hartati oktarina

Many species of fig trees (Ficus spp., Moraceae) have nematodes that develop inside their inflorescences (figs). Nematodes are carried into young figs by females of the trees’ host-specific pollinating fig wasps (Agaonidae) that enter the figs to lay their eggs. The majority of Asian fig trees are functionally dioecious. Pollinators that enter figs on female trees cannot reproduce and any nematodes they carry will also be trapped inside. The biology of the nematodes is diverse, but is poorly understood. Here, we describe the fate of nematodes carried by the pollinating fig wasp Ceratosolen solmsi marchali into figs on male and female trees of Ficus hispida, in Sumatra, Indonesia. Figs were sampled routinely from both male and female trees over six-month period, some of them were extracted to observe the nematodes development and their population inside. Three species of nematodes developed routinely inside figs of both sexes: Caenorhabditis sp. (Rhabditidae), Ficophagus cf. centerae...