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

这个项目的目标是对Orasema属进行分类修订，Orasema是蚂蚁寄生虫的一个专门群体。成年黄蜂在植物组织中远离宿主产卵，它们的微小幼虫利用各种特殊行为进入蚂蚁巢穴并攻击蚂蚁幼虫。虽然在一些栖息地很常见，但人们对这些黄蜂知之甚少。使用分子和形态工具，这项研究将描述来自北美和南美洲的170多个物种，并为它们之间的关系提供一个强有力的进化假说。研究将集中在开发识别关键字，以及研究它们的产卵行为、寄主联想和寄主偏好。Orasema攻击一些最具侵袭性和最具瘟疫的蚂蚁物种，包括Solenopsis和Wasmannia属的火蚁，以及入侵的Pheidole Megacephala。成熟和复杂的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Chalcidoidae，这是一个以寄生蜂为主的巨型多样性谱系，估计有50多万个物种。对于这一经济上重要的群体来说，迫切需要分类学专业知识，培训将集中在新方法上，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.