An online taxonomic database of the stick insect (Phasmida) egg-parasitising subfamilies Amiseginae and Loboscelidiinae (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae)

By

Baker, Edward

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2016-1-8

Original Publication

Biodiversity data journal

Volume

4

Pages

1--6

Subjects

Amiseginae , Chrysididae , Hymenoptera , Loboscelidiinae , parasitoid wasp , Phasmatodea , Phasmida , stick insect , taxonomic database

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft Publishers [2013]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e7441

 

Abstract

The wasp subfamilies Amiseginae and Loboscelidiinae (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) were last catalogued in Kimsey and Bohart (1991). The subfamilies are considered to be obligate egg parasitoids of the Phasmida (stick insects), which are known to be pests in many areas of the world (Baker 2015). Our lack of knowledge of these wasps, in particular their host associations and host specificity, prevents studies into using them as potential control agents for pest phasmids. Phasmids are popular throughout the world with people from a wide range of backgrounds, from pet keepers to professional entomologists.<br> A taxonomic database of the subfamilies Amiseginae and Loboscelidiinae has been created as the Chrysididae SpeciesFile, summarising the current state of scientific knowledge about these groups. In addition, a bibliography of works on these subfamilies has been created. In total information is provided for 187 valid species.