Earinus

Wesmael, 1837

Species Guides

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Earinus is a of in the Braconidae, Agathidinae. The genus was established by Wesmael in 1837 and contains approximately 20 described distributed across Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. Following taxonomic revision in 2022, Neotropical species were transferred to the new genus Chilearinus, leaving three confirmed Nearctic species: E. erythropoda, E. limitaris, and E. zeirapherae. Some species have documented potential against lepidopteran fruit pests.

Earinus limitaris by (c) Bill Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.Braconid Wasp - Earinus limitaris, Meadowood Farm SRMA, Mason Neck, Virginia (32698983584) by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.Braconid Wasp - Earinus limitaris, Meadowood Farm SRMA, Mason Neck, Virginia (39253767341) by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Earinus: /ˈɛə.rɪ.nəs/

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Identification

Earinus can be distinguished from the related Chilearinus by the presence of pegs or spines on the foretibia. The genus is characterized by morphological features typical of Agathidinae, though detailed diagnostic characters require examination of wing venation, structure, and tibial armature. -level identification within Nearctic Earinus is complicated by unclear species limits and requires COI barcoding for reliable determination.

Images

Distribution

Europe, the Americas (Nearctic region), and the Middle East. In the Nearctic, the is common and widespread with the southernmost confirmed record in northern Sonora, Mexico.

Host Associations

Ecological Role

agent. Earinus limitaris has been observed to significantly reduce feeding activity of fifth and sixth instar Orthosia hibisci larvae and appears capable of reducing in subsequent years while limiting immediate damage from host feeding.

Human Relevance

Potential biocontrol agent for fruit pests. Earinus limitaris was responsible for 98.9% of of Orthosia hibisci in apple and cherry orchards in British Columbia, suggesting significant potential for programs.

Similar Taxa

  • ChilearinusFormerly included now placed in separate ; distinguished by absence of pegs/spines on foretibia present in Earinus.
  • MeteorusAnother braconid found parasitizing Orthosia hibisci; distinguished by different morphological features and presumably different .

More Details

Taxonomic Revision

A 2022 revision transferred all Neotropical previously assigned to Earinus to the new Chilearinus, restricting Earinus to the Nearctic region with three confirmed species and an estimated 8-12 species total based on morphological variation.

Research Needs

limits within Nearctic Earinus remain unclear without COI barcoding. of most species is unknown; associations are documented only for E. limitaris.

Sources and further reading