Leionotoxenos tigridis
(Pierce, 1911) Benda, Pohl, Nakase, Beutel & Straka, 2022
Leionotoxenos tigridis is a of twisted-wing in the Xenidae. The species was originally described as Pseudoxenos tigridis by Pierce in 1911 and later transferred to the Leionotoxenos. It is known from a small number of observations in North America, particularly from Illinois. As with all Strepsiptera, this species is an endoparasitoid of other insects.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Leionotoxenos tigridis: //ˌlaɪoʊnoʊtəˈzɛnəs tɪˈɡrɪdɪs//
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Distribution
Recorded from Illinois, North America. The has been documented from a limited number of observations, suggesting either restricted distribution or cryptic typical of strepsipteran .
Ecological Role
As a member of Strepsiptera, this functions as an endoparasitoid, likely developing within the body of a insect. Strepsiptera are known to parasitize various insect orders, with Xenidae typically associated with Hymenoptera hosts.
Similar Taxa
- LeionotoxenosOther within this would be morphologically similar and require detailed examination for differentiation, though specific diagnostic characters for L. tigridis are not documented in available sources.
- PseudoxenosThis previously contained L. tigridis; boundaries between Leionotoxenos and Pseudoxenos were revised in 2022, making historical literature potentially confusing.