Braconidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Suborder: Apocrita Superfamily: Ichneumonoidea Family: Braconidae
Subfamilies
Adeliinae Agathidinae Alysiinae Amicrocentrinae Aphidiinae Apozyginae Betylobraconinae Blacinae Braconinae Cardiochilinae Cenocoeliinae Cheloninae Dirrhopinae Doryctinae Ecnomiinae Euphorinae Exothecinae Gnamptodontinae Helconinae Histeromerinae Homolobinae Hormiinae Khoikhoiiinae Ichneutinae Macrocentrinae Masoninae Mendesellinae Mesostoinae Meteorideinae Meteorinae Microgastrinae Microtypinae Miracinae Neoneurinae Opiinae Orgilinae Pselaphaninae Rhyssalinae Rogadinae Sigalphinae Telengaiinae Trachypetinae Vaepellinae Ypsistocerinae Xiphozelinae

Braconidae is a family of parasitoid wasps and one of the richest family of insects. From the approximate 12,000 described species (the braconids), it is extrapolated that between 40,000 and 50,000 species exist worldwide. The species are grouped into about 45 subfamilies and 1,000 genera, some important ones being: Ademon, Aphanta, Asobara, Bracon, Chaenusa, Chorebidea, Chorebidella, Chorebus, Cotesia, Dacnusa, Microgaster, Opius, Parapanteles , Phaenocarpa, Psenobolus. Image File history File links Hym-braconidae-sp. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Animalia redirects here. ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - Trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - Spiders, Scorpions, etc. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Symphypleona - globular springtails Subclass Archaeognatha (jumping bristletails) Subclass Dicondylia Monura - extinct Thysanura (common bristletails) Subclass Pterygota Diaphanopteroidea - extinct Palaeodictyoptera - extinct Megasecoptera - extinct Archodonata - extinct Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Blattodea (cockroaches) Mantodea (mantids) Isoptera (termites) Zoraptera Grylloblattodea Dermaptera (earwigs) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets... Suborders Apocrita Symphyta Many families, see article Hymenoptera is one of the larger orders of Insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. ... Superfamilies Apoidea Ceraphronoidea Chalcidoidea Chrysidoidea Cynipoidea Evanioidea Ichneumonoidea Megalyroidea Proctotrupoidea Sphecoidea Stephanoidea Triganalyoidea Vespoidea Many families, see article Apocrita is a suborder of insects in the order Hymenoptera. ... Families   Braconidae   Ichneumonidae Ref. ... The Mesostoinae, is a subfamily of wasps endemic to Australia. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Families See text. ... Orders See taxonomy Insects (Class Insecta) are a major group of arthropods and the most diverse group of animals on the Earth, with over a million described species — more than all other animal groups combined [1]. Insects may be found in nearly all environments on the planet, although only a... In mathematics, extrapolation is the process of constructing new data points outside a discrete set of known data points. ...

Morphology

The morphological variation among braconids is extreme. Braconids are often black-brown (sometimes with reddish markings), though some species exhibit striking coloration and pattern, being parts of the Müllerian mimicry complexes. They have one or no recurrent veins, contrarily to other members of the Ichneumonoidea which usually have two. Wing venation patterns are also very various. The antennae have 16 segments or more; the hind trochanters have 2 segments. A mimic is any species that has evolved to appear similar to another successful species in order to dupe predators into avoiding the mimic, or dupe prey into approaching the mimic. ... Families   Braconidae   Ichneumonidae Ref. ... The arrangements of veins and veinlets is called venation. ... For other uses, see Antenna. ... Anterior view of the femur The femur or thigh bone is the longest (length), largest (volume) and strongest (mechanical ability to resist deformity) bone of the human body. ...

Females often have long ovipositors, an organ that largely varies intraspecifically. This variation is closely related to the host species upon which the wasp deposits its egg. For instance species that parasitize microlepidoptera have longer ovipositers; presumably to reach the caterpillar through layers of plant tissue. Some wasps also have long ovipositers because of caterpillar defense mechanisms such as spines or hairs. The ovipositor is an organ used by some of the arthropods for oviposition, i. ... Microlepidoptera is an grouping of moth and butterfly families, commonly know as the smaller moths (Micro, lepidoptera). ...

Parasitoidism

Most braconids are primary parasitoids (both external and internal) on other insects, especially upon the larval stages of Coleoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera, but also some hemimetabolous insects like aphids, Heteroptera or Embiidina. Most species kill their hosts, though some cause the hosts to become sterile and less active. In the case of endoparasitoids, species often display elaborate physiological adaptations to enhance larval survival within host, for example the co-option of endosymbiotic viruses for compromising host immune defenses. These polydnaviruses are often used by the wasps instead of a venom cocktail. These viruses suppress the immune system and allow the parasitoid to grow inside the host undetected. The exact function and evolutionary history of these viruses are unknown. It is a little surprising to consider that sequences of polydnavirus genes show the possibility that venom-like proteins are expressed inside the host caterpillar. It appears that through evolutionary history the wasps have so highly modified these viruses that they appear unlike any other known viruses today. Because of this highly modified system of host immunosuppression it is not surprising that there is a high level of parasitoid-host specificity. It is this specificity that makes Braconids a very powerful and important biological control agent. Orders See taxonomy Insects (Class Insecta) are a major group of arthropods and the most diverse group of animals on the Earth, with over a million described species — more than all other animal groups combined [1]. Insects may be found in nearly all environments on the planet, although only a... A larva A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... For other uses, see Beetle (disambiguation). ... Suborders Nematocera (includes Eudiptera) Brachycera Diptera (di - two, ptera - wings), or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. ... Superfamilies Butterflies Hesperioidea Papilionoidea Moths Acanthopteroctetoidea Alucitoidea Axioidea Bombycoidea Calliduloidea Choreutoidea Cossoidea Drepanoidea Epermenioidea Eriocranioidea Galacticoidea Gelechioidea Geometroidea Gracillarioidea Hedyloidea Hepialoidea Heterobathmioidea Hyblaeoidea Immoidea Incurvarioidea Lasiocampoidea Lophocoronoidea Micropterigoidea Mimallonoidea Mnesarchaeoidea Neopseustoidea Nepticuloidea Noctuoidea Palaephatoidea Pterophoroidea Pyraloidea Schreckensteinioidea Sesioidea Simaethistoidea Thyridoidea Tineoidea Tischerioidea Tortricoidea Urodoidea Whalleyanoidea Yponomeutoidea Zygaenoidea The order Lepidoptera... Hemimetabolism or hemimetaboly, also called incomplete metamorphism, is a term used to describe the mode of development of certain insects that includes three distinct stages: the larvae, nymph, and the adult stage, or imago. ... Families There are 10 families: Adelgidae - adelgids, conifer aphids, Adelges cooleyi, Hemlock Wolly Adelgid, Adelges piceae Anoeciidae Aphididae Drepanosiphidae Homomasagymibutae Greenideidae Hormaphididae Lachnidae Mindaridae Pemphigidae Phloeomyzidae Phylloxeridae Thelaxidae Aphids, also known as greenfly, blackfly or plant lice, are minute plant-feeding insects in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the homopterous division... Infraorders Enicocephalomorpha Dipsocoromorpha Gerromorpha Nepomorpha Leptopodomorpha Cimicomorpha Pentatomomorpha Heteroptera is a group of 25,000 species of insects (also called true bugs) in the order Hemiptera. ... Families There are 2 suborders and 10 families: Andesembiidae Anisembiidae Australembiidae Clothodidae Embiidae Embonychidae Notoligotomidae Oligotomidae Teratembiidae Sorellembiidae Webspinners or embiids (order Embioptera) are a small group of mostly tropical and subtropical insects, classified under the subclass Pterygota. ... Infertility is the inability to naturally conceive a child or to carry a pregnancy to full term. ... SEM image of endoparasitoidic ciliates of the genus Collinia, which can cause mass mortality in affected krill populations. ... A scanning electron microscope image of a single human lymphocyte. ... A polydnavirus is generally a virus whose genome is encoded in multiple superhelical deoxyribonucleic acid molecules. ... Immunosuppression is the medical suppression of the immune system. ... Biological control of pests and diseases Overview A key belief of the organic gardener is that diversity furthers health. ...

Parasitism on adult insects (particularly on Hemiptera and Coleoptera) is also observed. Members of two subfamilies (Mesostoinae and Doryctinae) are known to form galls on plants. The Mesostoinae, is a subfamily of wasps endemic to Australia. ... Kalanchoë infected with crown-gall using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. ...

Exploitation of ant-aphid mutualism by unidentified parasitic wasp: wasp laying eggs in aphid undisturbed by investgating ant.

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (532x800, 63 KB)Exploitation of ant aphid mutualism by unidentified parasitic wasp Hymenoptera Aphidiidae sp. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (532x800, 63 KB)Exploitation of ant aphid mutualism by unidentified parasitic wasp Hymenoptera Aphidiidae sp. ... Subfamilies Aenictogitoninae Agroecomyrmecinae Amblyoponinae (incl. ... Families There are 10 families: Adelgidae - adelgids, conifer aphids, Adelges cooleyi, Hemlock Wolly Adelgid, Adelges piceae Anoeciidae Aphididae Drepanosiphidae Homomasagymibutae Greenideidae Hormaphididae Lachnidae Mindaridae Pemphigidae Phloeomyzidae Phylloxeridae Thelaxidae Aphids, also known as greenfly, blackfly or plant lice, are minute plant-feeding insects in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the homopterous division... Ant-aphid mutualism: the aphids are protected against predators by the ants who cultivate the aphids for their secretions of honeydew, a food source. ... The term parasitic wasp refers to a large, artificial assemblage of Hymenopteran superfamilies which are primarily parasitoids of other animals, mostly other arthropods. ...

Larval development

Surprisingly, both syncitial and holoblastic cleavage are present, even in closely related taxa.

Larve can be found on hosts as diverse as aphids, bark beetles, and foliage-feeding caterpillars. Many species are egg-larval parasitoids; hence they are often utilized as biological pest control agents, especially against aphids. Families There are 10 families: Adelgidae - adelgids, conifer aphids, Adelges cooleyi, Hemlock Wolly Adelgid, Adelges piceae Anoeciidae Aphididae Drepanosiphidae Homomasagymibutae Greenideidae Hormaphididae Lachnidae Mindaridae Pemphigidae Phloeomyzidae Phylloxeridae Thelaxidae Aphids, also known as greenfly, blackfly or plant lice, are minute plant-feeding insects in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the homopterous division... Genera See text. ... The striking caterpillar of the Emperor Gum Moth A caterpillar is the larval form of a lepidopteran (a member of the insect order comprised of butterflies and moths). ... Predatory Polistes wasp looking for bollworms or other caterpillars on a cotton plant Biological control of pests and diseases is a method of controlling pests and diseases in agriculture that relies on natural predation rather than introduced chemicals. ... Families There are 10 families: Adelgidae - adelgids, conifer aphids, Adelges cooleyi, Hemlock Wolly Adelgid, Adelges piceae Anoeciidae Aphididae Drepanosiphidae Homomasagymibutae Greenideidae Hormaphididae Lachnidae Mindaridae Pemphigidae Phloeomyzidae Phylloxeridae Thelaxidae Aphids, also known as greenfly, blackfly or plant lice, are minute plant-feeding insects in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the homopterous division...

Natural history

The family seems to date from early Cretaceous (provided that Eobracon is properly assigned to this family). It underwent extensive diversification from mid or late Cretaceous to early Tertiary, correlating with the radiation of flowering plants and associated herbivores, the main hosts of braconids. The Cretaceous Period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic Period (i. ... The Cretaceous Period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic Period (i. ... For other uses, see Tertiary (disambiguation). ... A deer and two fawns feeding on some foliage A herbivore is often defined as any organism that eats only plants[1]. By that definition, many fungi, some bacteria, many animals, about 1% of flowering plants and some protists can be considered herbivores. ...

Trivia

The species Microplitis croceipes possesses an extremely accurate sense of smell and can been trained for use in narcotics and explosives detection[1]

External links

• Tree of Life Braconidae