Hyperparasitism, a Mutualistic Phenomenon

Abstract

AbstractHyperparasitism is a mortality factor that generally is beneficial to the continuous reproduction of the species involved.The parasites of a primary parasite of a phytophagous insect may exhibit two distinctive types of secondary relations to that insect. These types are defined as follows:Direct secondary parasitism: that type of host-parasite symbiosis where only the primary's parasitized host or the primary itself is attacked.Indirect secondary parasitism: that type of host-parasite symbiosis where the primary's phytophagous host is attacked whether parasitized or not parasitized.The host mortality caused by direct secondary parasitism may greatly exceed that caused by indirect secondary parasitism, this being manifested when the percentage of the primary parasitization of the phytophagous host is minimal.