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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #337312
Research Project: Systematics of Parasitic and Herbivorous Wasps of Agricultural Importance

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Convergence in the ovipositor system of platygastroid wasps (Hymenoptera)

Author
item Talamas, Elijah
item MIKO, ISTVAN - Pennsylvania State University
item JOHNSTON-JORDAN, DYLAN - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Journal of Pest Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/26/2017
Publication Date: 5/31/2017
Citation: Talamas, E.J., Miko, I., Johnston-Jordan, D. 2017. Convergence in the ovipositor system of platygastroid wasps (Hymenoptera). Journal of Pest Science. 56:263-276.

Interpretive Summary: Parasitoid wasps are potent natural enemies of many species of pest insects. Understanding the functional morphology of the ovipositor system (used for laying eggs in hosts) is key research for biological control. This paper describes and interprets the functional morphology of the ovipositor system in wasps that kill invasive stink bugs. Biological control workers, extension agents, and APHIS cooperators worldwide will find this research product essential for their own work.

Technical Abstract: It is widely accepted that there are two ovipositor system types in Platygastroidea. The Scelio-type ovipositor system features telescoping intersegmental membrane between metasomal tergites 6 and 7 and operates via internal changes in hydrostatic pressure alone, whereas muscles are involved in ovipositor extension and retraction in the Ceratobaeus-type. We here provide analysis of ovipositor systems in two platygastrine genera that cannot be classified as either Scelio- or Ceratobaeus-type, but exhibit telescoping intersegmental membrane and extend the ovipositor system without musculature. These represent unique derivations that are clearly identifiable by the location of the telescoping membranes. In Gastrotrypes Brues, the telescoping membrane occurs between T5 and T6, and in Platygaster tubulosa Brues it occurs between each segment from T3 to T6. If there are convergent derivations of a Scelio-type ovipositor system within Scelionidae, their identification will require examination of new characters, one of which we provide here, the presence and form of a ring of acanthae on the intersegmental membrane between T6 and T7.