Genus Diolcogaster

dye OLE coe gas tr

Protomicroplitis Muesebeck 1922, Protomicroplitis Nixon 1965

About 66 species worldwide (Zeng et al. 2011).

1.5-2.5 mm

1. Closed second submarginal cell of characteristic shape

2. First tergite of metasoma long, narrow, with a long, narrow groove in the basal half or more of the tergite

3. Propodeum with median carina

4. Antennal segments appear to be divided into 2 halves (sensory placodes arranged in two ranks gives this appearance)

5. in some species, first 3 or 4 metasomal tergites forming a carapace.

6. Also see 'Identification' under Subfamily Microgastrinae

Cosmopolitan, greatest diversity in tropics

Oviposit in various Lepidoptera, depending on species.

Koinobiont endoparasitoids on Lepidoptera. Females lay egg(s) inside host caterpillars (thus endoparasitoids). Some species are gregarious (more than one egg is laid in a host by a female), or solitary (only one egg per host laid by a female). Eggs or first stage parasitoid larvae remain quiescent (koino = 'hidden' (Greek)) in the host until a certain host larval growth stage is reached, at which time the parasitoid larva begins eating and growing very quickly. The parasite always kills the host, thus the term "parasitoid."

Mason, W. R. M. 1981. The polyphylet nature of Apanteles Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): a phylogeny and reclassification of Microgastrinae. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada 115: 1-147.

Muesebeck, C. F. W. 1922. A revisiion of the North American ichneumon-flies belonging to the subfamilies Neoneurinae and Microgasterinae. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 61:1-76.

Nixon, G. E. J. 1965. A reclassification of the tribe Microgasterini (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology Supplement 2:1-284.

Whitfield, J.B. 1997. Subfamily Microgastrinae. In: Wharton, R.A. et al. Manual of the New World Genera of the Family Braconidae (Hymenoptera)

Jie Zeng, Jun-hua He, Xue-xin Chen. 2011. The genus Diolcogaster Ashmead, 1900 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from China. Zookeys 129: 49-87.