ARTS: Classification and evolution of the ant-parasitic genus Orasema (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae)

该项目将针对Orasema属的分类修订，Orasema是一种特殊的蚂蚁寄生虫。成年黄蜂在远离宿主的植物组织中产卵，它们的微小幼虫使用各种特殊的行为来进入蚂蚁巢穴并攻击蚂蚁幼虫。虽然在某些栖息地很常见，但对这些黄蜂知之甚少。利用分子和形态学工具，这项研究将描述来自北美和南美的170多个物种，并为它们的关系提供一个强大的进化假设。研究工作将集中于制定识别码，并研究它们的产卵行为、寄主关系和寄主偏好。Orasema攻击一些最具侵略性和传播性的蚂蚁物种，包括Solenopsis和Wasmannia属的火蚁，以及入侵的Pheidole megacephala。一个成熟和复杂的物种级分类将有助于更好地评估Orasema用于生物防治的潜力。Orasema属于Chalcidoidea，这是一个主要寄生蜂的巨大多样性谱系，估计有超过50万种。这一经济上重要的群体迫切需要分类学专业知识，培训将侧重于新方法，以培训新的研究人员并加快描述过程。

This project will target a taxonomic revision of the genus Orasema, a specialized group of ant parasites. Adult wasps lay their eggs away from the host in plant tissue, and their minute larvae use a variety of specialized behaviors to gain access to the ant nest and attack the ant brood. While common in some habitats, very little is known about these wasps. Using both molecular and morphological tools, this study will describe more than 170 species from North and South America, and provide a robust evolutionary hypothesis of their relationships. Research will focus on developing identification keys, and the study of their oviposition behavior, host associations and host preferences. Orasema attack some of the most invasive and pestiferous species of ants, including fire ants in the genera Solenopsis and Wasmannia, and the invasive Pheidole megacephala. A mature and sophisticated species-level taxonomy will help to better evaluate the potential of Orasema for use in biological control. Orasema belong to the Chalcidoidea, a megadiverse lineage of mostly parasitic wasps with more than 500,000 estimated species. Taxonomic expertise is desperately needed for this economically important group, and training will focus on novel methods to train new researchers and accelerate the descriptive process.