在榕树—榕小蜂高度专一的互利系统中，存在着大量的非传粉榕小蜂，绝大部分的非传粉榕小蜂在果外用较长的产卵器刺过果壁进行产卵，只有少量种类的金小蜂能够进入果内产卵。在西双版纳版纳地区，只有隶属于4个属中的5个种能够进入果内产卵。
中科院西双版纳热带植物园协同进化组研究人员以钝叶榕为研究对象，对进果产卵的3种榕小蜂(Eupristina sp.， Diaziella yangi， Lipothymus sp.）的生物学特征进行了深入的研究，解决了进果产卵的金小蜂是否像传粉小蜂一样为同步成熟的卵；是否与传粉榕小蜂一样有相同的产卵位点；是否倾向于在短花柱的雌花上产卵，及这些小蜂是造瘿者、寄居者还是复寄生者等四个问题。
结果发现：1.进果产卵的金小蜂与传粉榕小蜂类似，卵为同步成熟，这有利于它们在短时间里快速产下卵。2.传粉榕小蜂和金小蜂在雌花柱头的相同位点处插入产卵器，并把卵产于子房内的相同位置处，并肩发育。3.不同于以往的研究结果，传粉榕小蜂和金小蜂并没有偏爱产卵于短花柱的雌花子房内，而是随机地产卵。4.金小蜂不能独立产卵造瘿，它们把卵产于已有传粉榕小蜂卵的子房里，依赖传粉榕小蜂造瘿，但它们能修饰瘿花，有利于自身发育。因此，被认为是二次造瘿者，这是一种新的榕小蜂食性模式。
该研究以Secondary galling ：a novel feeding strategy among ‘non-pollinating’ fig wasps from Ficus curtipes为题，在Ecological Entomology上发表。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1111/een.12030
PMC:
PMID:
Secondary galling: a novel feeding strategy among ‘non-pollinating’ fig wasps from Ficus curtipes
HUAN-HUAN CHEN1,2, DA-RONG YANG1, DING GU1, STEPHEN G. COMPTON3, YAN-QIONG PENG1,*
Keywords: Agaonidae;coexistence;Ficus;inquiline;oviposition;Pteromalidae The interaction between pollinator fig wasps (Agaonidae) and their host fig trees (Ficus) is a striking example of an obligate plant–insect mutualism, but figs also support numerous ‘parasites’ of the mutualism. Female agaonids (foundresses) lay their eggs in shorter-styled flowers, whereas longer-styled flowers produce seeds. A few ‘non-pollinating’ fig wasps (NPFWs) can also enter figs to oviposit Fig wasp oviposition site choice and larval biology in figs of an Asian monoecious species, Ficus curtipes Corner, were recorded where two NPFW species oviposit inside the figs, such as the agaonid. Eupristina sp. agaonids chose flowers in proportion to their availability, rather than preferring to oviposit in shorter-styled flowers. Diaziella yangi van Noort & Rasplus and Lipothymus sp. (Pteromalidae) foundresses followed Eupristina sp. into receptive figs and laid their eggs entirely in flowers that already contained pollinator eggs. This indicates that both NPFWs are inquilines under the widely-used terminology in the fig wasp literature, because they utilise galls generated by the pollinators. However, their adult bodies and galls were larger than those of the pollinators, showing that they independently stimulate ovule growth. These species are better described as secondary gallers that modify galls previously generated by the pollinators and kill these primary gallers. Use of the term ‘inquiline’ among NPFWs inadequately and often inappropriately describes their biology. No known NPFWs are inquilines in the strict sense that they do not harm their hosts. ‘Primary gallers’, ‘secondary gallers’, ‘seed predators’, and ‘parasitoids’ describe their biology more accurately.
