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3 votes
Eggs of social spiders infected by parasitoid wasps undergo:

a) Increased survival rates
b) Enhanced reproductive success
c) Reduced hatching success
d) Accelerated development

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

Social spiders with eggs infected by parasitoid wasps experience reduced hatching success because the wasp larvae consume the spider offspring, leading to their death.

Step-by-step explanation:

Eggs of social spiders infected by parasitoid wasps typically undergo reduced hatching success. This is because female parasitoid wasps lay their eggs inside the bodies of other insects, such as caterpillars, and when these eggs hatch, the young wasps feed on their host's body, leading to the host's death. Consequently, when the social spiders' eggs are parasitized by wasps, the survival of those spider offspring is compromised, reflecting a decrease in hatching success due to the parasitic relationship.

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User Hitch
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