Neoneurini
Guides
Elasmosoma
Elasmosoma is a small genus of ant-parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, subfamily Euphorinae, tribe Neoneurini. Species are minute, typically under 2.0 mm in length, and are specialized endoparasites of adult Formicidae ants. Females attack host workers in flight, alighting briefly to oviposit into the abdomen. The genus comprises approximately 13 described species distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, with records from Europe, Asia, and North America. The host-parasite association represents a well-balanced system that has persisted for at least 40 million years.
Elasmosoma michaeli
Elasmosoma michaeli is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, described by Shaw in 2007. It belongs to a genus of small wasps that attack ants. The genus Elasmosoma is part of the subfamily Euphorinae, tribe Neoneurini, which are specialized ant parasitoids.
Elasmosoma schwarzi
Elasmosoma schwarzi is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, subfamily Euphorinae, described by Ashmead in 1895. The genus Elasmosoma comprises ant parasitoids, with females depositing eggs inside adult ant workers. E. schwarzi is native to the southwestern United States, where it has been documented in Texas. Like other members of the genus, it exhibits specialized adaptations for attacking ants, which are highly defensive hosts.
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.
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