Ichneumonidae (Family)

Overview

Ichneumonidae is a within the insect order Hymenoptera. Insects in this family are commonly called ichneumon wasps. Less exact terms are ichneumon flies (they are not closely related to true flies), or scorpion wasps due to the extreme lengthening and curving of the abdomen (scorpions are not insects). Simply but ambiguously these insects are commonly called "ichneumons", which is also a term for the Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon); ichneumonids is often encountered as a less ambiguous alternative. Ichneumon wasps are important parasitoids of other insects. Common hosts are larvae and pupae of Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera.

There are over 60,000 species worldwide, and approximately 3,000 in North America - more than any other Hymenoptera family. The distribution of Ichneumonidae is one of the most notable exceptions to the common latitudinal gradient in species diversity because it shows greater speciation at high latitudes than at low latitudes^1].

Description

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Ichneumon wasps differ from the wasps that sting in defense (Aculeata: Vespoidea and Apoidea) in that the antennae have more segments; typically 16 or more, whereas the others have 13 or fewer. Their abdomen is characteristically very elongated, unlike in their relatives the braconids. This lengthened section may also be segmented. Female ichneumon wasps frequently exhibit an ovipositor longer than their body. Ovipositors and stingers are homologous structures; some Ichneumons inject venom along with the egg, but they do not use the ovipositor as a stinger, per se, except in the subfamily Ophioninae. Stingers in aculeate Hymenoptera - which like Ichneumonidae belongt o the Apocrita - are used exclusively for defense; they cannot be used as egg-laying equipment. Males do not possess stingers or ovipositors in either lineage.

Gallery

Oviposition

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Some species of ichneumon wasps lay their eggs in the ground, but most inject them directly into a host's body, typically into a larva or pupa. Host information has been notably summed up by J.F. Aubert, J.F. Perkins, and H.T. Townes and coworkers^[2].

In some of the largest species, namely from the genera Megarhyssa and Rhyssa, both sexes will wander over the surface of logs, and tree trunks, tapping with their antennae. Each sex does so for a different reason; females are 'listening' for wood boring larvae of the horntail wasps (hymenopteran family Siricidae) upon which to lay eggs, males are listening for emerging females with which to mate.

Upon sensing the vibrations emitted by a wood-boring host, the female wasp will drill her ovipositor into the substrate until it reaches the cavity wherein lies the host. She then injects an egg through the hollow tube into the body cavity. There the egg will hatch and the resulting larva will devour its host before emergence. How a female is able to drill with her ovipositor into solid wood is still somewhat of a mystery to science, though it has been found that there is metal (ionized manganese or zinc) in the extreme tip of some species' ovipositors.

The Process of Oviposition in dolichomitus Imperator

1 Tapping with her antennae the wasp listens for the vibrations that indicate a host is present.
2 With the longer ovipositor, the wasp drills a hole through the bark.
3 The wasp inserts the ovipositor into the cavity which contains the host larva.
4 Making corrections.
5 Depositing her eggs.
6 Depositing her eggs.

Taxonomy and Systematics

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The Ichneumonidae have been and still are quite a taxonomic nightmare. About as diverse as the true weevils (Curculionidae), there are numerous small, inconspicuous and hard-to-identify ichneumon wasps. The sheer diversity means that DNA sequence data is only available for a tiny fraction of the species, and that detailed cladistic studies require major-scale computing capacity.

Consequently, the phylogeny and systematics of the ichneumon wasps are not definitely resolved. Several prominent authors - like H.T. Townes and J. Oehlke - have gone as far as to publish major reviews that defy the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature^[3]

Regardless, there exist a number of seminal works, including the extensive study and the synonymic catalogue by Townes but also treatments by other entomologists, namely J.F. Aubert who has a fine collection of ichneumon wasps in Lausanne.^[4]

Subfamilies

The list presented here follows the suggestion of David Wahl of the American Entomological Institute^[5]. It will be updated as necessary, as new research resolves the interrelationships of the ichneumonm wasps better and better.

The subfamilies are not listed in a taxonomic or phylogenetic sequence, as the relationships between the groups are not yet resolved to a degree to render any such arrangement even marginally reliable:^[5]

Acaenitinae
Agriotypinae
Adelognathinae
Anomaloninae (= Anomalinae)
Banchinae
Brachycyrtinae (sometimes included in Labiinae)
Campopleginae (= Porizontinae)
Collyriinae
Cremastinae
Cryptinae (= Gelinae, Hemitelinae, Phygadeuontinae)
Ctenopelmatinae (= Scolobatinae)
Cylloceriinae (= Oxytorinae, sometimes included in Microleptinae)
Diacritinae (sometimes included in Pimplinae)
Diplazontinae
Eucerotinae (sometimes included in Tryphoninae)
Ichneumoninae
Labeninae (= Labiinae)
Lycorininae (sometimes included in Banchinae)
Mesochorinae
Metopiinae
Microleptinae
Neorhacodinae (sometimes included in Banchinae)
Ophioninae
Orthocentrinae (sometimes included in Microleptinae)
Orthopelmatinae
Oxytorinae
Paxylommatinae (sometimes not placed in Ichneumonidae at all)
Pedunculinae
Phrudinae
Pimplinae (= Ephialtinae)
Poemeniinae (sometimes included in Pimplinae)
Rhyssinae (sometimes included in Pimplinae)
Stilbopinae (sometimes included in Banchinae)
Tatogastrinae (sometimes included in Microleptinae or Oxytorinae)
Tersilochinae
Tryphoninae
Xoridinae

Famous Ichneumonologists

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Famous ichneumonologists include:

Carl Gustav Alexander Brischke
Peter Cameron
Arnold F�rster
Johann Ludwig Christian Gravenhorst
Alexander Henry Haliday
August Emil Holmgren
Joseph Kriechbaumer
Thomas Ansell Marshall
Constantin Wesmael

Photos

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Taxonomy

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The Family Ichneumonidae is a member of the Superfamily Ichneumonoidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Ichneumonidae:

Domain: Eukaryota Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
  - Subkingdom: Bilateria (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians
    - Branch: Protostomia Grobben, 1908 - protostomes
      - Infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa Aguinaldo Et Al., 1997 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - ecdysozoans
        Superphylum: Panarthropoda Cuvier
        Phylum: Arthropoda Latreille, 1829
        Subphylum: Mandibulata Snodgrass, 1938
        Infraphylum: Atelocerata Heymons, 1901
        Superclass: Panhexapoda
        Class: Insecta C. Linnaeus, 1758
        Subclass: Dicondylia
        Infraclass: Pterygota - Winged Insects
        Superorder: Hymenopterida
        Order: Hymenoptera C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Ants, Bees, and Wasps
        Suborder: Apocrita - Ants, Bees
        Superfamily: Ichneumonoidea
        Family: Ichneumonidae

The Family Ichneumonidae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Subfamily (16): Agriotypinae · Anomaloninae · Banchinae · Campopleginae · Collyriinae · Cremastinae · Cryptinae · Ctenopelmatinae · Diplazontinae · Ichneumoninae · Ophioninae · Pimplinae · Poemeniinae · Rhyssinae · Tortricinae · Tryphoninae
Tribe (14): Alomyini · Archipini · Atrophini · Cryptini · Ephialtini · Euryproctini · Exenterini · Gravenhorstiini · Hemigastrini · Heresiarchini · Ichneumonini · Phytodietini · Pimplini · Pseudorhyssini
Genus (648): Absyrtus · Acaenitus · Acanthocryptus · Acantholabus · Acerataspis · Achaius · Aclastus · Acolobus · Acrodactyla · Acrolyta · Acropimpla · Acroricnus · Acrotaphus · Acrotomus · Adelognathus · Aeneonaenaria · Aethiamblys · Aethianoplis · Aethioplitops · Afrectopius · Afrobystra · Afrocoelanichneumon · Afrocoelichneumon · Afrolongichneumon · Afromelanichneumon · Afromevesia · Aglaojoppa · Agonocryptus · Agriotypus · Agrothereutes · Agrypon · Alcochera · Alexeter · Allomacrus · Allophroides · Alloplasta · Alomya · Alophosternum · Ambloplisus · Amblyjoppa · Amblyteles · Amphibulus · Anastelgis · Aneuclis · Aniseres · Anisobas · Anisopygus · Anisotacrus · Anomalon · Anoncus · Aoplus · Apaeleticus · Apechitis · Apechoneura · Apechthis · Aperileptus · Aphanistes · Apophua · Aptesis · Arenetra · Aritranis · Arotes · Arotrephes · Asthenara · Asthenolabus · Astiphromma · Astrenis · Atabulus · Ateleute · Atractodes · Atractogaster · Azelus · Baltazaria · Banchus · Baranisobas · Barichneumon · Barycnemis · Barylypa · Barytarbes · Barytatocephalus · Bathyplectes · Bioblapsis · Boethus · Boleslawia · Brevitubulus · Buathra · Bureschias · Caenocryptus · Calajoppa · Callajoppa · Calleupalamus · Calliephialtes · Campocraspedon · Campodorus · Campoletis · Campoplex · Casinaria · Castrosion · Catadelphus · Catalytus · Cataptygma · Catastenus · Centeterus · Cephaloglypta · Ceratogastra · Ceratophygadeuon · Certonotus · Charitopes · Charops · Chasmias · Chasmopygium · Chirotica · Chlorocryptus · Chorinaeus · Chromocryptus · Cidaphus · Cladeutes · Clistopyga · Clitiga · Clydonium · Clypeolabus · Clypeoplex · Cobunus · Coccygomimus · Coccygominus · Coelapatetor · Coelichneumon · Coleocentrus · Collyria · Colpotrochia · Compsocryptus · Conocalama · Conopyge · Corsoncus · Corymbichneumon · Corynobatopsis · Cosmiojoppa · Cosmoconus · Crathiorada · Cratichneumon · Cremnodes · Cryptanura · Crypteffigies · Cryptophion · Cryptopimpla · Crytea · Ctenichneumon · Ctenichneumonops · Cteniscus · Ctenocalops · Ctenocalus · Ctenochares · Ctenochira · Ctenopelma · Cubocephalus · Cubus · Cycasis · Cyclolabus · Cylindrophanes · Cylloceria · Cymodusa · Dammermaniella · Delomerista · Demopheles · Dentichasmias · Denticrytea · Dentilabus · Dentimachus · Depressopyga · Deuteroxorides · Diadegma · Diadromus · Diaglyptidea · Diaparsis · Diapetimorpha · Dicaelotus · Dicamptus · Dichrogaster · Dictyonotus · Digonocryptus · Dimophora · Diphyus · Diplazon · Diplobodes · Diplocentrus · Diplodoma · Diplodon · Diradops · Dirophanes · Dolichomitus · Dotocryptus · Dreisbachia · Dusona · Dyspetes · Eccoptosagellus · Echthromorpha · Echthronomus · Echthrus · Ectopimorpha · Ectopius · Ectopoides · Eiphosoma · Elasmognathias · Enclisis · Encrateola · Endasys · Endromopoda · Enicospilus · Enizemum · Enizenum · Entypoma · Enytus · Ephialtes · Epijoppa · Epirhyssa · Episemura · Epitomus · Eremotylus · Eriborus · Eridolius · Erigorgus · Erromenus · Eruga · Ethelurgus · Euceros · Eudeleboea · Eudelus · Eugalta · Eurylabus · Euryproctus · Eurypterna · Eusterinx · Eutanyacra · Excavarus · Exenterus · Exephanes · Exetastes · Exochilum · Exochus · Exyston · Fianoniella · Foveosculum · Gahus · Gambrus · Gareila · Gelis · Genaemirum · Gibbobystra · Glabridorsum · Glyphicnemis · Glypta · Glyptorhaestus · Gnamptopelta · Gnathoahorisis · Gnathochorisis · Gnotus · Gonotypus · Goryphus · Gotra · Gravenhorstia · Gregopimpla · Grypocentrus · Habrocampulum · Habrojoppa · Habronyx · Hadrodactylus · Hapsinotus · Helcostizus · Helictes · Hellwigia · Hellwigiella · Helotorus · Hemibystra · Hemiphaisura · Hemipimpla · Hemiteles · Hepiopelmus · Hercus · Heresiarches · Herpestomus · Heterischnus · Heterocola · Heteropelma · Hidryta · Himertosoma · Hiorada · Hodostates · Homotherus · Homotropus · Hoplismenus · Hoplocryptus · Hybomischos · Hybrizon · Hypamblys · Hyperacmus · Hyperbatus · Hypomecus · Hyposoter · Hypsicera · Ichneumon · Idiolispa · Ileantella · Irabatha · Isadelphus · Isandria · Ischnoceros · Ischnojoppa · Ischnus · Ischyrocnemis · Isdromas · Iseropus · Itoplectis · Jacotitypus · Javra · Joppa · Joppidium · Jorgeus · Kristotomus · Labena · Labium · Lagarotis · Lamachus · Lampronota · Lapton · Lareiga · Lathrolestes · Lathroplex · Lathrostizus · Latibulus · Lemophagus · Leptobatopsis · Leptophatnus · Leptopimpla · Leptotogea · Lethades · Leurus · Limerodops · Limneria · Limonethe · Linycus · Liojoppa · Liotryphon · Lissolongichneumon · Lissonota · Lissonotidea · Lissosculpta · Listrocryptus · Listrodromus · Listrognathus · Lophyroplectus · Losgna · Loxodocus · Lycorina · Lymantrichneumon · Lymeon · Lysibia · Macrojoppa · Magwengiella · Mastrus · Medophron · Megacara · Megaplectes · Megaplectus · Megarhyssa · Megastylus · Melanichneumon · Meloboris · Meniscomorpha · Meringopus · Mesochorus · Mesoclistus · Mesoleius · Mesoleptidea · Mesostenus · Metoa · Metopius · Mevesia · Microcharops · Microcryptus · Microleptes · Microlongichneumon · Misetus · Mnioes · Monoblastus · Monodontichneumon · Musakia · Myrmeleonostenus · Naenarides · Naenarosculum · Necolio · Neischnus · Neleges · Neliopisthus · Nematomicrus · Nematopodius · Nemeritis · Neolinycus · Neorhacodes · Neostroblia · Neotheronia · Neotypus · Neoxorides · Nepiesta · Netanyacra · Netelia · Neurateles · Nimbolabus · Nimbolareiga · Nippocryptus · Nipponaetes · Notopygus · Notosemus · Obisiphaga · Obtusodonta · Occia · Odinophora · Odontocolon · Odontopimpla · Oedemopsis · Olesicampe · Ophion · Ophionellus · Ophiopterus · Oresbius · Orgichneumon · Orotylus · Orthizema · Orthocentrus · Orthomiscus · Orthopelma · Osprynchotus · Otacustes · Otlophorus · Otoblastus · Ovipterygium · Oxyjoppa · Oxyrrhexis · Oxytorus · Pachysomoides · Pantisarthrus · Pantorhaestes · Parania · Paraperithous · Parmortha · Parvaoplus · Patrocloides · Perilimicron · Perilissus · Periope · Perispuda · Perithous · Phaedroctonus · Phaenolobus · Phaeogenes · Phaisura · Phaisurellops · Phobetes · Phobocampe · Photocryptus · Phradis · Phrudus · Phthorima · Phygadeuon · Phytodietus · Picardiella · Picrostigeus · Pimpla · Pion · Pithotomus · Platylabops · Platylabus · Platymischos · Plectiscidea · Plectiscus · Pleolophus · Podogaster · Podoschistus · Poecilojoppoides · Poecilostictus · Poemenia · Polyaulon · Polyblastus · Polycyrtus · Polysphincta · Polytribax · Priopoda · Pristicerops · Pristiceros · Pristomerus · Probles · Probolus · Procerochasmias · Proclitus · Promethes · Protichneumon · Provancherides · Pseudagrypon · Pseudamblyteles · Pseudischnojoppa · Pseudocillimops · Pseudocoelichneumon · Pseudomaraces · Pseudometopius · Pseudopimpla · Pseudoplatylabus · Pseudorhyssa · Pseudotogea · Psilomastax · Pterocormus · Punctileptops · Pycnocryptodes · Pycnocryptus · Pycnoflatsor · Pygmaeolus · Pyracmon · Rhadinodonta · Rhaestus · Rhembobius · Rhexidermus · Rhimphoctona · Rhorus · Rhyssa · Rhyssella · Rictichneumon · Rimbusia · Rubicundiella · Rugosculpta · Rynchobanchus · Saotis · Saranaca · Sathropterus · Schenkia · Schizoloma · Schizopyga · Schreineria · Scolobates · Scopesis · Scopesus · Seleucus · Semitogea · Setanta · Setantops · Seyrighoplites · Sinarachna · Sinophorus · Sjostedtiella · Smicroplectrus · Spanophatnus · Sphecophaga · Sphinctus · Spilichneumon · Spilopimpla · Spilopteron · Spilothyrateles · Spinamblys · Spudaeus · Stauropoctonus · Stenaoplus · Stenarchops · Stenarella · Stenichneumon · Stenobarichneumon · Stenomachrus · Stenomacrus · Stethoncus · Stibeutes · Stictopisthus · Stilbops · Stilpnus · Strongylopsis · Stylocryptus · Sussaba · Sycaonia · Sympherta · Symplecis · Syndipnus · Synechocryptus · Synodites · Synoecetes · Synomelix · Synosis · Syntactus · Syrphoctonus · Syrphophilus · Syspasis · Syzeuctus · Teleutaea · Temelucha · Tersilochus · Tetragonochora · Thaumatogelis · Thaumatoplites · Therescopus · Therion · Theronia · Thrybius · Thymaris · Thyrateles · Thyridoplites · Ticapimpla · Tmetogaster · Togea · Togeella · Tosquinetia · Tossinolodes · Townesia · Trachyarus · Trachysphyrus · Tranosema · Tranosemella · Trathala · Trematopygodes · Trematopygus · Triancyra · Tricholabus · Trichomma · Trichopria · Trichyphus · Triclistus · Trieces · Triptognathops · Triptognathus · Trogichneumon · Trogus · Tromatobia · Tropistes · Trychosis · Tryphon · Tycherus · Tymmophorus · Ulesta · Venturia · Virgichneumon · Vulgichneumon · Woldstedtius · Xanthophenax · Xanthopimpla · Xenojoppa · Xenolytus · Xenoschesis · Xestopelta · Xiphulcus · Xorides · Xylophrurus · Zabrachypus · Zanthojoppa · Zatypota · Zoophthorus
Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 3,374 species and subspecies in the Family Ichneumonidae.

Ichneumonidae

Overview

Description

Gallery

Oviposition

The Process of Oviposition in dolichomitus Imperator

Taxonomy and Systematics

Subfamilies

Famous Ichneumonologists

Photos

Taxonomy

Genera

Absyrtus

Acaenitus

Acanthocryptus

Acantholabus

Acerataspis

Achaius

Aclastus

Acolobus

Acrodactyla

Acrolyta

Acropimpla

Acroricnus

Acrotaphus

Acrotomus

Adelognathus

Aeneonaenaria

Aethiamblys

Aethianoplis

Aethioplitops

Afrectopius

Afrobystra

Afrocoelanichneumon

Afrocoelichneumon

Afrolongichneumon

Afromelanichneumon

Afromevesia

Aglaojoppa

Agonocryptus

Agriotypus

Agrothereutes

Agrypon

Alcochera

Alexeter

Allomacrus

Allophroides

Alloplasta

Alomya

Alophosternum

Ambloplisus

Amblyjoppa

Amblyteles

Amphibulus

Anastelgis

Aneuclis

Aniseres

Anisobas

Anisopygus

Anisotacrus

Anomalon

Anoncus

Aoplus

Apaeleticus

Apechitis

Apechoneura

Apechthis

Aperileptus

Aphanistes

Apophua

Aptesis

Arenetra

Aritranis

Arotes

Arotrephes

Asthenara

Asthenolabus

Astiphromma

Astrenis

Atabulus