hyperparasite

noun

1. Any parasite whose host is a parasite.

   “Nose′ma [...] A genus of protozoa, including the supposed hyperparasite of the malarial organism; [...]”

   “Tuberculina maxima Rost., a fungus hyperparasite of blister rust, was variably common to abundant over the area during the test period, and it caused some uncertainties in assessing effectiveness of fungicidal treatments.”

   “[page 22] Among the most illuminating and certainly the most bizarre of self-replicators are the digital organisms invented by Thomas Ray of the University of Delaware. [...] [page 23] A peculiar creature that is 80 instructions long, but differs from the ancestral sequence by 20 or so alterations, has sometimes been observed; it is a hyperparasite able to force parasites to replace themselves with copies of itself.”

   “In a second instance, two parasitic fungi (Dicyma pulvinata and Cylindrosporium concentricum) were introduced against a fungal pathogen causing black crust on the foliage of rubber, Phyllachora huberi, in the Amazon basin of Brazil and long-term control was documented [...]. These antagonists are obligate pathogens living as hyperparasites and their increase is dependent on the presence of the plant pathogen.”

2. (specifically)An insect that parasitizes another parasitic insect.

   “Parasites and Hyperparasites.— [...] How the Pteromalus contrived to introduce its eggs into the Tetrastichus, and how the Tetrastichus managed to oust the Microgaster must for the present remain open questions for the consideration of the learned.”

   “Though itself attacked by several hymenopterous hyperparasites, it [Paratheresia claripalpis, a species of fly] is still capable of maintaining a high rate of borer parasitization, one recorded instance being 73.7%; [...]”

   “Secondary parasites, or hyperparasites, are parasites of primary parasites and have quite the opposite ecological effect since they constrain the population of the primary parasite. [...] A few species are able to function as facultative hyperparasites, attacking both the host and its primary parasites.”

   “Eupteromalus parnarae Gahan [...] is also a recorded hyperparasite of Apanteles rifucrus Haliday on Naranga aenescens Moore, [...]”

   “[page 12] The colour loss of the rust on Araza was found to be accelerated by the presence of a hyperparasite indicated by the white mycelia surrounding the urediospores [...] [page 13] The hyperparasite on the Uromyces sp. affecting Araza is yet to be identified but may have potential in the future for the development of biological control programs for this organism.”