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Nasonia vitripennis
Blowfly Chalcid Wasp
Nasonia vitripennis is a small parasitoid wasp and the best-studied member of the genus Nasonia. It parasitizes pupae of carrion flies, particularly blowflies (Calliphora spp.) and flesh flies. The species exhibits haplodiploid sex determination, with diploid females developing from fertilized eggs and haploid males from unfertilized eggs. It has become a major model organism for studies of genetics, development, behavior, and Wolbachia-mediated cytoplasmic incompatibility. The genome was fully sequenced in 2010, facilitating research on venom proteins, sex pheromones, and epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation.
Platygastridae
Platygastridae is a family of minute parasitoid wasps in the superfamily Platygastroidea, comprising approximately 1100-2000 described species. Members are exclusively parasitoids, with most species measuring only 1–2 mm in length. The family is divided into two traditional subfamilies: Platygastrinae, which are koinobiont parasitoids of cecidomyiid (gall midge) eggs and larvae, and Sceliotrachelinae, which are generally idiobionts attacking eggs of beetles or Hemiptera. Several genera, including Synopeas, Trimorus, and Telenomus, contain species of agricultural importance as biological control agents.