Two More Social Wasp Species (Vespidae, Polistinae) Collect Mullerian Bodies From Cecropia Trees (Urticaceae)

Abstract

Two more social wasp species (Vespidae, Polistinae) collect mullerian bodies from Cecropia trees (Urticaceae) IntroductionAssociations between plants and insects have long been known to science and may be among the oldest coevolved systems on our planet (Bronstein et al., 2006;Mishra et al., 2015). The evolution of both specific and generalist interactions has certainly facilitated great diversification among both plants and insects (Kasting & Catling, 2003). The Neotropical genus Cecropia Loefling (Cecropieae, Urticaceae) is commonly a participant in plant-insect mutualistic associations (Weiblen & Treiber 2015), with a large majority of its species (ca. 70) being myrmecophytic and developing specialized structures for sheltering ants (mostly the genus Azteca Roger; Dolichoderinae) (Treiber et al., 2016). Cecropia trees provide nesting domatia and food bodies (Mullerian bodies -MBds) produced by "trichilia" (sing. trichilium; pad-like organs located on the base of the leaf petiole) (Oliveira et al., 2015), and on the leaves (Gonçalves-Sousa & Paiva, 2016). In exchange, ants provide nutrients to the plants and help protect them against herbivory. AbstractThe interactive behaviors of two species of social wasps, Protopolybia chartergoides (Gribodo) and Charterginus fulvus Fox with Cecropia obtusifolia (Cecropiaceae) are described. The use of Cecropia Müllerian bodies by both wasps is also described, as well as the distribution of this trait in Protopolybia and Charterginus.