Bruchophagus

Bruchophagus
Bruchophagus roddi
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Eurytomidae
Subfamily:	Eurytominae
Genus:	Bruchophagus

Bruchophagus is a genus of wasps belonging to the family Eurytomidae. ^[1]

The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. ^[1]

Bruchophagus is a genus of small wasps in the family Eurytomidae. These wasps are primarily seed predators, meaning their larvae develop inside seeds, feeding on them from within. Many species in this genus are agricultural pests because they infest the seeds of important crops like alfalfa, clover, and other legumes.

Key Features

• Size & Appearance: They are tiny, usually only a few millimeters long, with black or dark bodies and clear wings.
• Life Cycle: The female lays eggs inside seeds, and the larvae hatch and feed on the seed material, eventually emerging as adult wasps.
• Impact on Crops: Species like Bruchophagus roddi and Bruchophagus platyptera are known to damage legume seeds, reducing crop yields.
• Control Measures: Farmers often use biological control methods, such as encouraging natural predators, and agricultural practices like crop rotation to reduce infestations.

Species

Species: ^[1]

• Bruchophagus abnormis Zerova, 1984
• Bruchophagus abscedus Askew, 2019
• Bruchophagus acaciae (Cameron, 1910)
• Bruchophagus astragali Fedoseeva, 1954 ^[2]
• Bruchophagus roddi Gussakovskiy, 1933 ^[3]

References

1. "Bruchophagus Ashmead, 1888". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
2. Antov, Miroslav I; Stojanova, Anelia M; Todorov, Ivaylo A; Boyadzhiev, Peter S; Askew, Richard R (2024-11-07). "(PDF) Parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) associated with Bruchophagus astragali Fedoseeva (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) and Bruchidius marginalis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on Astragalus glycyphyllos L. (Fabaceae) in Bulgaria". Acta Zoologica Bulgarica. Supplement 20: 97–104. ISSN   0324-0770 . Retrieved 2025-02-16.
3. GÖZÜAÇIK, Celalettin; İREÇ, Abdullah (2016-04-05). "The Determination of Infection and Damage Rates of the Alfalfa Seed Chalcid, Bruchophagus roddi Gussakovskiy, 1933 (Hymenoptera, Eurytomidae) in Alfalfa Seed Stored in the Eastern Region of Turkey". Journal of the Institute of Science and Technology. 6 (1). Journal of the Institute of Science and Technology: 53–53. doi: 10.21597/jist.2016119310 . ISSN   2146-0574.