Signiphoridae
Encyclopedia
Signiphoridae is a small family of parasitic wasp
s in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. There are approximately 80 species in 4 genera.
or Chalcididae
.
The main diagnostic characteristics are:
s, mealybug
s, aphid
s, psyllids and flies (chamaemyiid
s, gall-making chloropid
s, and drosophilid
predators of scale insects (Woolley & Hanson, 2006). They can be either parasitoid
s or hyperparasitoid
s. While parasitoid
s contribute to control populations of other insects, Hyperparasitoid
s can disrupt systems under biological control (Sullivan, 1987, p.62-63).
Signiphoridae is believed to be most closely related to azotine aphelinids
(Woolley 1988).
Parasitic wasp
The term parasitoid wasp refers to a large evolutionary grade of hymenopteran superfamilies, mainly in the Apocrita. They are primarily parasitoids of other animals, mostly other arthropods...
s in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. There are approximately 80 species in 4 genera.
Diagnosis
Signiphoridae range in size from 0.2 to 1.5 mm. They are usually black, brown, yellowish, occasionally with salmon pink or white details, but never metallic. Cuticle sculpturing is very light when compared to families like EurytomidaeEurytomidae
Eurytomidae is a family within the superfamily Chalcidoidea. The group is apparently polyphyletic, though the different subfamilies may each be monophyletic, and may be elevated to family status in the near future...
or Chalcididae
Chalcididae
The Chalcididae are a moderate-sized family within the Chalcidoidea, composed mostly of parasitoids and a few hyperparasitoids. The family is apparently polyphyletic, though the different subfamilies may each be monophyletic, and some may be elevated to family status in the near future. As...
.
The main diagnostic characteristics are:
- MetasomaMetasomaThe metasoma is the posterior part of the body, or tagma, of arthropods whose body is composed of three parts, the other two being the prosoma and the mesosoma. In insects, it contains most of the digestive tract, respiratory system, and circulatory system, and the apical segments are typically...
sessile (no "wasp waist"); the propodeumPropodeumThe propodeum is the first abdominal segment in Apocrita Hymenoptera . It is fused with the thorax to form the mesosoma. It is a single large sclerite, not subdivided, and bears a pair of spiracles. It is strongly constricted posteriorly to form the articulation of the petiole, and gives apocritans...
with medium triangular zone. - Antennal clubAntenna (biology)Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
long, unsegmented, preceded by 1-4 ring-like segments ("annelli"). - Wings with medium to long marginal setae. Short post-marginal and stigmal veins. No setae or 1-2 setae on the membrane.
Habitat
Chartocerus and Thysanus have cosmopolite distributions. The only formal record for Clytina is from Eastern Europe. Signiphora, which represents more than half of the known species, is primarily Neotropical.Biology
Most species have been reared in association with scale insectScale insect
The scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, generally classified as the superfamily Coccoidea. There are about 8,000 species of scale insects.-Ecology:...
s, mealybug
Mealybug
Mealybugs are insects in the family Pseudococcidae, unarmored scale insects found in moist, warm climates. They are considered pests as they feed on plant juices of greenhouse plants, house plants and subtropical trees and also acts as a vector for several plant diseases.-Distribution:Mealybugs...
s, aphid
Aphid
Aphids, also known as plant lice and in Britain and the Commonwealth as greenflies, blackflies or whiteflies, are small sap sucking insects, and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions...
s, psyllids and flies (chamaemyiid
Chamaemyiidae
Chamaemyiidae is a small family of acalyptrate flies with less than 200 species described worldwide. The larvae of these small flies are active and predatory and are often used for biological control of aphids, scale insects and similar pests...
s, gall-making chloropid
Chloropidae
Chloropidae is a family of flies commonly known as frit flies or grass flies. There are approximately 2000 described species in over 160 genera distributed worldwide. These are usually very small flies, yellow or black and appearing shiny due to the virtual absence of any hairs. The majority of the...
s, and drosophilid
Drosophilidae
Drosophilidae is a diverse, cosmopolitan family of flies, which includes fruit flies. Another family of flies called Tephritidae also includes fruit flies. The best known species of Drosophilidae is Drosophila melanogaster, within the genus Drosophila, and this species Is used extensively for...
predators of scale insects (Woolley & Hanson, 2006). They can be either parasitoid
Parasitoid
A parasitoid is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism in a relationship that is in essence parasitic; unlike a true parasite, however, it ultimately sterilises or kills, and sometimes consumes, the host...
s or hyperparasitoid
Parasitoid
A parasitoid is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism in a relationship that is in essence parasitic; unlike a true parasite, however, it ultimately sterilises or kills, and sometimes consumes, the host...
s. While parasitoid
Parasitoid
A parasitoid is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism in a relationship that is in essence parasitic; unlike a true parasite, however, it ultimately sterilises or kills, and sometimes consumes, the host...
s contribute to control populations of other insects, Hyperparasitoid
Parasitoid
A parasitoid is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism in a relationship that is in essence parasitic; unlike a true parasite, however, it ultimately sterilises or kills, and sometimes consumes, the host...
s can disrupt systems under biological control (Sullivan, 1987, p.62-63).
Systematics and classification
Woolley (1988) made several changes in the classification at genus and species level after a phylogenetic analysis of the family. There are eleven available generic names in this group (Signiphora Ashmead, Thysanus Walker, Chartocerus Motschulsky, Clytina Erdös, Neosigniphora Rust, Kerrichiella Rozanov, Rozanoviella Subba Rao, Xana Kurdjumov, Matritia Mercet, Signiphorina Nikol'skaya and Neocales Risbec). The four last names are under synonymy or considered as subgenera in Chartocerus. Rozanoviella and Kerrichiella are synonymized under Signiphora. Neosigniphora is synonymized under Thysanus. Hence, there are currently only four valid genera. Subfamilies are not recognized.Signiphoridae is believed to be most closely related to azotine aphelinids
Aphelinidae
Aphelinidae is a moderate-sized family of tiny parasitic wasps, with some 1160 described species in some 35 genera. These minute insects are challenging to study as they deteriorate rapidly after death unless extreme care is taken , making identification of most museum specimens difficult...
(Woolley 1988).