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Science 6 June 1980:
Vol. 208. no. 4448, pp. 1157 - 1159
DOI: 10.1126/science.208.4448.1157
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Articles

Sex Ratio Adaptations to Local Mate Competition in a Parasitic Wasp

JOHN H. WERREN 1

1 Biology Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112

Females of the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis adjust the sex ratio of their broods according to whether they are a first or second wasp to parasitize a host. The first wasp produces a strong daughter bias. The second wasp adjusts the prorportion of sons to the relative level of local mate competition, as predicted by a natural selection model. The results provide a quantitative test of sex ratio theory.

Submitted on August 9, 1979
Revised on March 10, 1980


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