| deep mtdna divergences indicate cryptic species in a fig-pollinating wasp. | figs and fig-pollinating wasps are obligate mutualists that have coevolved for ca. 90 million years. they have radiated together, but do not show strict cospeciation. in particular, it is now clear that many fig species host two wasp species, so there is more wasp speciation than fig speciation. however, little is known about how fig wasps speciate. | 2006 | 17040562 |
| intersexual sibling interactions and male benevolence in a fig wasp. | we studied interactions between males and females of the australian pollinating fig wasp, pleistodontes imperialis (chalcidoidea, agaonidae), in ficus platypoda (moraceae). as for many other fig wasps, all mating occurs within the confines of a syconium before females depart. we show that initially there is scramble competition between males for access to virgin females. during this time males excavated a small hole into a female's gall to mate through. these holes were just large enough for ins ... | 2000 | 11082240 |