The ecology and evolution of the New World non‐pollinating fig wasp communities

Abstract.We present data on several previously undescribed species from six genera of New World non‐pollinating fig wasps. We show that many of these species have a negative effect on the reproductive success of both the pollinator wasps and the host figs. Our results suggest that the two most abundant genera of non‐pollinating wasps, theIdarnesand theCritogaster, compete for the same pool of female flowers as the pollinating wasps in theUrostigmaandPharmacosyceafigs, respectively. Wasps from the genusAepocerusinduce and develop within large galls, in theUrostigmafigs. By draining resources from the fruit these wasps may have a detrimental effect on the production of pollinator wasps and viable seeds. Some of the species investigated are parasitoids of other non‐pollinating species. We examine the importance of the various forms of spatial heterogeneity in the parasitism rate that can act to stabilise the host‐parasitoid interaction. Finally, we discuss the factors underlying the large variation in the abundance and diversity of the non‐pollinating wasps both among and within fruit crops.