ABSTRACT
Some insects produce venoms to defend against predators and directly interact with opioid receptors. In the present study, it was identified two alkaloids in the wasp venom species Hymenoepimecis bicolor. It was demonstrated that these could act as potential inhibitors of opioid receptors through their robust affinity to the receptors. The interaction profile was given to opioid receptors (µOR), with 60% of targets similar to alkaloid 1, with 0.25 probability, and 46.7% of targets similar to alkaloid 2, with a probability 0.17 of affinity as a target, which is considered signaling macromolecules and can mediate the most potent analgesic and addictive properties of opiate alkaloids. Notably, both alkaloids showed -7.6 kcal/mol affinity to the morphine agonies through six residues, Gly124, Asp147, Trp293, Ile296, Ile322, and Tyr326. These observations suggest further research on opioid receptors using in vitro studies of possible therapeutic applications.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Subject(s)
Alkaloids , Poisons , Receptors, Opioid , Morphine/chemistry , Morphine/pharmacology , Alkaloids/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Some ichneumonid wasps of the Polysphincta group of genera (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) induce behavioral modifications in their host spiders during a specific moment of their development, resulting in the construction of webs that differ in several aspects from those constructed by unparasitized individuals. In this study, we describe the parasitoid wasp Hymenoepimecis pinheirensis sp. n. (Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) and present information on behavioral modifications in the orb-web structure of its host, the spider Leucauge volupis (Keyserling 1893). Previously, reported observation on this host/parasitoid interaction was restricted to one locality, and the wasp species was misidentified as Hymenoepimecis jordanensis Loffredo and Penteado-Dias 2009. Modified webs built by parasitized spiders lack adhesive spirals and have several radii that converge to the web hub. The cocoon built by the wasp larvae is attached to the web hub, suspended by horizontal radial lines, and surrounded by a tridimensional tangle positioned below the hub. This modified web structure is similar to the most frequent architecture of webs constructed by individuals of Leucauge mariana (Taczanowski 1881) parasitized by Hymenoepimecis tedfordi Gauld 1991. However, cocoon webs built by L. volupis parasitized by H. pinheirensis sp. n. differ from the cocoon webs described for the other Leucauge species parasitized by Hymenoepimecis wasps. This evidence suggests that the modified web pattern in Leucauge species is determined by specific responses of each spider species to the behavioral manipulation mechanism displayed by the wasps.
Subject(s)
Host-Parasite Interactions , Spiders , Wasps , Animals , Larva , Spiders/parasitology , Wasps/physiology , Species Specificity , Behavior, AnimalABSTRACT
Harvestmen are one of the largest groups of arachnids with more than 6,500 species distributed in 1,500 genera and 50 families. However, the interactions between harvestmen and arthropod-pathogenic fungi have rarely been studied. Certain previous studies report that fungal attack represents one of the most important factors for the mortality of harvestmen, but the fungus has rarely been identified, and most of the important information about the fungus-host interactions remains unrecorded. In the present study, we have described the new species Auranus quilombola sp. nov. and reported its interactions with the arthropod-pathogenic fungus Gibellula sp. Auranus quilombola sp. nov. belongs to the family Stygnidae, and it is endemic to the humid mountain forests of Cear state, Brazil in an area of endemism known as Brejos Cearenses. The species is related to five other species of Auranus, all of which have been recorded from the Amazon rainforest. A taxonomic description of this new species and its biogeographic implications have also been discussed in this paper.
Subject(s)
Arachnida , Rainforest , Animals , Brazil , Forests , HumansABSTRACT
Conura, the largest genus of Chalcididae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), is mostly distributed in the New World where 295 of the 301 described species occur. Chalcididae are in some cases hyperparasitoids of insects. In this study, we report the unusual association of the hyperparasitoid Conura baturitei sp. nov. with spider species of the genus Theridion Walckenaer (Theridiidae) through Zatypota riverai Gauld (Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae, Polysphincta genus-group), a primary ectoparasitoid of spiders. The new species is described and illustrated, and the host-parasitoid-hyperparasitoid interaction is discussed.
Subject(s)
Hymenoptera , Spiders , Wasps , AnimalsABSTRACT
Some polysphinctine wasps of the genus Zatypota complete their life cycles upon theridiid host spiders. The host range of these wasps is usually species-specific, although in some less common associations more than one wasp species interacts with the same host spider. Here we describe and illustrate the polysphinctine wasps Zatypota baezae sp. n. and Zatypota mulunguensis sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), both koinobiont ectoparasitoids of the spider Anelosimus baeza (Theridiidae). The two parasitoid wasps show the same development time (12 days) which was longer when compared with other parasitoid wasps Z. anomala Holmgren and Z. riverai Gauld (nine days). As described for other species of Zatypota and Hymenoepimecis, the second larval instar remains attached to the spider by the remains of the chorion and also by a rigid brownish-semitransparent membrane called a saddle.
Subject(s)
Hymenoptera , Spiders , Wasps , Animals , Brazil , Host Specificity , LarvaABSTRACT
Ichneumonid wasps of the Polysphincta genus-group (Polysphinctini sensu Townes hereafter "polysphinctine wasps") are exclusively koinobiont ectoparasitoids of spiders (Fitton et al. 1987; Gauld 2006). Since the first report of a spider's behavior being manipulated by a polysphinctine wasp (Eberhard 2000), several studies have since focused on unravelling the mechanisms and evolution of this association (e.g. Gonzaga & Sobczak 2007; Matsumoto 2009; Sobczak et al. 2009; Eberhard 2010; Gonzaga & Sobczak 2011; Korenko & Pekár 2011; Korenko et al. 2013; Sobczak et al. 2014; Takasuka et al. 2015).
Subject(s)
Spiders , Wasps , Animals , Brazil , Male , SymbiosisABSTRACT
Parasitoid organisms can manipulate the morphology, physiology and/or behavior of their hosts to increase their own survival (Moore 2002; Korenko et al. 2015a). Wasps of the Polysphincta genus-group sensu Gauld Dubois, 2006 (hereafter polysphinctine wasps) are well known to act exclusively as koinobiont ectoparasitoids of spiders (Gauld Dubois 2006). The host range of these wasps is remarkably narrow and often species-specific; individuals of some polysphinctine genera (e.g. Hymenoepimecis, Acrotaphus) usually attack orb-weaver spiders (Pádua et al. 2016), whereas other are specialized on spiders that construct three-dimensional webs. Fritzén (2014), for example, discussed that Oxyrrhexis Föerster, 1869, Zatypota Föerster, 1869 and Flacopimpla Gauld, 1991 are specialized on theridiid hosts, the last two mainly or exclusively on spiders of the subfamily Theridiinae.
Subject(s)
Host Specificity , Wasps , Animals , Male , Parasites , Species Specificity , SpidersABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A parasitoid wasp Hymenoepimecis manauara Pádua & Oliveira, 2015 was recorded parasitizing, for the first time, a female spider of Leucauge henryi Mello-Leitão, 1940 in the Amazon rainforest, Brazil. Images, description of the cocoon and comments about this interaction were added. NEW INFORMATION: First record of Hymenoepimecis manauara parasitizing Leucauge henryi with description of cocoon and comments about this interaction.
ABSTRACT
Este estudo teve como objetivo realizar um levantamento das famílias de himenópteros parasitoides em área de mata atlântica da Reserva Municipal Serra do Japi (23°13' 52,24"S, 46°56'09,00" O), Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brasil. Foram coletados 1.300 himenópteros parasitoides de oito superfamílias e de 23 famílias. A coleta foi realizada durante cinco dias utilizando-se armadilha Malaise, armadilha Moericke e varredura na vegetação. As famílias de maior abundância relativa foram: Diapriidae (45,92%), Braconidae (15,00%), Ichneumonidae (12,92%) e Platygastridae (6,15%). Quatorze famílias tiveram abundância relativa inferior a 1%. Foram registrados na área estudada espécimes de Perilampidae (0,62%) e de Pelecinidae (0,15%). Este estudo é o segundo levantamento da fauna de himenópteros parasitoides na Serra do Japi.(AU)
This study aimed at surveying the families of parasitic Hymenoptera in the area of the Atlantic Forest in Reserva Municipal Serra do Japi (23°13' 52,24"S, 46°56'09,00" W), Jundiai, São Paulo, Brazil. There, 1,300 hymenoptera parasitoids of eight superfamilies and 23 families were collected. The collection was performed for five days using Malaise trap, Moericke trap and "Sweeping" in the Vegetation. Families with the highest relative abundance were: Diapriidae (45.92%), Braconidae (15,00%), Ichneumonidae (12,92%) and Platygastridae (6,15%). Fourteen families showed relative abundance below 1%. Te study area registered specimens of Perilampidae (0,62%) and Pelecinidae (0,15%). Tis work represents the second survey of the hymenoptera parasitoid fauna in Serra do Japi.(AU)
Subject(s)
Wasps , Biodiversity , Hymenoptera , Brazil , InsectaABSTRACT
Hymenoepimecis neotropica (Brues & Richardson) (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae) parasitoid of Araneus omnicolor (Keyserling) (Araneae, Araneidae): first host record and new occurrence to Brazil. The species of the genus Hymenoepimecis occur only in Neotropical region, being recognized for using as their hosts spiders which build orbicular webs. That wasp was described occurring only in the Guyana. This work expands the geographical distribution of the species to Brazil and records the spider Araneus omnicolor (Araneae, Araneidae) as its host. Furthermore, it provides information about the natural history of this interaction.
Hymenoepimecis neotropica (Brues & Richardson) (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) parasitoide de Araneus omnicolor (Keyserling) (Araneae, Araneidae): primeiro registro do hospedeiro e nova ocorrência para o Brasil. Espécies do gênero Hymenoepimecis ocorrem somente na região Neotropical, sendo reconhecidas por utilizarem, como hospedeiras, aranhas que constroem teias orbiculares. Essa vespa foi descrita ocorrendo somente na Guiana. Este trabalho amplia a distribuição geográfica da espécie para o Brasil e registra a aranha Araneus omnicolor (Araneae, Araneidae) como sua hospedeira. Além disso, fornece informações sobre a história natural desta interação.
