Arachnologische Mitteilungen 54

32 S. Korenko, K. Kysilková & Ľ. Černecká behaviour. The explanation for this difference seems to lie in the size of the experimental arena. Fritzén & Shaw (2014) used a rearing arena of small size, whereas our observation was conducted in a large arena where the spider had enough space to build both a normal and a cocoon web. The utilisation of spider web structures by a parasitoid was also documented in P. rufipes (the parasitoid uses the normal web structure – spider shelter built at the side of normal web) (Schmitt et al. 2012) and in P. boops and P. tuberosa (parasi­ toid induces building of unique cocoon web) (Korenko et al. 2014). Similar cocoon web architecture could also be expected in the other European species of this genus, P. vexator . Considering all available data, the utilisation of a 3D web structure (for protection during pupal stage) seems to be ty­ pical for wasps of the genus Polysphincta in Europe. These protecting constructions can make use of the spider’s normal structures (the spider retreat of P. rufipes ) or can be achie­ ved via a set of unique spider behaviours newly induced by the parasitoids (the 3D tangle of P. boops , P. tuberosa and P. longa ). The cocoon web of P. longa uniquely contained many silk tufts of various forms which were produced by the spider after the parasitoid larva reached its final stage and modified the spider’s behaviour. These structures were never observed in P. boops and P. tuberosa (Korenko et al. 2014, unpubl. data). Takasuka et al. (2015) found similar silk tufts on the cocoon webs of Cyclosa argenteoalba Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 un­ der the influence of the parasitoid ichneumonid Reclinervellus nielseni (Roman, 1923). Takasuka et al. (2015) showed that tuft decoration reflects UV light, possibly to prevent dama­ ge caused by collision of large insects and birds. The same function is expected in the tufts present on the cocoon web induced by P. longa . Acknowledgements We thank Anna Šestáková and Petr Dolejš for photographing the parasitised spider and for help with the collection of material. The study was supported by the Institutional Support Program for Long TermConceptual Development of Research Institutions provided by the Ministry for Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic. ĽČ was supported by Vega grants 2/0039/14 and 2/0012/17. References Eberhard WG 2000 Spider manipulation by a wasp larva. – Nature 406: 255-256 – doi: 10.1038/35018636 Fitton MG, Shaw MR & Gauld ID 1988 Pimpline ichneumon- flies. – Handbooks for the Identification British Insects 7: 1-110 Fritzén NR & ShawMR 2014 On the spider parasitoids Polysphincta longa Kasparyan and P. boops Tschek (Hymenoptera, Ichneumoni­ dae, Pimplinae), with the first host records of P. longa . – Journal of Hymenoptera Research 39: 71-82 – doi: 10.3897/JHR.39.7591 Korenko S, Isaia M, Satrapová J & Pekár S 2014 Parasitoid genus- specific manipulation of orb-web host spiders (Araneae, Aranei­ dae).– Ecological Entomology 39: 30-38 – doi: 10.1111/een.12067 Kůrka A, Řezáč M, Macek R & Dolanský J 2015 Pavouci České republiky [Spiders of the Czech Republic]. Academia, Praha. 623 pp. [in Czech] Schmitt M,Richter D,Göbel D&Zwakhals K 2012 Beobachtungen zur Parasitierung von Radnetzspinnen (Araneidae) durch Polys- phincta rufipes (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae).– Arachnologische Mitteilungen 44: 1-6 – doi: 10.5431/aramit4401 Takasuka K, Yasui T, Ishigami T, Nakata K, Matsumoto R, Ikeda K & Maeto K 2015 Host manipulation by an ichneumonid spider-ectoparasitoid that takes advantage of preprogrammed web-building behaviours for its cocoon protection. – Journal of Experimental Biology 218: 2326-2332 – doi: 10.1242/jeb.122739 Yu DS, Achterberg C van & Horstmann K 2012 Taxapad 2012 Ichneumonoidea 2011. Taxonomy, biology, morphology and dis­ tribution. Ottawa, Ontario. – Internet: http://www.taxapad.com (February 10, 2017)