Wolbachia and cytoplasmic incompatibility in Habrobracon hebetor (Hym.: Braconidae)

Cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is the most common reproduction manipulation induced by intracellular bacteria, Wolbachia which occurs when infected males mate with an uninfected female. The result of incompatibility in diploid species is embryonic death and in haplodiploid species, CI occurs in two ways: male development (MD) and female mortality (FM). The parasitoid wasp, Habrobracon hebetor infected with a Wolbachia- CI strain. In the present study, after removal of Wolbachia with antibiotic, the incompatibility type was determined by comparing the number of offspring, the number of male progeny and the mortality rate in different developmental stages in the compatible and incompatible crosses of H. hebetor. Also, the effect of temperature on CI intensity was investigated by comparing the number of offspring at 25, 30 and 35 °C in the compatible and incompatible crosses. The results showed that the number of offspring in the incompatible cross was less than the compatible cross and there was no difference in the number of produced males. Moreover, the highest mortality was observed in the egg hatching stage. Finally, high temperatures increased the number of offspring and decreased the severity of CI in the incompatible cross. Together, it can be concluded that CI type is female mortality in these parasitoid wasps. These results shed more light on the mechanisms underlying Wolbachia- host interaction.