The Ichneumonidae, also known as ichneumon wasps, ichneumonid wasps, ichneumonids, or Darwin wasps, are a family of parasitoid wasps of the insect order Hymenoptera. They are one of the most diverse groups within the Hymenoptera with roughly 25,000 species described as of 2016. However, this likely represents less than a quarter of their true richness as reliable estimates are lacking, along with much of the most basic knowledge about their ecology, distribution, and evolution. It is estimated that there are more species in this family than there are species of birds and mammals combined. Ichneumonid wasps, with very few exceptions, attack the immature stages of holometabolous insects and spiders, eventually killing their hosts. They thus fulfill an important role as regulators of insect populations, both in natural and semi-natural systems, making them promising agents for biological control.
Gall wasps, also traditionally calledgallflies, are hymenopterans of the family Cynipidae in the wasp superfamily Cynipoidea. Their common name comes from the galls they induce on plants for larval development. About 1,300 species of this generally very small creature are known worldwide, with about 360 species of 36 different genera in Europe and some 800 species in North America.
Cicatrix is a genus of wasp found in Australia. It was erected in 2011 following a revision of Mikeius.
Parasitoid wasps are a large group of hymenopteran superfamilies, with all but the wood wasps (Orussoidea) being in the wasp-waisted Apocrita. As parasitoids, they lay their eggs on or in the bodies of other arthropods, sooner or later causing the death of these hosts. Different species specialise in hosts from different insect orders, most often Lepidoptera, though some select beetles, flies, or bugs; the spider wasps (Pompilidae) exclusively attack spiders. More rarely, parasitoid wasps may use plant seeds as hosts, such as Torymus druparum.
The Cynipoidea are a moderate-sized hymenopteran superfamily that presently includes five modern families and three extinct families, though others have been recognized in the past. The most familiar members of the group are phytophagous, especially as gall-formers, though the actual majority of included species are parasitoids or hyperparasitoids. They are typically glossy, dark, smooth wasps with somewhat compressed bodies and somewhat reduced wing venation. It is common for various metasomal segments to be fused in various ways, and the petiole is very short, when present.
Maacynips papuana is a species of gall wasp tentatively placed in the tribe Eucoilini. It was first described in 1963 by Carl M. Yoshimoto. Maacynips as a genus was placed under the tribe Eucoilini in 2008 by Forshage, Nordlander, and Ronquist. The genus is currently under review and its status, along with that of its member species, is unclear.
Euxesta eluta is a species of ulidiid or picture-winged fly in the genus Euxesta of the family Ulidiidae. It was described by Hermann Loew in 1868. It feeds on sweet corn in Santa Fe, Argentina. The species breed from spring to late fall by depositing their eggs in protected corn maizes.
The Ibaliidae are a small family of the hymenopteran superfamily Cynipoidea. Ibaliidae differ from most of the cynipoids by the larvae being parasitoids on other wasp larvae in the group Siricidae. The Ibaliidae comprise three extant genera of fairly large wasps, with a total of 20 species, and is a sister group to the rest of the cynipoids except the small subfamily Austrocynipidae.
Trissolcus japonicus, the samurai wasp, is a parasitoid wasp species in the family Scelionidae, native to east Asia but now found in Europe, North America, and Chile. It is chiefly known for parasitizing Halyomorpha halys. It deposits eggs into the eggs of the stink bug, and as the wasp larvae develop, they kill the stink bug eggs. A single adult wasp emerges from each stink bug egg.
Cynipinae is a subfamily of gall wasps (Cynipidae). Many of the approximately 1,500 described species cause galls on oaks, but some induce galls on other plant species or are inquilines of the gall-inducing species. Species occur on all continents except Antarctica, with most found in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. All extant cynipid species are within Cynipinae since the only other recognized subfamily is Hodiernocynipinae which is based on the fossil genus Hodiernocynips.
Leptopilina is a genus of parasitoid wasp in the family Figitidae. The genus is best known for the three Drosophila parasitoids Leptopilina boulardi, Leptopilina heterotoma and Leptopilina clavipes, used to study host-parasite immune interactions. The venom released by L. heterotoma during oviposition contains virus-like particles that delay host larval development and suppress the host cellular immune response. There is no evidence that these virus-like particles are the products of viral DNA as described in other parasitoid taxa.
Mikeius berryi is a species of wasp found in Australia. Species of Mikeius are thought to be associated with hosts that induce galls on Acacia and Eucalyptus species.
Mikeius gatesi is a species of wasp found in Australia. Species of Mikeius are thought to be associated with hosts that induce galls on Acacia and Eucalyptus species.
Mikeius grandawi is a species of wasp found in Australia. Species of Mikeius are thought to be associated with hosts that induce galls on Acacia and Eucalyptus species.
Mikeius hartigi is a species of wasp found in Australia, the type species of its genus. Species of Mikeius are thought to be associated with hosts that induce galls on Acacia and Eucalyptus species.
Palmiriella neumanni is a species of wasp found in Australia. It was initially described as Mikeius neumanni in 2008 by Matthew Buffington. In a 2011 revision, the species was moved to the newly erected monotypic genus Palmiriella.
Cicatrix schauffi is a species of wasp found in Australia. It was initially described as Mikeius schauffi in 2008 by Matthew Buffington. In a 2011 revision, the species was moved from Mikeius to the newly erected genus Cicatrix.
Maacynips is a genus of gall wasp tentatively placed in the tribe Eucoilini. It was originally described in 1963 by Carl M. Yoshimoto. Subsequent research did not find more samples of the genus. It was placed under the tribe Eucoilini in 2008 by Forshage, Nordlander, and Ronquist. Maacynips is currently under review and its status is unclear.
Mikeius is a genus of wasps found in Australia. Species of Mikeius are thought to be associated with hosts that induce galls on Acacia and Eucalyptus species.
