Kingdom Animalia Suborder Apocrita Subfamily Pimplinae Phylum Arthropoda Order Hymenopterans | Class Insecta Family Ichneumonidae Tribe Ephialtini Rank Species | |
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Similar Cyclosa argenteoalba, Cyclosa, Hymenopterans, Zatypota, Hymenoepimecis argyraphaga | ||
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 Palearctic 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
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).