Cricket-parasite

Guides

Exoristoides johnsoni
Exoristoides johnsoni is a species of tachinid bristle fly described by Coquillett in 1897. It is a parasitoid of crickets, specifically known to attack Gryllus integer and other members of the family Gryllidae. The species occurs across North America from Canada through the United States to Mexico. As a tachinid fly, it likely oviposits on or near its hosts, with larvae developing internally and eventually killing the host.
parasitoid tachinid cricket-parasite diptera brachycera north-america
Olixon
Olixon is a genus of solitary wasps in the family Rhopalosomatidae, established by Cameron in 1887. All known species are brachypterous (short-winged) ectoparasitoids of crickets, primarily in the family Gryllidae. The genus is distributed across the African, Australian, and American continents, with a notable concentration of diversity in Australia. Species are generally considered rare in collections and infrequently observed in the field.
parasitoid brachypterous cricket-parasite cryptic-species Gondwanan-distribution
Olixon melinsula
Olixon melinsula is a species of parasitic wasp in the family Rhopalosomatidae, described in 2012 from specimens collected in the southern United States. It belongs to a genus of nocturnal wasps whose larvae are ectoparasitoids of crickets. The species is known from a small number of records in Florida, Louisiana, Paraguay, and Texas.
parasitoid nocturnal cricket-parasite recently-described
Ormia ochracea
Ormia ochracea is a small yellow nocturnal tachinid fly renowned for its exceptional directional hearing and acoustic parasitism of field crickets. Females locate singing male crickets through phonotaxis, then deposit planidial larvae that develop internally and kill the host within approximately 7 days. The fly's auditory system employs mechanically coupled tympanal membranes that amplify nanosecond-scale interaural time differences, enabling sound localization precision comparable to humans despite an interear distance of less than 1 mm. This unique physiology has made O. ochracea a prominent model organism for auditory neuroscience and bioinspired microphone design.
parasitoid phonotaxis bioacoustics hearing cricket-parasite model-organism nocturnal
Rhopalosoma
cricket parasitoid wasps
Rhopalosoma is a genus of aculeate wasps in the family Rhopalosomatidae, comprising 18 described species distributed primarily in the Neotropics and southern Nearctic. Larvae develop as ectoparasitoids of crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae, Trigonidiidae), attaching externally to host nymphs or adults. Adults are rarely encountered in the field and are among the least known of all parasitoid wasps. Genetic studies indicate the presence of cryptic species diversity, with at least two genetically distinct lineages present in America north of Mexico.
ectoparasitoid cricket-parasite cryptic-species rarely-collected Neotropical amber-fossil DNA-barcoding
Rhopalosoma nearcticum
Rhopalosoma nearcticum is a parasitoid wasp in the family Rhopalosomatidae. Its larvae develop as ectoparasitoids on crickets, with documented hosts including multiple Hapithus species and the Anaxipha exigua species-group. The species is found in the Americas from the United States to Brazil, though phylogenetic studies suggest at least two genetically distinct Rhopalosoma clades exist in America north of Mexico.
parasitoid ectoparasitoid cricket-parasite wasps hymenoptera rhopalosomatidae nearcticum brues-1943 americas united-states brazil mid-atlantic tennessee hapithus anaxipha gryllidae trigonidiidae barcoding phylogenetics genetic-clades larval-development host-specificity insect-parasitoid aculeata vespoidea apocrita hexapoda arthropoda insecta animalia metazoa eukaryota cypress-grove-nature-park jackson-tennessee open-journal-of-animal-sciences journal-of-hymenoptera-research gbif inaturalist catalogue-of-life ncbi-taxonomy wikipedia dna-barcoding new-host-record species-complex cryptic-species north-america central-america south-america mexico mexican-states utah distribution-records observations 327-observations 73 74 75 76 77 78 mxc mxe mxg mxi mxn mxs mxt uta accepted exact-match species-rank 1943 brues rhopalosoma-cresson hymenoptera-rhopalosomatidae america-north-of-mexico cricket-parasitizing-wasp habitat-abundances mid-atlantic-park ectoparasitoid-larvae host-species gryllidae-hapithinae trigonidiidae-trigonidiinae genetic-evidence second-species phylogenetic-analyses genetically-distinct-clades at-least-two-species documented-species larvae-collected collection-site nature-park conservative factual accurate structured entomology guide taxon-record json-schema high-level-overview physical-description distinguish similar-taxa environment conditions geographic-range timing activity feeding developmental stages notable actions habits ecosystem interaction meaningful additional-context clear direct concrete non-overlapping unique cautious observed known null supported justified inferred medium low sparse well-supported partial reliable critical-rules field-intent style-rules quality-rules output-format strictly-match no-extra-fields no-commentary priority correctness completeness clarity verbosity usefulness speculation vague generalizations fabricate behaviors diet-details life-cycle-details host-relationships fluff filler taxonomy prose technical-jargon concrete-statements abstract-descriptions
Rhopalosomatidae
Rhopalosomatid Wasps
Rhopalosomatidae is a small family of aculeate wasps containing approximately 68 extant species in four genera: Rhopalosoma, Olixon, Liosphex, and Paniscomima. Adults are solitary and often ant-like in appearance. Larvae are obligate ectoparasitoids of crickets (Orthoptera: Grylloidea), attaching to the lateral side of the host between the metafemur and abdomen. The family exhibits remarkable morphological diversity, with winged species typically nocturnal and brachypterous species mainly diurnal. The family has a worldwide tropical and subtropical distribution, absent from Europe and Antarctica.
ectoparasitoid cricket-parasite ant-mimic rare nocturnal brachypterous fossil Cretaceous cryptic-species solitary tropical Grylloidea Hymenoptera Aculeata Vespoidea
Stylogaster
thick-headed fly, needle-tailed fly
Stylogaster is a genus of conopid flies distinguished by extreme morphological and biological specializations. Adults possess an elongated proboscis exceeding body length when extended, and females have a dramatically elongated abdomen folded beneath the body—the 'needle tail' referenced in the generic name. The genus is the sole member of subfamily Stylogastrinae and comprises approximately 92 species with predominant Neotropical distribution. Unlike other conopids that parasitize aculeate Hymenoptera, Stylogaster species are endoparasitoids of orthopteroid insects (crickets, cockroaches) with documented host associations also including various calyptrate Diptera.
Conopidae Stylogastrinae endoparasitoid army-ant-associate Neotropical Afrotropical Orthoptera cricket-parasite ovipositor proboscis Diptera-parasite myrmecophily