Heteropelma
Heteropelma megarthrum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Ichneumonidae
Tribe: Gravenhorstiini
Genus: Heteropelma
Wesmael, 1849

Heteropelma is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae.[1] Species in this genus are around 25 mm in length.[2]

Reproduction

Heteropelma adults lay their eggs inside Lepidopteran larvae (i.e. caterpillars) by piercing them with their ovipositor. Heteropelma eggs consist of an equatorial disc and a caudal stalk, making them look a bit like the cartoon oil lamp from Aladdin. It's thought that the shape is adapted to attach the egg to the inside of the caterpillar's integument.[3] Once the eggs hatch, the larvae consume the caterpillar from the inside. They emerge from the deceased caterpillar as adults.[2]

Species

  • Heteropelma amictum
  • Heteropelma fulvitarse
  • Heteropelma megarthrum
  • Heteropelma signatum
  • Heteropelma szepligetii

References

  1. ↑ "Heteropelma Wesmael, 1849". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 Gauld, I. D. (1976). "THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE ANOMALONINAE HYMENOPTERA ICHNEUMONIDAE". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology. 33: 1–135.
  3. ↑ Tothill, John D. (1922). The natural control of the fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea Drury) in Canada : together with an account of its several parasites. Ottawa: F.A. Acland, King's Printer.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.