Habitat transformation and loss: sex-specific responses of Pachodynerus guadulpensis (Insecta; Hymenoptera; Vespidae)

Abstract Landscape alterations affect a wide range of species, particularly cavity-nesting Hymenoptera. Thus, the impact of habitat fragmentation is especially critical in biodiversity hotspots, such as tropical regions. The solitary wasp Pachodynerus guadulpensis , a predator of lepidopteran larvae, is widely distributed and ecologically relevant due to its role as a natural biological control agent. In this study, we examined the relationship between forest cover, forest connectivity, and soybean land cover with wing size and fluctuating asymmetry in Pachodynerus guadulpensis . We aimed to test whether landscape structure influences wing morphology, given that morphological variation is often associated with environmental conditions. Wing size in both males and females increased with higher forest cover and connectivity, whereas fluctuating asymmetry was greater in males in response to soybean land cover. These findings highlight the species’ dependence on well-preserved environments containing large amounts of native forest, as smaller individuals tend to be less efficient foragers. Furthermore, the increase in fluctuating asymmetry associated with intensive agricultural land use indicates direct impacts on the species’ ecological services.