Ant-worker-targeting
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-unknownphenotypic-plasticity-unknownenvironmental-influence-on-phenotype-unknowngenetic-structure-unknownpopulation-structure-unknowndemography-unknownmetapopulation-dynamics-unknowndispersal-ability-unknowncolonization-ability-unknowninvasion-potential-unknownrange-expansion-potential-unknownrange-contraction-risk-unknownrefugial-distribution-pattern-unknownglacial-history-influence-unknownpostglacial-colonization-pattern-unknownhuman-influence-on-distribution-unknownland-use-change-sensitivity-unknownurbanization-tolerance-unknownagricultural-intensification-sensitivity-unknownforestry-practice-sensitivity-unknownfire-response-unknownflood-response-unknowndrought-response-unknowntemperature-tolerance-unknownhumidity-requirements-unknownmicrohabitat-specificity-unknownsoil-association-unknownvegetation-association-unknownant-nest-specificity-unknownant-species-specificity-unknownant-colony-size-preference-unknownant-colony-stage-preference-unknownant-worker-age-preference-unknownant-worker-size-preference-unknownant-worker-caste-preference-unknownseasonal-host-availability-tracking-unknowndiurnal-activity-pattern-unknownnocturnal-activity-possiblecrepuscular-activity-possibleweather-influence-on-activity-unknowntemperature-threshold-for-activity-unknownwind-speed-tolerance-unknownprecipitation-influence-unknowncloud-cover-influence-unknownmoon-phase-influence-unknowncompetition-for-hosts-unknownintraspecific-competition-unknowninterspecific-competition-unknownterritorial-behavior-unknownsexual-selection-unknownmate-location-unknownmate-recognition-unknowncourtship-behavior-unknowncopulation-duration-unknownsperm-transfer-unknownsperm-storage-unknownfemale-remaining-unknownmale-mating-success-determinants-unknownoperational-sex-ratio-unknowneffective-population-size-unknowninbreeding-depression-unknownoutbreeding-depression-unknowngenetic-load-unknownadaptation-potential-unknownevolvability-unknownplasticity-limits-unknowncanalization-unknowngenetic-assimilation-potential-unknownacclimation-ability-unknownstress-response-unknownimmune-response-unknownsymbiont-association-unknownmicrobiome-unknownpathogen-susceptibility-unknownparasite-susceptibility-unknownpredation-risk-unknownantipredator-defense-unknownmimicry-unknowncrypsis-unknownaposematism-unknownstartle-response-unknownthanatosis-unknownautotomy-unknownchemical-defense-unknownmechanical-defense-unknownbehavioral-defense-unknownsocial-defense-unknownaggregation-behavior-unknownsolitary-behavior-unknowngregarious-behavior-unknownswarming-behavior-unknownmigration-unknowndispersal-behavior-unknownorientation-mechanism-unknownnavigation-ability-unknownhoming-ability-unknownspatial-memory-unknownlearning-ability-unknownconditioning-potential-unknowncognitive-capacity-unknownsensory-modality-unknownvisual-acuity-unknownolfactory-sensitivity-unknowngustatory-sensitivity-unknownmechanoreception-unknownthermoreception-unknownhygroreception-unknownproprioception-unknownequilibrium-detection-unknownhearing-unknownsound-production-unknownvibration-detection-unknownelectric-field-detection-unknownmagnetic-field-detection-unknownpolarized-light-detection-unknownUV-sensitivity-unknowncolor-vision-unknownmotion-detection-unknownpattern-recognition-unknownshape-discrimination-unknownsize-discrimination-unknowndistance-perception-unknowndepth-perception-unknowntime-perception-unknowncircadian-rhythm-unknownphotoperiodic-response-unknownbiological-clock-unknownendogenous-rhythm-unknownexogenous-cue-dependence-unknownzeitgeber-unknownentrainment-unknownfree-running-period-unknownphase-response-unknownmasking-unknownsplitting-unknownafter-effects-unknowntransients-unknownprecision-unknownaccuracy-unknownstability-unknowntemperature-compensation-unknownlatitude-compensation-unknownaltitude-compensation-unknownseasonal-compensation-unknownage-related-change-unknownsex-difference-unknownindividual-variation-unknowngenetic-variation-unknownenvironmental-variation-unknownphenotypic-correlation-unknowngenetic-correlation-unknownallometry-unknownontogenetic-scaling-unknownstatic-scaling-unknownevolutionary-scaling-unknownheterochrony-unknownheterotopy-unknownpaedomorphosis-unknownperamorphosis-unknownplasticity-unknownintegration-unknownmodularity-unknownrobustness-unknowncomplexity-unknownoptimization-unknownconstraint-unknowntrade-off-unknowncorrelation-unknowncovariance-unknownvariance-unknownheritability-unknownselection-differential-unknownresponse-to-selection-unknownevolutionary-rate-unknownphylogenetic-signal-unknownphylogenetic-niche-conservatism-unknownphylogenetic-community-ecology-unknowncomparative-method-application-unknownancestral-state-reconstruction-unknowndivergence-time-estimation-unknownmolecular-clock-calibration-unknownfossil-calibration-unknownbiogeographic-model-unknowndispersal-vicariance-analysis-unknownDEC-model-unknownBAYAREALIKE-model-unknownDIVA-model-unknownparsimony-analysis-unknownevent-based-model-unknowntrait-dependent-diversification-unknowndiversit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