Social Hymenoptera dominate animal biomass in many regions of the world. In terms of species richness, however, solitary species with a parasitic lifestyle seem to outcompete the social ones. Females of parasitic Hymenoptera lay their eggs on or into different stages of other arthropods, and the hatching larvae feed upon their host eventually causing its death. Hence, parasitic Hymenoptera provide substantial ecosystem service as natural enemies and many species are used as environmentally sound biocontrol agents. Apart from their ecological and economic importance, some parasitic Hymenoptera, such as the pteromalid wasp genus Nasonia, have reached the status of model organisms used to answer basic questions of a wide range of biological subdisciplines including Chemical Ecology.
To orientate within complex environments, parasitic Hymenoptera rely largely on the chemical sense. They use volatile sex pheromones for mate attraction over longer distances while less volatile contact pheromones serve mate recognition and typically mediate courtship behavior. Males of numerous species of parasitic Hymenoptera are believed to use chemicals to elicit receptivity in females. However, not a single of these mysterious “aphrodisiacs” has been identified to date. In the context of foraging, females use host-derived kairomones or plant-derived synomones, and more specialized species often eavesdrop on the chemical communication of their hosts. After oviposition, females of many parasitic Hymenoptera mark their host with marking pheromones of widely unknown chemical structures. The response of parasitic Hymenoptera to semiochemicals is often plastic and influenced by factors such as experience, physiological state, or by the exposition to anthropogenic contaminants. The mechanisms underlying this olfactory plasticity, however, are still poorly understood.
Numerous researchers around the world are devoted to the fascinating chemical ecology of parasitic Hymenoptera. This Research Topic is intended to compile most recent advances in the study of chemically mediated interactions involving parasitic Hymenoptera.
We particularly encourage the submission of original research articles and reviews concerning the following topics:
- Pheromone communication
o long range attraction
o mate recognition
o aphrodisiacs
o host marking
- Host finding
o kairomones
o synomones
- Semiochemical perception
o characterization of olfactory receptors and binding proteins
o olfactory plasticity
o effects of anthropogenic contaminants
Social Hymenoptera dominate animal biomass in many regions of the world. In terms of species richness, however, solitary species with a parasitic lifestyle seem to outcompete the social ones. Females of parasitic Hymenoptera lay their eggs on or into different stages of other arthropods, and the hatching larvae feed upon their host eventually causing its death. Hence, parasitic Hymenoptera provide substantial ecosystem service as natural enemies and many species are used as environmentally sound biocontrol agents. Apart from their ecological and economic importance, some parasitic Hymenoptera, such as the pteromalid wasp genus Nasonia, have reached the status of model organisms used to answer basic questions of a wide range of biological subdisciplines including Chemical Ecology.
To orientate within complex environments, parasitic Hymenoptera rely largely on the chemical sense. They use volatile sex pheromones for mate attraction over longer distances while less volatile contact pheromones serve mate recognition and typically mediate courtship behavior. Males of numerous species of parasitic Hymenoptera are believed to use chemicals to elicit receptivity in females. However, not a single of these mysterious “aphrodisiacs” has been identified to date. In the context of foraging, females use host-derived kairomones or plant-derived synomones, and more specialized species often eavesdrop on the chemical communication of their hosts. After oviposition, females of many parasitic Hymenoptera mark their host with marking pheromones of widely unknown chemical structures. The response of parasitic Hymenoptera to semiochemicals is often plastic and influenced by factors such as experience, physiological state, or by the exposition to anthropogenic contaminants. The mechanisms underlying this olfactory plasticity, however, are still poorly understood.
Numerous researchers around the world are devoted to the fascinating chemical ecology of parasitic Hymenoptera. This Research Topic is intended to compile most recent advances in the study of chemically mediated interactions involving parasitic Hymenoptera.
We particularly encourage the submission of original research articles and reviews concerning the following topics:
- Pheromone communication
o long range attraction
o mate recognition
o aphrodisiacs
o host marking
- Host finding
o kairomones
o synomones
- Semiochemical perception
o characterization of olfactory receptors and binding proteins
o olfactory plasticity
o effects of anthropogenic contaminants
