Xanthopimpla stemmator
| Xanthopimpla stemmator | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Ichneumonidae |
| Genus: | Xanthopimpla |
| Species: | X. stemmator |
| Binomial name | |
| Xanthopimpla stemmator (Thunberg, 1822)[1] | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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List
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Xanthopimpla stemmator is a species of parasitoid wasp first described in 1822.[2] It targets various stem boring moth species as hosts,[3][4] and are used in agriculture as biological control agents.[5]
This species mostly inhabits Afro-Eurasia,[4] being originally from Asia[3] before being introduced to other areas such as Africa[5][6] and North America.[4]
Description
[edit]Adults possess a bright yellow body with black markings, typical of its genus. The markings are a black ocellar triangle on its head, a pair of black spots on the mesoscutum, with a third median spot near the scutellum, and a pair of black spots on each of its abdominal tergites. Females typically have no spots on the 8th tergite. In some individuals, the spots on the 6th tergite can be smaller or missing entirely.[7]
Agricultural importation
[edit]Due to its wide host range of stem borers,[8] X. stemmator has been imported to many African countries such as Mozambique,[6] South Africa,[5] and Kenya[9] in order to control populations of cereal boring pest species such as those in the genus Chilo.
Different parasitoids tend to specialise on hosts at specific life stages, with X. stemmator being a pupal parasitoid. Because of this, it is able to be used in pest control efforts without displacing native parasitoids.[6]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Xanthopimpla stemmator (Thunberg, 1822)". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
- ↑ Thunberg, Carl Peter (1822). "Ichneumonidea, Insecta Hymenoptera, illustrata a C. P. Thunberg". Mémoires de l'Académie impériale des sciences de St. Pétersbourg. 5e série. 8: 262. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 Gitau, C.W; Ngi-Song, A.J; Otieno, S.A; Overholt, W.A (2007). "Host preference of Xanthopimpla stemmator (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and its reproductive performance on selected African lepidopteran stem borers". Biocontrol Science and Technology. 17 (5): 499–511. doi:10.1080/09583150701311572.
- 1 2 3 Hailemicheal, Yared; Smith, J.W.; Wiedenmann, Robert N. (April 2011). "Host‐finding behavior, host acceptance, and host suitability of the parasite Xanthopimpla stemmator". Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 71 (2): 155–166.
- 1 2 3 Moore, S.D.; Kfir, Rami (September 1996). "Biological studies of Xanthopimpla stemmator (Thunberg) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a parasitoid of lepidopteran stem borers". African Entomology. 4 (2): 131–136. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 Goebel, François-Régis; Conlong, Desmond Edward (2002). "Biological control of Chilo sacchariphagus (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Mozambique: the first steps". Proc. South African Sugar Technol. Assoc. 76: 310–320.
- ↑ "Featured Insects". Fact sheets on Agriculturally Important Insects. ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ Ahmed, S.; Nasir, I. Bodlah 1 M. F.; Nadeem, M. S. (2020-03-25). "GENUS XANTHOPIMPLA SAUSSURE, 1892 (ICHNEUMONIDAE: PIMPLINAE) FROM POTHWAR REGION (PUNJAB) OF PAKISTAN". Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences. 30 (3): 713–722. doi:10.36899/JAPS.2020.3.0084. ISSN 1018-7081.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Abonyo, Esther A (2019). "Establishment and Efficacy of Stem Borer Biological Control Agents Released in Kenya". University of Nairobi. Retrieved 9 August 2026.