Heteronomy
Guides
Caenocholax fenyesi
Caenocholax fenyesi is a strepsipteran parasitoid in the family Myrmecolacidae, notable for extreme sexual dimorphism and heterotrophic heteronomy—males and females occupy different hosts throughout their life cycles. Females are endoparasites of Orthoptera, while males parasitize ant larvae and pupae, primarily Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ant) in the United States and related native fire ants in Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. The species has a sporadic distribution across the southern United States, Central America, and South America, with three recognized cryptic subspecies that are morphologically similar but genetically distinct. Adult males are free-living with a lifespan of only hours to a few days, severely constraining dispersal and contributing to genetic bottlenecking effects.
Encarsia
Encarsia is a large genus of minute parasitic wasps in the family Aphelinidae, comprising approximately 400–473 described species with worldwide distribution. The genus exhibits complex morphological variation that complicates species-level identification. Many species are economically important biological control agents used in greenhouse and agricultural settings against whiteflies and scale insects.