Pteromalidae

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Pteromalidae
Temporal range: Aptian–Present
Female Catolaccus grandis wasp.jpg
Catolaccus grandis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Superfamily: Chalcidoidea
Family: Pteromalidae
Dalman, 1820
Subfamilies

Many (see text)

The Pteromalidae are a large family of wasps, the majority being parasitoids of other insects. They are found throughout the world in virtually all habitats, and many are important as biological control agents. The oldest known fossil is known from the Early Cretaceous. [1]

Contents

Prior to 2022, the subfamily-level divisions of the family were highly contentious and unstable, and the family was thought to be "artificial", composed of numerous, distantly related groups (polyphyletic). In essence, a "pteromalid" was any member of the Chalcidoidea that had five-segmented tarsi and did not have the defining features of any of the remaining families with five-segmented tarsi.

In 2022, the Pteromalidae was split into 24 families. [2]

Description

Pteromalidae are usually metallic chalcidoids of varying body size (from 1–48 mm long) and build (slender to quite robust), with the tarsi of the fore and hind legs consisting of five segments. They carry antennae consisting of eight to thirteen segments (including up to 3 anelli); in fully winged forms have in the fore wing a marginal vein that is at least several times longer than broad; very often have well-developed postmarginal and stigmal veins, although these are occasionally quite short; and nearly always have a distinct speculum. [3]

Ecology

The life strategies of the species in this family vary greatly. There are both solitary and gregarious species, living outside (ectoparasitoid) or inside their prey (endoparasitoid), koinobionts and idiobionts, primary parasitoids and hyperparasitoids and even predators that kill and consume the prey immediately; [3] they also include fig wasp genera. Because of their parasitoid nature, wasps of this family are often used as biological control agents for destructive pests such as American serpentine leafminers. [4] Pteromalus cassotis is a parasitoid of the monarch butterfly. [5]

Subfamilies, tribes, and genera

Historically, as many as 33 subfamilies of Pteromalidae were recognised. [6] In this arrangement, and other similar ones, Pteromalidae had been recognized as paraphyletic, with many of these subfamilies and their genera being only distantly related. [7] [3] A large body of molecular and morphological research was considered in a new classification of these taxa, published in 2022; many taxa were removed from Pteromalidae and placed in other chalcidoid families, mostly new ones created from former subfamilies, leaving Pteromalidae with only 8 subfamilies. [2]

The results of Burks et al. [2] suggested the following arrangement of the remaining genera (in subfamilies and tribes):

Colotrechninae

Erixestinae

Miscogastrinae

Ormocerinae

Pachyneurinae

Pteromalinae

Sycophaginae

Trigonoderinae

Incertae sedis (unplaced to subfamily)

Calolelaps, Hemitrichus, Ksenoplata, Mesolelaps, Stictolelaps, Yusufia.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chalcid wasp</span> Superfamily of wasps

Chalcid wasps are insects within the superfamily Chalcidoidea, part of the order Hymenoptera. The superfamily contains some 22,500 known species, and an estimated total diversity of more than 500,000 species, meaning the vast majority have yet to be discovered and described. The name "chalcid" is often confused with the name "chalcidid", though the latter refers strictly to one constituent family, the Chalcididae, rather than the superfamily as a whole; accordingly, most recent publications (e.g.,) use the name "chalcidoid" when referring to members of the superfamily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leucospidae</span> Group of wasps

The Leucospidae are a specialized group of wasps within the superfamily Chalcidoidea, that are ectoparasitoids of aculeate wasps or bees. They are typically mimics of bees or stinging wasps, often black with yellow, red, or white markings, sometimes metallic, with a robust mesosoma and very strong sculpturing. The hind femora are often greatly enlarged, with a row of teeth or serrations along the lower margin as in Chalcididae. The wing has a longitudinal fold. The female ovipositor is sometimes short, but if not, it is recurved and lies along the dorsal side of the metasoma, a unique feature. The males are also unusual, in the fusion of many of the metasomal segments to form a capsule-like "carapace".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eupelmidae</span> Family of wasps

Eupelmidae is a family of parasitic wasps in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. The larvae of the majority are primary parasitoids, commonly on beetle larvae, though many other hosts are attacked, including spiders. Details of the life history varies considerably. They are found throughout the world in virtually all habitats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ormyridae</span> Family of wasp

The Ormyridae are a small family of parasitic wasps in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. They are either parasitoids or hyperparasitoids on gall-forming insects, primarily cynipid wasps and tephritid flies. The 120 or so species are cosmopolitan, except almost entirely absent from South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetracampidae</span> Family of wasps

The Tetracampidae are a small family of parasitic wasps in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. They are parasitoids of phytophagous insects, primarily flies. The 44 species in 15 genera are almost entirely absent from the New World.

Signiphoridae is a small family of parasitic wasps in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. The roughly 80 species are placed in four genera.

Trisecodes is a genus of parasitic chalcid wasps of the family Systasidae. The genus was originally placed in Eulophidae, based on a number of morphological features, but molecular evidence suggests that the genus is more closely related to Systasis and Semiotellus. The type species is a parasitoid of a range of Agromyzid leaf-mining flies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pteromalinae</span> Subfamily of wasps

Pteromalinae is a parasitoid wasp subfamily in the family Pteromalidae.

<i>Psyllaephagus</i> Genus of wasps

Psyllaephagus is a genus of chalcid wasps. It was named and circumscribed by William Harris Ashmead in 1900. As of 2019, Psyllaephagus contains approximately 245 species. They are found worldwide: Australia has 100 described species; the Palaearctic region has about 57 species, India has about 20, and Africa about 30.

<i>Pteromalus cassotis</i> Parasitic wasp

Pteromalus cassotis is a species of parasitic wasp in the family Pteromalidae that parasitizes the chrysalides of monarch butterflies. They are gregarious parasitoids, meaning a single female lays many eggs in a single host. Research into this species has documented that up to 425 adult wasps can emerge from a single chrysalis. The wasps have a heavy female bias, averaging 90% female. Maximum entropy models suggest that the natural habitat of this species encompasses the continental United States, southern Canada and parts of Mexico; areas inhabited by the caterpillars of monarch butterflies, which are the larvae's hosts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epichrysomallidae</span> Family of wasps

Epichrysomallidae is a family of gall-forming wasps associated with fig trees - they make galls in figs, or on leaves or twigs. Once considered a subfamily of Pteromalidae (Epichrysomallinae), this group of genera has been elevated to family rank; they are now known to be more closely related to other gall-forming chalcid wasps than to pteromalids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelecinellidae</span> Family of wasps

Pelecinellidae is a small family of chalcidoid wasps, formerly treated as the subfamily Leptofoeninae within Pteromalidae. They, like many small chalcidoids, are brilliantly metallic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyciscidae</span> Family of wasps

Lyciscidae is a family of chalcid wasps. The genera comprising this family were previously placed in the Cleonyminae subfamily of a paraphyletic Pteromalidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spalangiidae</span> Family of wasps

Spalangiidae is a family of chalcid wasps that are parasitoids of flies. The two subfamilies were moved from the family Pteromalidae to create this family in 2022. They are now known to be more closely related to the planidial clade of chalcid wasps than to the core Pteromalidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ceidae</span> Family of wasps

Ceidae is a small family of chalcid wasps, previously classified as subfamily Ceinae, in the polyphyletic family Pteromalidae. These wasps are parasitoids of other small insects. Hosts are known only for Cea pulicaris and Spalangiopelta alata.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Systasidae</span> Family of wasps

Systasidae is a family of chalcidoid wasps. In 2022, this family was described based on an analysis of a combination of molecular, morphological, and life history data.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eunotidae</span> Family of wasps

Eunotidae is a family of chalcidoid wasps. In 2022, this family was described based on an analysis of a combination of molecular, morphological, and life history data.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbertiidae</span> Family of wasps

Herbertiidae is a family of chalcidoid wasps. In 2022, this family was described based on an analysis of a combination of molecular, morphological, and life history data.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heydeniidae</span> Family of wasps

Heydeniidae is a family of chalcidoid wasps. In 2022, this family was described based on an analysis of a combination of molecular, morphological, and life history data.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calesidae</span> Family of wasps

Calesidae is a small family of chalcid wasps, previously classified as subfamily Calesinae, in the family Aphelinidae. These tiny wasps are parasitoids of other small insects, mainly whitefly species, including the widespread pest Aleurothrixus floccosus.

References

  1. Barling, Nathan; Heads, Sam W.; Martill, David M. (October 2013). "A new parasitoid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil: The first Mesozoic Pteromalidae". Cretaceous Research. 45: 258–264. Bibcode:2013CrRes..45..258B. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2013.05.001. ISSN   0195-6671.
  2. 1 2 3 Roger A. Burks; Mircea-Dan Mitroiu; Lucian Fusu; et al. (20 December 2022). "From hell's heart I stab at thee! A determined approach towards a monophyletic Pteromalidae and reclassification of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera)". Journal of Hymenoptera Research . 94: 13–88. doi: 10.3897/JHR.94.94263 . ISSN   1070-9428. Wikidata   Q115923766.
  3. 1 2 3 B.R. Pitkin (2003). "Pteromalidae". Universal Chalcidoidea Database. Natural History Museum, London.
  4. "American serpentine leafminer - Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess)". entnemdept.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
  5. Stenoien, Carl; McCoshum, Shaun; Caldwell, Wendy; Anda, Alma De; Oberhauser, Karen (1 January 2015). "New reports that Monarch butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Danaus plexippus Linnaeus) are hosts for a pupal parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidae, Pteromalus cassotis Walker)". Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 88 (1): 16–26. doi:10.2317/JKES1402.22.1. S2CID   52231552.
  6. Noyes, J.S. (March 2019). "Universal Chalcidoidea Database". The Natural History Museum. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  7. Gibson, G.A.P. (1993) Superfamilies Mymarommatoidea and Chalcidoidea (pp. 570-655). In Goulet, H. & Huber, J. (eds). Hymenoptera of the World: an identification guide to families. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 668 pp. PDF