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ABSTRACT
Figs are members of the family Moraceae, which are either monoecious or dioecious plants that provide several ecosystem services for different trophic levels including vertebrate and invertebrates. Here, the study focused on insects that are found inside the syconia of two fig species namely Ficus sur and F. ovata. The syconia of these figs were collected from two locations namely Capitol and Ekosodin within the precinct of the University of Benin and its environs. Fig wasps inhabiting the syconia of the figs were obtained and sorted into morphospecies after which they were identified. Result shows that 3358 individuals of different wasps grouped into 8 taxa were obtained from the syconia of F. ovata, while 2391 individuals of wasps belonging to 4 taxa were obtained from F. sur. Non-parametric species estimators showed that the species obtained from F. sur and F. ovata amounted to averages of 100% and 91% of the true species richness of wasp associated their respective syconia. Species richness in F. ovata was relatively higher than F. sur. Whittaker index revealed that the β diversity of wasp species on F. ovata was slightly more heterognous than F. sur. In sum, F. ovata had more in-syconial wasps than F. sur. How spatio-temporal differences in localities will influence the composition of the fig wasps elsewhere in the region remains to be seen, as these findings hold for the area studied.
