Draft:Trichogrammatinae
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| Trichogrammatinae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Trichogrammatidae |
| Subfamily: | Trichogrammatinae Haliday, 1851 |
Trichogrammatinae is a subfamily of minute parasitoid wasps in the family Trichogrammatidae, within the superfamily Chalcidoidea. Members of the group are egg parasitoids, developing inside the eggs of other insects. The best-known genus is Trichogramma, which includes species widely used in biological pest control programmes against agricultural pests, especially lepidopteran pests.[1]
Taxonomy
[edit]Trichogrammatinae is placed in the family Trichogrammatidae, a family of very small chalcid wasps. Molecular work on Trichogrammatidae has used ribosomal RNA regions to examine relationships within the family and to evaluate the usefulness of male genitalia for higher-level classification.[2]
The family Trichogrammatidae includes about 800 described species in approximately 84 genera worldwide, although the true diversity is believed to be much higher.[1] Trichogrammatinae includes the economically important genus Trichogramma, which has received particular attention because of its role in applied entomology and biological control.[1]
Description
[edit]Trichogrammatinae are extremely small wasps. Trichogrammatids as a family are among the smallest known insects, with adult body length commonly ranging from about 0.2 to 1.5 mm.[1] Their small size is linked to their development inside insect eggs, and in some species more than one individual can develop within a single host egg.[1]
Trichogrammatids are distinguished from other chalcidoid wasps by features including three-segmented tarsi, short wing venation and, in many genera, compact body form and reduced wing structures.[1]
Biology
[edit]Members of Trichogrammatidae are parasitoids of insect eggs. Females lay eggs inside the eggs of other insects, and the developing parasitoid larva consumes the host embryo. Adults emerge from the host egg after completing development.[1]
Host use varies among genera. Some genera, including Trichogramma, parasitize eggs of several insect orders, while others appear to be more host-specific.[1] Host groups include eggs of Hemiptera, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera.[1]
Biological control
[edit]The genus Trichogramma is one of the most important groups of egg parasitoids used in augmentative biological control. Species of Trichogramma attack eggs of many pest Lepidoptera and can be mass-reared and released in crop systems.[1] Because they kill pests at the egg stage, they can prevent larval damage before caterpillars begin feeding on crops.
Trichogrammatinae is therefore important in integrated pest management, particularly in systems where reducing pest larvae before crop damage is a priority.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Trichogrammatidae". Hymenoptera Systematics. University of California, Riverside. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ Owen, Albert K.; George, Jeremiah; Pinto, John D.; Heraty, John M. (2007). "A molecular phylogeny of the Trichogrammatidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), with an evaluation of the utility of their male genitalia for higher level classification". Systematic Entomology. 32 (2): 227–251. Bibcode:2007SysEn..32..227O. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.2006.00361.x.