1. Jewel Wasp Biology Kadeen Johns Barry K. Rhoades

2. Nasonia Vitripennis Life Cycle

3. Characteristics of Nasonia vitripennis • Wasps are parasitoid on fly puparia • Females oviposit up to 40 eggs • Several host species, including Sarcophaga bulatta • Complete metamorphosis with ~14 day developmental cycle • Jewel wasps are haplodiploid – gender determined by ploidy • Flightless, haploid males have short wings - mate at eclosion site • Diploid females have longer wings, larger bodies – locate and oviposit hosts • Mating takes place immediately after eclosion • Three different stock eye colors - wild, scarlet, and oyster

4. Nasonia vitripennis Reproduction • Female sex determination of offspring • Haplodiploid genetics of eye color Female Phenotypes: Wild ScarletOyster +.+/+.+ +.st/+.st oy.+/oy.+ +.+/+.st +.+/oy.+ +.st/oy.+ Male Phenotypes: Wild ScarletOyster +.+ +.st oy.+

5. Maternal Determination of Progeny Gender in Nasonia vitripennis • Female stores sperm after mating in spermatheca • Female can deposit either fertilized or unfertilized eggs • Female can detect prior ovipositions into host puparium and control sex ratio of offspring (F1) during oviposition • For single oviposition, females mate with brothers upon eclosion • Ideal F1 sex ratio differs depending on oviposition exclusivity and sequential order – facultative sex ratio adjustment • First wasp (primary oviposition) -> predominantly female progeny – maximizes # of F2 secnd generation female offspring • Subsequent wasps (superoviposition) -> relatively more males – outcompete primary wasp’s few male F1 progeny for reproductive access to F1 females • Multiple female wasps directly competing -> relative number of male progeny should increase with number of competing wasps

6. Distinguishing Females from Males sorting pupae – to isolate virgin females

7. Distinguishing Females from Males

8. Distinguishing Females from Males

9. Eye Color Variants

10. Facultative Sex Ratio AdjustmentBased on Oviposition Sequence • Single fly puparium exposed sequentially to 2 female wasps • Day1 – female wasp 1, Day 2 – female wasp 2 • Purebred eyecolor stocks used to determine offspring parentage • Balanced design with repetitions • W1S2 x 4, S1W2 x4 – 4 groups • O1S2 x 4, S1O2 x 4 – 3 groups • Data included: • if and only if female progeny from both parental stocks • 16 out of 56 fly puparia -> 462 wasps • C2 = 36.5, d.f. = 1, p < .001

11. Facultative Sex Ratio Adjustment Based on Female Competition • Single fly puparium exposed to 1 or more female wasps concurrently • 1, 2, 4, or 8 female wasps – 4 day exposure • Repetitions – 7 sets x 4 conditions • Data included: • if and only if female progeny eclosed • 23 out of 28 fly puparia -> 1320 wasps • C2 = 26.1, d.f. = 3, p < .001