Telenominae

Telenominae is a of in the (formerly placed in ). Members are solitary parasitoids, primarily attacking eggs of , particularly () and related families in the superfamily Pentatomoidea. The subfamily includes such as Telenomus, Trissolcus, Phanuromyia, and Eumicrosoma. Several , notably Trissolcus japonicus (the Samurai Wasp), are used or studied as agents for agricultural pests.

Trissolcus by (c) Tom Saunders, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tom Saunders. Used under a CC-BY license.

T. podisi parasiting P maculiventris egg by Eirefred. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Telenominae: //ˌtɛlɛˈnɒmɪniː//

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

Identification

Identification to level within Telenominae typically requires examination of microscopic characters including , antennal segmentation, and structure. The can be distinguished from related platygastroid by a combination of characters including the structure of the metasoma and . Species within such as Trissolcus and Telenomus are frequently morphologically similar, necessitating detailed taxonomic and often molecular confirmation for accurate identification.

Images

Habitat

are determined by distribution; members have been recorded from agricultural fields (particularly soybean fields), deciduous forests, and urban environments. masses are typically located on the undersides of leaves.

Distribution

Recorded from multiple biogeographic regions including the Palaearctic (Korea, Japan, China, Europe), Nearctic (North America), and Neotropics (Mexico to southern Paraguay). Specific distribution varies by and .

Host Associations

Halyomorpha halys - marmorated ; Trissolcus japonicus
Nezara viridula - ; Trissolcus basalis
Eurydema gebleri - Trissolcus itoi
Dolycoris baccarum - Trissolcus nigripedius
Triatoma dimidiata - ; Telenomus fariai in Mexico
Pentatomidae - ; multiple Telenominae
Reduviidae - ; Telenomus
Acanthosomatidae -
Phyllocephalidae -
Scutelleridae -
Flatidae - ; Phanuromyia
Fulgoridae - lanternflies; Phanuromyia

Life Cycle

Solitary development within . Development time from to ranges from 4–24 days under laboratory conditions (~25°C), varying by . Adults of both sexes emerge from host eggs.

Behavior

-finding and acceptance behaviors are mediated by chemosensory . Female express odorant binding (OBPs) that detect host-produced . Members exhibit solitary , with only one developing per host .

Ecological Role

and agents of economically important pests. of and related in agricultural and natural .

Human Relevance

Several are significant agents. Trissolcus japonicus has been to North America as a agent for the marmorated (Halyomorpha halys). Trissolcus basalis has been used in programs for Nezara viridula in various countries.

Similar Taxa

Telenomus within Telenominae; historically distinguished from Trissolcus by associations ( vs. ), though this distinction has been questioned and the genera are morphologically similar
PlatygastridaeRelated within Platygastroidea; Telenominae was previously classified as a of before molecular and morphological studies supported placement in

More Details

Taxonomic history

Telenominae was historically treated as a of . Current places it in based on phylogenetic studies, though some sources still reflect the older placement.

Included genera

The contains at least eight recognized : Eumicrosoma, Nirupana, Paratelenomous, Phanuromyia, Protelenomus, Psix, Telenomus, and Trissolcus.

Molecular resources

COI sequencing has been used to facilitate identification and examine associations, particularly for Telenomus species.