Diphyus

Kriechbaumer, 1890

Species Guides

3

Diphyus is a of in the Ichneumonidae, established by Joseph Kriechbaumer in 1890. The genus has an almost distribution. At least one , D. quadripunctorius, is a larva-pupal parasitoid of Noctua larvae and exhibits distinctive as females in subterranean .

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Diphyus: //ˈdaɪfjəs//

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Habitat

Subterranean sites including caves and mines serve as for at least D. quadripunctorius; these sites maintain ambient temperatures well above freezing.

Distribution

Almost ; confirmed records include Britain, southern Europe, Portugal (Serra da Estrela), Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), and Vermont, USA.

Seasonality

females of D. quadripunctorius are present in sites from mid-July to end of March; active of larvae occurs in spring.

Host Associations

  • Noctua species - larva-pupal Parasitizes larvae in spring; emerges from pupae in early to mid-summer

Life Cycle

; parasitizes larvae in spring, emerges from host pupae in early to mid-summer, then enters sites.

Behavior

females of D. quadripunctorius overwinter in caves and mines, remaining semi-active through winter. Individuals have been observed moving to safety when sites flood, though drowning occurs in some cases.

Ecological Role

of Noctua larvae, potentially contributing to regulation of noctuid moth .

More Details

Nomenclatural history

The was originally listed as 'Diphyes' in the table of contents of Kriechbaumer's 1890 publication, but this name was preoccupied by a cnidarian genus described in 1817. The text itself correctly established the name Diphyus, with D. tricolor as the type .

Research gaps

Most biological information derives from studies of D. quadripunctorius; the and of other Diphyus remain poorly documented.

Sources and further reading