Title
Non-pollinating fig wasps associated with Ficus andicola (Moraceae) in the Central Andes of Colombia
Author(s)
Cardona, W., Chacón de Ulloa, P., Kattan, G. H.
Abstract
Several species of wasps may develop inside inflorescences (figs) of Ficus spp. These species include the pollinator, usually a single species, and species that do not provide any benefits to the tree; instead, they may affect negatively the number of seeds and pollinators produced by the fig. We studied the composition of the non-pollinating fig-wasps fauna associated to Ficus andicola in the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. We examined 418 figs collected from 12 trees, separating into morphospecies and counting all wasps emerging from each. From each fig, a mean of 46.5% of flowers produced seeds and 53.5% produced wasps. We found 22 morphospecies emerging from F. andicola. The most abundant, present in more than 40% of figs, were Idarnes sp1, Heterandrium sp., and Idarnes sp2. Most wasp species were found in less than 10% of figs. Based on species accumulation curves, the 22 morphospecies we found represent 88% of the expected number of species for F. andicola.
Keywords
Avispas de los Ficus; Agaonidae; Pegoscapus; Idarnes; Heterandrium
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DMX729500000