Alexander Badamchi-Zadeh
Professor: Dr. Spencer Johnston
"Time for a promotion? Augmentation of status in Polistes dominulus paper wasp hosts by the strepsipteran endoparasite Xenos vesparum."
It has been proposed that the paper wasp Polistes dominulus uses a badge of status system to convey rank amongst conspecifics. The badge takes the form of black markings located on the wasp's face, with more disrupted or 'broken' markings signifying higher rank. We examined the relationship between parasitism by the strepsipteran Xenos vesparum Rossi and brokenness, investigating whether the parasitoid is capable of augmenting the brokenness of a host's badge. X. vesparum is known to manipulate other host features, including behaviour and reproductive capability. Furthermore, augmentation of host status might represent a considerable fitness benefit to the parasitoid. We find evidence that stylopised workers of P. dominulus possess badges with significantly greater brokenness compared to unstylopised workers. However, our results suggest that X. vesparum is not capable of initiating badges in wasps that would not already do so. Instead, the strepsipteran may only be capable of augmenting brokenness in wasps already predisposed to initiate a badge. We explore the possible mechanisms by which initiation of a badge and augmentation of brokenness may occur.