Copidosoma

Small chalcid wasps, typically 1–2 mm in length. Members of this genus are distinguished from other Encyrtidae by their polyembryonic development and the presence of a soldier caste. Species-level identification requires examination of morphological characters including antennae segmentation, wing venation patterns, and body coloration. Norwegian species can be identified using the dichotomous key provided by Guerrieri & Noyes (2013), which separates both sexes based on antennal club structure, mesoscutal sculpture, and ovipositor length.

Associated with agricultural and natural environments where host Lepidoptera occur. Found in crop systems including soybean fields, potato storage facilities, wheat fields, and tomato growing regions where specific host moths are present.

Cosmopolitan distribution with records from North America (California, Florida, Arkansas), South America (Bolivia), Europe (Norway, with 16 recognized species including one newly described), Hawaii (introduced), and Asia (China, Japan).

• caterpillars (Lepidoptera) - parasitoidEgg-larval parasitoid; eggs deposited in host eggs, larvae develop within host caterpillars. Specific host associations vary by species group: C. cervius group parasitizes Geometridae; nacoliae group parasitizes Pyralidae and Tortricidae. C. floridanum parasitizes Plusiinae moths including soybean looper (Chrysodeixis includens) and tomato looper (Chrysodeixis chalcites); C. koehleri parasitizes potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella); C. primulum parasitizes cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera).

Polyembryonic development: female wasps oviposit into host moth eggs. Following host egg hatch, the wasp egg undergoes proliferation, producing up to 3,055 genetically identical embryos that form a polymorula. Embryos differentiate into two castes: soldier larvae (approximately 24% of brood in C. floridanum) that emerge early, patrol the host hemocoel, and attack competing parasitoids; and reproductive larvae that complete development, kill the host in its final instar, and pupate. Adults emerge approximately two weeks after host death. Female wasps develop from fertilized eggs; males from unfertilized eggs. Male eggs produce fewer soldiers than female eggs, and male soldiers of C. floridanum lack aggression.

Soldier caste exhibits aggressive defense behaviors, attacking heterospecific and conspecific competitors within the shared host. In multiparasitized hosts, soldiers from the first-established female brood kill larvae from subsequently laid eggs. Female soldiers from earlier broods tolerate older male broods from different mothers, enabling coexistence. Soldier production increases rapidly (within 16 hours) in response to detection of competitor eggs, triggered by egg chorion recognition. This plastic response is specific to interspecific competition and is not induced by heat shock or bacterial infection.

Biological control agent for agricultural pest Lepidoptera. Acts as a population regulator of moth species that damage crops. The soldier caste mediates competitive interactions within the parasitoid community, influencing community structure in shared host resources.

Intentionally introduced as biological control agents in multiple regions. C. floridanum was introduced to Hawaii to control the tomato looper (Chrysodeixis chalcites). C. koehleri is used extensively for control of the potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella) in stored potatoes, though control efficacy is limited. C. primulum has been deployed in China to control the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) in wheat crops. The genus serves as a model organism for studying polyembryony, caste evolution, and clonal development, with C. floridanum genome sequenced as part of the i5K project.

• Microplitis demolitorBoth are endoparasitoids of Noctuidae caterpillars including soybean looper, but Microplitis is a solitary braconid wasp producing single offspring per egg rather than polyembryonic clones, and lacks a soldier caste.
• LitomastixFormerly treated as a distinct genus, now synonymized under Copidosoma (e.g., C. thebe is senior synonym of L. claviger). Historical literature may use this name for species now placed in Copidosoma.

• polyembryony
• parasitoid
• biological control
• caste system
• clonal development
• soldier caste
• Encyrtidae
• Lepidoptera parasitoid
• agricultural pest management
• genome sequenced

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Scientists Reveal New Method to Characterize Physiological Responses to Parasitism | Bug Squad
• Encyrtid Holdings | Entomology Research Museum
• Copidosoma floridanum Archives - Entomology Today
• This Wasp's Larvae Sometimes Grow Hundreds of Soldier Clones—But Why?
• Transcriptome analysis of a polyembryonic parasitoidCopidosoma floridanum
• The Norwegian species of Copidosoma Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Encyrtidae)
• Unisexual broods and sex ratios in a polyembryonic encyrtid parasitoid (Copidosoma sp.: Hymenoptera)
• Analysis of molecular mechanism for acceleration of polyembryony using gene functional annotation pipeline in Copidosoma floridanum
• The polyembryonic development of Copidosoma gelechiae with notes on its biology
• Chromosome Number of the Polyembryonic Parasitoid Copidosoma floridanum (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)
• Analysis of molecular mechanism for acceleration of polyembryony using gene functional annotation pipeline in Copidosoma floridanum
• The parasitoid Copidosoma koehleri provides limited control of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella, in stored potatoes
• Long-read genome assembly of the Japanese parasitic wasp Copidosoma floridanum (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)
• Analysis of molecular mechanism for acceleration of polyembryony using gene functional annotation pipeline in Copidosoma floridanum
• Effects of Diflubenzuron onPseudoplusia includens(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and its ParasitoidCopidosoma floridanum(Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)
• Tritrophic Interactions Among Linear Furanocoumarins, the Herbivore Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and the Polyembryonic Parasitoid Copidosoma floridanum (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)