First record from Italy of Zatypota anomala (Ichneumonidae, Ephialtini), a parasitoid of the cribellate spider Dictyna pusilla (Araneae, Dictynidae)

Abstract

The polysphinctine wasp Zatypota anomala (Holmgren, 1860), a koinobiont ecto-parasitoid of spiders in the family Dictynidae, was recorded in Italy for the first time. Populations of both the wasp and its host, Dictyna pusilla Thorell, 1856, its host preference and the interaction between the parasitoid and the spider were documented in the field and by laboratory observations.

Keywords

• ectoparasitoid
• host parasitoid interaction
• host range
• host specialisation
• spider web