Reclinervellus nielseni

Reclinervellus nielseni
	A larva of R. nielseni parasitizing C. argenteoalba in Japan.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Suborder:	Apocrita
Family:	Ichneumonidae
Subfamily:	Pimplinae
Tribe:	Ephialtini
Genus:	Reclinervellus; He & Ye, 1998
Species:	R. nielseni
Binomial name
	Reclinervellus nielseni; (Roman, 1923)

Reclinervellus nielseni is one of the spider-ectoparasitoids belonging to the Polysphincta genus-group (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae) and utilizes exclusively Cyclosa spiders (Araneae, Araneidae) as hosts. The species is distributed through Canada region (from Britain to Japan) but is rather sparse. Host spider species is different in accordance with the region, that is Cyclosa conica in Europe whereas Cyclosa argenteoalba in Japan.

Host manipulation[1]

Reclinervellus nielseni is known to manipulate web-building behavior of the host spider (Cyclosa argenteoalba) to modify an original fragile orb-web into a simple and durable web with conspicuous web decorations. The modified web is derived from a pre-programmed resting web constructed before spiders' molting, verified by the conformity of web shape and the presence of specific web decoration. The web decorations are thought to serve as a web-advertiser toward flying and potential web destroyers (birds and insects). Although the molting web structure usually only the two days the spider takes to molt, the larvae remain within their spider-cocoon for up to ten days before hatching. [2]

References

Takasuka, Keizo; Yasui, Tomoki; Ishigami, Toru; Nakata, Kensuke; Matsumoto, Rikio; Ikeda, Kenichi; Maeto, Kaoru (2015-08-01). "Host manipulation by an ichneumonid spider ectoparasitoid that takes advantage of preprogrammed web-building behaviour for its cocoon protection". Journal of Experimental Biology. 218 (15): 2326–2332. doi:10.1242/jeb.122739. ISSN 0022-0949. PMID 26246608.
{{Mitchell, Elizabeth. “Fear the Parasitic Wasp: Spider Zombies Caught in Web of Deceit.” Answers in Genesis, 5 Sept. 2015, answersingenesis.org/creepy-crawlies/parasitic-wasp-spider-zombies-web/. }}

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[1] Takasuka, Keizo; Yasui, Tomoki; Ishigami, Toru; Nakata, Kensuke; Matsumoto, Rikio; Ikeda, Kenichi; Maeto, Kaoru (2015-08-01). "Host manipulation by an ichneumonid spider ectoparasitoid that takes advantage of preprogrammed web-building behaviour for its cocoon protection". Journal of Experimental Biology. 218 (15): 2326–2332. doi:10.1242/jeb.122739. ISSN 0022-0949. PMID 26246608.

[2] {{Mitchell, Elizabeth. “Fear the Parasitic Wasp: Spider Zombies Caught in Web of Deceit.” Answers in Genesis, 5 Sept. 2015, answersingenesis.org/creepy-crawlies/parasitic-wasp-spider-zombies-web/. }}