Chemical-deception
Guides
Clavigeritae
Clavigeritae is a supertribe of minute rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) comprising approximately 370 described species. These beetles are obligate myrmecophiles, living socially parasitic lives within ant colonies. The group exhibits extreme morphological specialization for this lifestyle, including body segment fusions and unique glandular structures. The 52-million-year-old fossil Protoclaviger trichodens from India represents the oldest known myrmecophilous beetle and reveals transitional features between ancestral and modern forms.
Sphecophaga
Sphecophaga is a genus of ichneumonid wasps specialized as ectoparasitoids of vespid wasps. Species within this genus parasitize nests of social wasps, with larvae feeding externally on immature wasp pupae. The genus exhibits complex polymorphism in adult forms and cocoon types, and has been widely introduced as a biological control agent for invasive Vespula wasp species. Two recognized species occur: S. orientalis parasitizing Vespa orientalis in the Mediterranean region, and S. vesparum with subspecies in Europe and North America targeting Vespula species.
Zyras
Zyras is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Lomechusini) comprising over 100 described species distributed primarily across the Palaearctic and Oriental regions. Species within this genus exhibit diverse ecological associations, including myrmecophilous and termitophilous lifestyles. The genus is taxonomically complex, with ongoing revisions addressing synonymies and species boundaries. Several species possess specialized tergal glands that produce chemical secretions facilitating integration into host colonies.