Heteropelma

Heteropelma
	Heteropelma megarthrum
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Ichneumonidae
Tribe:	Gravenhorstiini
Genus:	Heteropelma; Wesmael, 1849

Heteropelma is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae.^[1] Species in this genus are around 25 mm in length.^[2]

Reproduction

Heteropelma adults lay their eggs inside Lepidopteran larvae (i.e. caterpillars) by piercing them with their ovipositor. Heteropelma eggs consist of an equatorial disc and a caudal stalk, making them look a bit like the cartoon oil lamp from Aladdin. It's thought that the shape is adapted to attach the egg to the inside of the caterpillar's integument.^[3] Once the eggs hatch, the larvae consume the caterpillar from the inside. They emerge from the deceased caterpillar as adults.^[2]

Species

References

^ "Heteropelma Wesmael, 1849". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
^ ^a ^b Gauld, I. D. (1976). "THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE ANOMALONINAE HYMENOPTERA ICHNEUMONIDAE". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology. 33: 1–135.
^ Tothill, John D. (1922). The natural control of the fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea Drury) in Canada : together with an account of its several parasites. Ottawa: F.A. Acland, King's Printer.

[fauna-eu.org-1] "Heteropelma Wesmael, 1849". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 23 February 2021.

[gauld1976-2] Gauld, I. D. (1976). "THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE ANOMALONINAE HYMENOPTERA ICHNEUMONIDAE". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology. 33: 1–135.

[3] Tothill, John D. (1922). The natural control of the fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea Drury) in Canada : together with an account of its several parasites. Ottawa: F.A. Acland, King's Printer.

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