Sussaba

Cameron, 1909

Species Guides

1

Sussaba is a of small in the Ichneumonidae, Diplazontinae. are parasitoids of hoverfly (Syrphidae) larvae, with typically measuring around 4 mm in forewing length. The genus has a wide geographic distribution spanning Europe, North America, and parts of Asia including India. Sussaba pulchella is the best-studied species, with a published -level assembly.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Sussaba: /sʊˈsɑːbə/

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Distribution

Europe (including widespread across Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden), North America (Nearctic), and India. The has a global range encompassing much of the Palaearctic and Nearctic regions.

Host Associations

  • hoverfly larvae (Diptera: Syrphidae) - Published records from -feeding hoverflies of Sphaerophoria such as S. scripta are probable misidentifications of other Sussaba ; one species has been reared from larvae of Pipizella feeding on root-dwelling aphids

Life Cycle

Diplazontines emerge from the . Oviposition occurs in either the of the syrphid host (in the developing embryo), early instar, or mid-instar larva. The specific host stage preference for Sussaba is not known but may be expected to target eggs or early instars based on preferences of closely related .

Behavior

Males possess tyloids—raised, ovoid areas of on antennal flagellomeres—used to coil the around the female's antennae during courtship, a observed in some clades of Diplazontinae.

Ecological Role

of hoverfly larvae, contributing to of syrphid flies.

More Details

Genomic Resources

Sussaba pulchella has a -level assembly of 299.91 Mb with 15 chromosomal pseudomolecules and a 34.69 kb mitochondrial genome, generated from a haploid male specimen collected in Wytham Woods, England as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project.

Collection Method

Specimens are frequently collected using sweep netting.

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Sources and further reading