Aphelinidae
Encyclopedia
Aphelinidae is a moderate-sized family of tiny parasitic wasp
s, with some 1160 described species in some 35 genera. These minute insects are challenging to study as they deteriorate rapidly after death unless extreme care is taken (e.g., preservation in ethanol
), making identification of most museum specimens difficult. The larva
e of the majority are primary parasitoid
s on Hemiptera
, though other hosts are attacked, and details of the life history can be variable (e.g., some attack eggs, some attack pupae, and others are hyperparasite
s). They are found throughout the world in virtually all habitats, and are extremely important as biological control agents.
They are difficult to separate from other Chalcidoidea except by subtle features of the wing venation and other difficult characters, and it appears the family is paraphyletic, and therefore likely to be split up in the future (e.g., the Azotinae and Calesinae may become separate families).
Parasitic wasp
The term parasitoid wasp refers to a large evolutionary grade of hymenopteran superfamilies, mainly in the Apocrita. They are primarily parasitoids of other animals, mostly other arthropods...
s, with some 1160 described species in some 35 genera. These minute insects are challenging to study as they deteriorate rapidly after death unless extreme care is taken (e.g., preservation in ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
), making identification of most museum specimens difficult. The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e of the majority are primary parasitoid
Parasitoid
A parasitoid is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism in a relationship that is in essence parasitic; unlike a true parasite, however, it ultimately sterilises or kills, and sometimes consumes, the host...
s on Hemiptera
Hemiptera
Hemiptera is an order of insects most often known as the true bugs , comprising around 50,000–80,000 species of cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and others...
, though other hosts are attacked, and details of the life history can be variable (e.g., some attack eggs, some attack pupae, and others are hyperparasite
Hyperparasite
A hyperparasite is a parasite whose host is a parasite. This form of parasitism is especially common among entomophagous parasites....
s). They are found throughout the world in virtually all habitats, and are extremely important as biological control agents.
They are difficult to separate from other Chalcidoidea except by subtle features of the wing venation and other difficult characters, and it appears the family is paraphyletic, and therefore likely to be split up in the future (e.g., the Azotinae and Calesinae may become separate families).
Genera
- AblerusAblerusAblerus is a genus of chalcid wasps belonging to the family Aphelinidae.-species list:*ablerus albicaput Girault*ablerus aleuroides *ablerus aligarhensis *ablerus amarantus Girault...
- AllomymarAllomymarAllomymar is a little-known genus of chalcid wasps belonging to the family Aphelinidae. It is possible that Allomymar belongs in the genus Encarsia....
- AphelinusAphelinusAphelinus is a genus of parasitoid wasps. Several of the species are important because they parasitize agricultural pests, such as the soybean aphid or the Russian wheat aphid -Diuraphis noxia - Aphelinus is a genus of parasitoid wasps. Several of the species are important because they parasitize...
- AphytisAphytis (insect)Aphytis is a genus of chalcid wasp in the Aphelinidae family. Members of this genus are very small averaging two to three millimetres in length and are mostly black or yellow with transparent wings. The larvae are parasitic on other insects...
- BardylisBardylis (wasp)Bardylis is a small genus of chalcid wasps belonging to the family Aphelinidae.There are presently 9 described species....
- BotryoideclavaBotryoideclavaBotryoideclava is a small genus of chalcid wasps belonging to the family Aphelinidae.-Partial species list:*Botryoideclava bharatiya Subba Rao*Botryoideclava thailandica Hayat, 1994...
- Cales
- Centrodora
- Coccobius
- Coccophagoides
- CoccophagusCoccophagusCoccophagus is a large genus of chalcid wasps belonging to the family Aphelinidae.-Species:-References:*...
- Dirphys
- EncarsiaEncarsiaEncarsia is a large genus of minute parasitic wasps of the family Aphelinidae. The genus is very diverse with currently about 400 described species and worldwide distribution. The number of existing species is expected to be several times higher because many species are still undescribed...
- Eretmocerus
- Eriaphytis
- Eunotiscus
- Euryischia
- Euryischomyia
- Eutrichosomella
- Hirtaphelinus
- Lounsburyia
- Marietta
- Marlattiella
- Metanthemus
- Myiocnema
- Oenrobia
- Proaphelinoides
- Promuscidea
- Prophyscus
- Protaphelinus
- Pteroptrix
- Samariola
- Timberlakiella
- Verekia
External links
- Universal Chalcidoidea Database
- Research on Aphelinidae
- a citrus blackfly parasitoid, Encarsia opulenta on the UFUniversity of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
/ IFASInstitute of Food and Agricultural SciencesThe University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information...
Featured Creatures Web site - a citrus whitefly parasitoid, Encarsia lahorensis on the UFUniversity of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
/ IFASInstitute of Food and Agricultural SciencesThe University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information...
Featured Creatures Web site