Warm temperature inhibits cytoplasmic incompatibility induced by endosymbiotic Rickettsiella in spider hosts.

Bacterial endosymbionts manipulate reproduction in arthropods to increase their prevalence in the host population. One such manipulation is cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), wherein the bacteria sabotage sperm in infected males to reduce the hatch rate when mated with uninfected females, but zygotes are 'rescued' when that male mates with an infected female. In the spider Mermessus fradeorum (Linyphiidae), Rickettsiella symbionts cause variable levels of CI.

Endosymbiont-derived metabolites are essential for tick host reproductive fitness.

Unlabelled: Ticks, like other obligatory blood-feeding arthropods, rely on endosymbiotic bacteria to supplement their diet with B vitamins lacking in blood. It has been suggested that additional metabolites such as L-proline may be involved in this nutritional symbiosis, but this has yet to be tested. Here, we studied the metabolite-based interaction between the brown dog tick (Acari: Ixodidae) and its like endosymbionts (CLE).

New species based on the biological species concept within the complex of (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Pteromalidae), a parasitoid of household pests.

The pteromalid parasitoid (Foerster) belongs to the Hymenoptera, a megadiverse insect order with high cryptic diversity. It attacks stored product pest beetles in human storage facilities. Recently, it has been shown to consist of two separate species.