Towards a general perspective on life-history evolution and diversification in parasitoid wasps

In attempting to explain the marked interspecific variation evident in many components of life-history in parasitoid wasps, biologists have sought to identify general predictors of suites of ‘important’ life-history traits. Two predictors currently in general use are: (1) the parasitoid mode of larval development in relation to future host growth and development [no further host growth and development (= idiobiosis) versus continued host growth and development (= koinobiosis)]; and (2) the ovigeny index (the degree to which the lifetime potential complement of eggs is mature at the start of adult life in females). These have been postulated to share several life-history correlates, and an earlier comparative analysis showed the predictors to be associated. Two questions are thus posed: which life-history variables are actually common to both idio/koinobiosis and the ovigeny index, and which are responsible for the link between these two axes of life-history diversity? Through comparativ...