Agathidinae Explained
Agathidinae is a subfamily of braconid parasitoid wasps. Some species have been used in biological control programs.
Description
Agathidines are among the larger braconids, and diurnal members of this subfamily are often brightly patterned. They belong to the noncyclostome group. Several genera, such as Agathis and Cremnops, and Disophrys, are characterized by elongate genae.
Distribution
They are found worldwide, but are more diverse in the tropics.
Biology
All Agathidinae are koinobiont endoparasitoids of caterpillars. Most attack concealed caterpillars, such as those that use silk to tie leaves together. Most are solitary, laying only one egg in each host caterpillar. Some species are nocturnal, with pale coloration and large ocelli.
Taxonomy and phylogeny
The first attempt at a tribal arrangement for Agathidinae consisted of 2 tribes, Agathidini and Microdini. Sharkey revised the tribes in 1992 and considered 5 tribes, adding Cremnoptini, Disophrini, and Earini. The Microdini, then treated as Eumicrodini, was synonymized under Agathidini by Simbolotti and van Achterberg in 1999 to render 4 tribes. Phylogenetic analysis by Sharkey and Chapman in 2017 revealed that 4 tribes were insufficient and instead divided the subfamily into 7 tribes. They further found that the genera Asperagathis, Bassus, and Zosteragathis were not monophyletic. One problematic species, the Nearctic Bassus annulipes, was found to represent a complex of species. Further, Bassus annulipes was rendered under the tribe Lytopylini while the Old World species fell under Agathidini.
Genera
The 63 genera placed here include:
Tribe Agathidini Haliday, 1833
- Aerophilus Szépligeti, 1902
- Agathacrista Sharkey, 2013
- Agathigma Sharkey, 2017
- Agathis Latreille, 1804
- Alabagrus Enderlein, 1920
- Aphelagathis Sharkey, 2015
- Asperagathis Sharkey, 2017
- Bassus Fabricius, 1804 (polyphyletic)
- Braunsia Kriechbaumer, 1894
- Camptothlipsis Enderlein, 1920
- Chimaeragathis Sharkey, 2017
- Cymagathis Sharkey, 2017
- Gyragathis van Achterberg & Long, 2010
- Ischnagathis Cameron, 1909
- Leuroagathis Sharkey, 2017
- Liragathis Sharkey, 2017
- Neothlipsis Sharkey, Parys & Clutts, 2011
- Pharpa Sharkey, 1986
- Plesiocoelus van Achterberg, 1990
- Pneumagathis Sharkey, 2015
- Scabagathis Sharkey, 2017
- Trachagathis Viereck, 1913
- Trochantagathis Sharkey, 2017
- Xanthagathis Sharkey, 2017
- Zamicrodus Viereck, 1912
- Zosteragathis Sharkey, 2017
Tribe Agathirsini Sharkey, 2017
- Agathirsia Westwood, 1882
- Crassomicrodus Ashmead, 1900
- Gelastagathis Sharkey, 2015
- Marjoriella Sharkey, 1983
Tribe Cremnoptini Sharkey, 1992
- Cremnops Foerster, 1862
- Cremnoptoides van Achterberg & Chen, 2004
- Hyrtanommatium Enderlein, 1920
- Labagathis Enderlein, 1920
- Megalagathis Schulz, 1906
- Mesoagathis Cameron, 1905
- Zacremnops Sharkey & Wharton, 1985
Tribe Disophrini Sharkey, 1992
- Coccygidium Saussure, 1892
- Coronagathis van Achterberg & Long, 2010
- Disophrys Förster, 1863
- Euagathis Szépligeti, 1900
- Gyrochus Enderlein, 1920
- Hemichoma Enderlein, 1920
- Hypsostypos Baltazar, 1963
- Liopisa Enderlein, 1920
- Macroagathis Szépligeti, 1908
- Monophrys van Achterberg, 1988
- Oreba Cameron, 1900
- Pelmagathis Enderlein, 1920
- Protroticus van Achterberg, 1988
- Troticus Brullé, 1846
- Zelodia van Achterberg, 2010
- Zelomorpha Ashmead, 1900
Tribe Earinini Sharkey, 1992
- Chilearinus Sharkey, 2022
- Earinus Wesmael, 1837
Tribe Lytopylini Sharkey, 2017
- Amputoearinus Sharkey, 2006
- Austroearinus Sharkey, 2006
- Lytopylus Förster, 1862
- Sesioctonus Viereck, 1912
- Smithagathis Sharkey, 2017
Tribe Mesocoelini Achterberg, 1990
- Aneurobracon Brues, 1930 (formerly in Orgilinae)
- Mesocoelus Schulz, 1911 (formerly in Orgilinae)
- Therophilus Wesmael, 1837
- Undescribed genus (former Bassus annulipes group)
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