Leschenaultia

Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830

Species Guides

Leschenaultia is a of tachinid flies comprising approximately 35 described distributed across the New World, from Canada to Argentina. Species in this genus are of Lepidoptera, with documented spanning at least seven including Lasiocampidae, Erebidae, Noctuidae, and Saturniidae. The genus has been studied primarily for its role in of forest and other caterpillar pests. Female flies locate hosts using volatile cues from damaged plants and host , with oviposition strategies varying between macrotype deposited directly on host and microtype eggs placed on foliage.

Leschenaultia by (c) Andrew Thornhill, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Andrew Thornhill. Used under a CC-BY license.

Leschenaultia by (c) Jean and Fred, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Leschenaultia: /lɛʃɛˈnɔːltiə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Identification to level requires examination of male and female terminalia; recent taxonomic revisions by Toma & Guimarães (2002) provide diagnostic characters. Leschenaultia bicolor can be distinguished from by features of the male and female genitalia, with the terminalia fully described and illustrated in recent literature. Species-level identification is challenging without dissection and reference to .

Images

Habitat

Forests and woodlands where lepidopteran caterpillars occur; specifically associated with host plants including Populus tremuloides (aspen poplar) and Populus balsamifera (balsam poplar) in studies of L. exul.

Distribution

New World distribution spanning Canada, United States, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, and South America (Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina). Individual show varying ranges: L. exul occurs in eastern Canada and northeastern United States; L. fulvipes in western Canada and western United States; L. leucophrys has the broadest South American distribution.

Host Associations

Malacosoma disstria - forest , principal in Canada, attraction to aspen poplar complex documented
Malacosoma americana - eastern tent caterpillar
Halysidota pearsoni - for L. bicolor in Brazil
Lepidoptera (53+ species) - across Apatelodidae, Erebidae, Lasiocampidae, Noctuidae, Nymphalidae, Saturniidae, Sphingidae; at least nine Leschenaultia involved

Life Cycle

are deposited either as macrotype eggs directly on caterpillar (L. exul) or as microtype eggs on foliage to be ingested by hosts (L. bicolor and others). Larvae develop internally as within host caterpillars. Mature larvae exit the host to pupate in soil. emerge from , with synchronized to host availability.

Behavior

Gravid females engage in upwind toward and plant volatiles released in response to herbivory. L. exul shows stronger response to frass than some . After landing, females use contact chemoreception to locate hosts, with arrested movement and ovipositor probing upon contact with host . Host location varies with tree : L. exul preferentially responds to the forest -aspen poplar complex over the caterpillar-balsam poplar complex.

Ecological Role

regulating of lepidopteran defoliators, including economically important forest pests such as forest . Contributes to natural in forest .

Human Relevance

Studied as a agent for pests. No documented direct negative impacts on humans; no agricultural or medical significance reported.

Similar Taxa

Patelloa pachypygaAlso a principal of forest in Canada; distinguished by microtype deposition on foliage near versus macrotype eggs on host in L. exul, and weaker response to host in wind tunnel experiments

More Details

Taxonomic history

The was revised by Toma & Guimarães in 2002, with numerous new described and several former species not recognized. Leschenaultia nigrisquamis (Townsend, 1892) was not examined in this revision due to missing type material. The genus was established by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830.