climbing Mount Improbable’, Richard Dawkins, 1996
2) http://nirmukta.com/2012/08/
3) www.figweb.org
4)http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/group/
Image: http://www-tc.pbs.org/wnet/
But that's not the end of parasitism; and whenever the female parasitic wasps drills a hole to lay her eggs, the hyper-parasitic wasps (parasite of a parasite) quickly use that already drilled hole to lay their own eggs down the hole!
Have a look at the parasitic wasp and its specialised and extra-ordinarily long ovipositor: http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/group/
In our next parts, we'll look at more of such interesting stuff concerning other players in our story!
Sources:
1) ‘Climbing Mount Improbable’, Richard Dawkins, 1996
2) http://nirmukta.com/2012/08/
3) www.figweb.org
4)http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/group/
Image: http://www-tc.pbs.org/wnet/
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