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Autoparasitism

Autoparasitism

In general, an infection by another individual of the same species. In insects (especially parasitic Hymenoptera) autoparasites lay female eggs on (or in) Homoptera hosts, and male eggs on the juveniles of (usually) its own species. The developing males are hyperparasites that eventually kill the juvenile female parasitoid. Autoparasites may detract from the efficacy of the natural enemies of pests.

References

Colgan, P. and Taylor, P. 1981. Sex-ratio in autoparasitic Hymenoptera. The American Naturalist 117: 564-566.

Schreiber, S.J., Mills, N.J. and Gutierrez, A.P. 2001 Host-limited dynamics of autoparasitoids. Journal of Theoretical Biology 212:141-53.