First record of the parasitoid wasp Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae) associated with spider eggs-sac of Araneus vincibilis (Araneae: Araneidae) in Northeastern Brazil / Primeiro registro da vespa parasitóide Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae) associada ao ovissaco da aranha Araneus vincibilis (Araneae: Araneidae) no Nordeste do Brasil

Abstract Lymeon Förster, 1869 is a very large genus of the Cryptinae (Ichneumonidae) with predominantly Neotropical distribution where females attack small cocoons of various groups of insects and spider eggs-sac. In the present study, we report the first record the interaction between the parasitoid wasp Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae), with eggs-sac of spider Araneus vincibilis (Araneidae) in Northeastern Brazil. We observed that although the female of A. vincibilis cares for the eggs that were attacked by Lymeon sp, the wasp larva consumed about 80% of spider eggs, indicating that both maternal care and the physical barrier offered by the eggs-sac may not provide absolute defense against predators.

Resumo Lymeon Förster, 1869 é um grande gênero de Cryptinae (Ichneumonidae) com distribuição predominantemente neotropical, onde fêmeas atacam pequenos casulos de vários grupos de insetos e ovissacos de aranha. No presente estudo, relatamos o primeiro registro da interação entre a vespa parasitoide Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae), com o ovissaco da aranha Araneus vincibilis (Araneidae) no Nordeste do Brasil. Observamos que, embora a fêmea de A. vincibilis cuide dos ovos que foram atacados por Lymeon sp, a larva da vespa consumiu cerca de 80% dos ovos da aranha, indicando que tanto o cuidado maternal quanto a barreira física oferecida pelo ovissaco não podem fornecer defesa absoluta contra predadores.

First record of the parasitoid wasp Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae) associated with spider eggs-sac of Araneus vincibilis (Araneae: Araneidae) in Northeastern Brazil.

Lymeon Förster, 1869 is a very large genus of the Cryptinae (Ichneumonidae) with predominantly Neotropical distribution where females attack small cocoons of various groups of insects and spider eggs-sac. In the present study, we report the first record the interaction between the parasitoid wasp Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae), with eggs-sac of spider Araneus vincibilis (Araneidae) in Northeastern Brazil. We observed that although the female of A. vincibilis cares for the eggs that were attacked by Lymeon sp, the wasp larva consumed about 80% of spider eggs, indicating that both maternal care and the physical barrier offered by the eggs-sac may not provide absolute defense against predators.

First record of the parasitoid wasp Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) associated with spider eggs-sac of Araneus vincibilis (Araneae: Araneidae) in Northeastern Brazil

Abstract Lymeon Förster, 1869 is a very large genus of the Cryptinae (Ichneumonidae) with predominantly Neotropical distribution where females attack small cocoons of various groups of insects and spider eggs-sac. In the present study, we report the first record the interaction between the parasitoid wasp Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae), with eggs-sac of spider Araneus vincibilis (Araneidae) in Northeastern Brazil. We observed that although the female of A. vincibilis cares for the eggs that were attacked by Lymeon sp, the wasp larva consumed about 80% of spider eggs, indicating that both maternal care and the physical barrier offered by the eggs-sac may not provide absolute defense against predators.

Resumo Lymeon Förster, 1869 é um grande gênero de Cryptinae (Ichneumonidae) com distribuição predominantemente neotropical, onde fêmeas atacam pequenos casulos de vários grupos de insetos e ovissacos de aranha. No presente estudo, relatamos o primeiro registro da interação entre a vespa parasitoide Lymeon sp. (Ichneumonidae), com o ovissaco da aranha Araneus vincibilis (Araneidae) no Nordeste do Brasil. Observamos que, embora a fêmea de A. vincibilis cuide dos ovos que foram atacados por Lymeon sp, a larva da vespa consumiu cerca de 80% dos ovos da aranha, indicando que tanto o cuidado maternal quanto a barreira física oferecida pelo ovissaco não podem fornecer defesa absoluta contra predadores.

Natural history of interaction between Meteorus sp. Haliday, 1835 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and its hyperparasitoid Toxeumella albipes Girault, 1913 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).

Some parasitoids build a cocoon mass that hangs in the host body until the adults emergence, which is an advantage against attack by predators who troll the vegetation in search of prey. However, such behaviour is not effective against the hyperparasitoid attacks. This study reports the interaction between the caterpillar Manduca sexta Linnaeus, 1763 (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) parasitised by Meteorus sp. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) larvae and its hyperparasitoid Toxeumella albipes (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae). This is the first description of the attack and oviposition of T. albipes.

Parasitism on Araneus venatrix (Koch, 1838) (Araneae: Araneidae) by Hymenoepimecis silvanae Loffredo and Penteado-Dias, 2009 (Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae) with description of male of the wasp.

The wasp Hymenoepimecis silvanae Loffredo and Penteado-Dias, 2009, was recorded parasitising females of Araneus venatrix. The male of H. silvanae is described and illustrated. Specimens were collected in the Parque Estadual de Intervales and Reserva Biológica Serra do Japi, both located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

Description of the male Hymenoepimecis japi Sobczak et al. 2009 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) parasitoid of Leucauge roseosignata Mello-Leitão 1943 (Araneae: Tetragnathidae).

The male of Hymenoepimecis japi (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae) is described and illustrated. The specimen was collected in a modified web (cocoon web) of Leucauge roseosignata (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) made in a laboratory. Both, host and parasitoid were collected in Reserva Biológica Serra do Japi, located in Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil.