PRODUCTION OF FUNGISTATIC METABOLITES BY TERATOCYTES OF APANTELES-GLOMERATUS L (HYM, BRACONIDAE)

The source of a fungistatic effect on Beauveria bassiana, which has been described from hemolymph of Pieris brassicae larvae, parasitized by Apanteles glomeratus, is not situated in parasite larvae, but in teratocytes. These derivatives of the parasite serosa are floating in the host hemolymph, producing a fungistatic material, which compensates the parasitically induced weakness of host cuticle to fungus infections. From this the biological significance of teratocytes and their adaptive importance for the parasite larvae become evident. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.