Ant-defense-evasion
Guides
Neoneurus
Neoneurus is a genus of minute parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, tribe Neoneurini. These wasps are specialized ant parasitoids, with females attacking adult ant workers in flight to deposit their eggs. The genus includes species such as Neoneurus vesculus, which has been filmed ovipositing into Formica cunicularia workers. Neoneurus species are among the few parasitoids capable of overcoming ant defenses, representing a highly specialized ecological adaptation.
parasitoidant-parasitoidaerial-ovipositionEuphorinaeNeoneuriniFormicaspecialized-parasitismflight-attackminute-waspBraconidaeHymenopterainsect-parasitoidant-hostbehavioral-adaptationEuropean-distributionundocumented-biologyemergence-strategy-unknownrare-parasitoid-strategyhost-defense-evasionevolutionary-specializationflight-attack-filmedoviposition-behaviorminute-size<2mmendoparasitoidadult-host-parasitismant-worker-parasitoidsocial-insect-parasitoidformicid-hostspecialized-wasprare-ecological-interactiondocumented-by-video2011-descriptionZooKeys-publicationvan-AchterbergGómez-DuránNaturalis-LeidenSpainDenmarkNorwaySwedenScandinaviaEuropean-faunaundescribed-species-potentialcryptic-biologynest-emergence-unknownhost-death-hypothesisexoskeleton-penetrationant-defense-evasiontribe-level-specializationsubfamily-Euphorinaeichneumonoid-waspapocritan-waspterrestrial-habitatforest-habitatmeadow-habitatant-associatedhost-specificlife-history-unknownpopulation-dynamics-unknownconservation-status-unknownresearch-neededvideo-documentationsupplementary-mediaopen-access-publicationPensoftZooKeys-125doi-10.3897/zookeys.125.1754three-new-species-described-2011European-speciesnew-to-science-2011ant-parasitoid-guilddivergent-tacticsamazing-adaptationsenormous-tactical-differencesdominant-group-exploitationdefense-breakthroughrare-successful-parasitoidsocial-insect-exploitationhost-colony-integration-unknownemergence-mortality-risklethal-attack-avoidancedead-ant-deposition-hypothesisnest-entrance-emergenceinternal-developmentendoparasitic-developmentkoinobiont-or-idiobiont-unknowndevelopment-time-unknownhost-manipulation-unknownhost-castration-unknownhost-behavior-modification-unknownfecundity-unknownsex-ratio-unknownmating-system-unknownmale-behavior-unknownsearching-behavior-unknownhost-location-cues-unknownvolatile-detection-unknowntrail-following-unknownantennal-detection-unknownvisual-detection-unknownsize-limitation-adaptationminiaturization2mm-size-limitflight-maneuverabilityant-worker-targetingcaste-selection-unknownhost-size-matchingovipositor-structure-unknownegg-structure-unknownlarval-morphology-unknownpupal-development-unknowncocoon-formation-unknownadult-longevity-unknownfeeding-adult-unknownsugar-feeding-unknownhoneydew-feeding-unknownnectar-feeding-unknownoverwintering-stage-unknownvoltinism-unknowngeneration-time-unknownseasonal-phenology-unknownhabitat-specificity-unknownaltitudinal-range-unknownlatitudinal-range-unknownbiogeographic-pattern-unknownphylogenetic-relationships-unresolvedsister-genus-unknowntribe-diversityNeoneurini-diversityEuphorinae-diversityBraconidae-diversityIchneumonoidea-diversityHymenoptera-diversityparasitoid-diversityant-diversityFormica-diversityhost-parasitoid-coevolutionevolutionary-arms-racedefense-counter-adaptationoffense-adaptationrare-life-history-strategyscientific-discoverytaxonomic-revision-neededspecies-diversity-underestimatedcryptic-species-possiblemorphological-uniformitymolecular-systematics-neededDNA-barcoding-potentialcollection-difficultyrarity-in-collectionsfield-observation-difficultybehavioral-observation-difficultyvideo-documentation-valuecitizen-science-potentialnatural-history-gapbiological-control-potentialant-pest-controlinvasive-ant-managementecosystem-service-potentialeconomic-importance-unknownagricultural-relevance-unknownforestry-relevance-unknownurban-ecology-relevance-unknownconservation-biology-relevanceindicator-species-potentialenvironmental-monitoring-potentialclimate-change-response-unknownhabitat-fragmentation-sensitivity-unknownpollution-sensitivity-unknownpesticide-sensitivity-unknowninvasive-species-interaction-unknowncompetition-with-other-parasitoids-unknownhyperparasitism-unknownmultiparasitism-unknownfacultative-or-obligate-parasitoid-unknownhost-range-breadth-unknownhost-switching-potential-unknownhost-race-formation-unknownreproductive-isolation-mechanisms-unknownspeciation-mode-unknowndiversification-rate-unknownextinction-risk-unknownIUCN-status-not-evaluatedred-list-status-not-evaluatednational-protection-status-unknownhabitat-protection-needs-unknownresearch-priorityfunding-prioritytraining-priorityexpertise-shortagetaxonomic-expertise-neededecological-expertise-neededbehavioral-expertise-neededphysiological-expertise-neededdevelopmental-expertise-neededgenetic-expertise-neededevolutionary-expertise-neededbiogeographic-expertise-neededcollection-expertise-neededrearing-expertise-neededobservation-expertise-neededdocumentation-expertise-neededpublication-prioritydata-sharing-priorityspecimen-deposition-prioritymuseum-collection-prioritylive-collection-prioritytype-specimen-availabilityoriginal-description-accessibilitysubsequent-revision-historynomenclatural-stabilityname-usage-consistencyclassification-stabilityhigher-taxonomy-resolvedlower-taxonomy-unresolvedspecies-level-taxonomy-problematictype-species-designationgenus-concept-stabilitysubgeneric-classification-absentinfraspecific-variation-unknowngeographic-variation-unknownph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