Polyembryony
Guides
Copidosoma
copidosoma wasp
Copidosoma is a genus of chalcid wasps in the family Encyrtidae, comprising over 200 species of polyembryonic parasitoids. These wasps deposit one or two eggs into host Lepidoptera eggs, which then proliferate into thousands of genetically identical embryos. A unique caste system produces two larval morphs: sterile soldiers that defend the host from competitors and reproductive larvae that consume the host and emerge as adults. The genus has been extensively studied for its extreme clonal reproduction and is widely used in biological control programs against agricultural pests.
Copidosoma floridanum
Copidosoma floridanum is a polyembryonic parasitoid wasp in the family Encyrtidae, notable for producing the largest recorded brood of any parasitoidal insect—up to 3,055 individuals from a single egg. Females oviposit into the eggs of plusiine moths, and the resulting embryos undergo clonal division to form genetically identical siblings. The brood develops into two distinct castes: reproductive larvae that emerge as adult wasps, and sterile soldier larvae that defend their siblings from competitors.
Copidosoma lymani
Copidosoma lymani is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Encyrtidae, described by Howard in 1907. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to be a polyembryonic parasitoid that develops within lepidopteran hosts. The species is known from Canada, specifically Ontario. Very little species-specific biological information has been published.
Copidosoma pyralidis
Copidosoma pyralidis is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Encyrtidae, first described by Ashmead in 1888. Like other members of its genus, it is an endoparasitoid that develops inside host insects. The species is documented from the eastern United States and Canada.
Encyrtidae
Encyrtidae is a large family of parasitic wasps in the superfamily Chalcidoidea, comprising approximately 3,710 described species in about 455 genera. The family is distinguished by distinctive wing venation patterns, forward-migrated cerci on the metasoma with accompanying tergite distortion, and an enlarged mesopleuron with anteriorly positioned mesocoxae. Most species are primary parasitoids of Hemiptera, particularly scale insects, mealybugs, and psyllids, though host associations span multiple insect orders and even include ticks. Encyrtidae are globally distributed across virtually all terrestrial habitats and are among the most important biological control agents used in agriculture.
Platygaster
Platygaster is a large genus of minute parasitoid wasps in the family Platygastridae, containing over 560 described species. These wasps are primarily parasitoids of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), attacking host eggs or larvae. The genus exhibits diverse reproductive strategies, with species showing solitary, gregarious, or polyembryonic development. Platygaster species have been documented from multiple continents and play significant roles in regulating gall midge populations in both natural and agricultural ecosystems.