Diversity, population structure, and individual behaviour of parasitoids as seen using molecular markers

• Over the past decade molecular markers have become convenient for ecological research.
• They are used to determine parasitoid identity, phylogeny, dynamics, host and behaviour.
• They do not decrease the number or breadth of samples needed for a study.
• But they increase the value of samples, which are often costly and slow to get.

Parasitoids have long been models for host–parasite interactions, and are important in biological control. Neutral molecular markers have become increasingly accessible tools, revealing previously unknown parasitoid diversity. Thus, insect communities are now seen as more speciose. They have also been found to be more complex, based on trophic links detected using bits of parasitoid DNA in hosts, and host DNA in adult parasitoids. At the population level molecular markers are used to determine the influence of factors such as host dynamics on parasitoid population structure. Finally, at the individual level, they are used to identify movement of individuals. Overall molecular markers greatly increase the value of parasitoid samples collected, for both basic and applied research, at all levels of study.