Eurytoma plotnikovi

Definition

A species of seed chalcid wasp in the family Eurytomidae, described by Nikol'skaya in 1934. Members of the genus Eurytoma are small parasitoid or phytophagous wasps, many of which develop within seeds, galls, or stems of plants, or as parasitoids of other insects. The biology of E. plotnikovi is poorly documented in English-language literature, but congeners frequently attack legume seeds or gall-forming insects.

Etymology

From Greek eurys (broad, wide) + tome (cutting, incision), a genus name referring to the broad ovipositor sheath characteristic of the group; plotnikovi honors a person, likely a Russian entomologist or collector.

Example

Eurytoma plotnikovi belongs to a genus whose species are frequently intercepted in agricultural quarantine because seed-feeding eurytomids can be significant pests of legume crops or biological control agents of weedy plants.

Related Terms

• Eurytomidae
• Chalcidoidea
• seed chalcid
• parasitoid wasp
• Phytophagy

Usage Notes

Treated as a valid species name following Nikol'skaya, 1934. The specific biology and host associations of E. plotnikovi remain poorly characterized in accessible literature; most biological generalizations about this species are inferred from better-studied congeners. The genus Eurytoma is taxonomically difficult, with many species descriptions based on limited material; accurate identification typically requires examination of microscopic characters including antennae, ovipositor, and wing venation.