Chas Maistriv
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View Rights PortalThe superfamily Chalcidoidea (the jewel wasps) are part of the insect order Hymenoptera. The superfamily comprises more than 27,000 known species, with an estimated total diversity of more than 500,000 species, meaning that the vast majority have yet to be discovered and described. Most of the species are parasitoids, attacking the egg, larval stage or pupal stage of their host, though many other life cycles are known including gall associates and fig pollinators. This landmark volume has been co-authored by world authorities on the systematics and biology of chalcidoid wasps. It provides an introduction to the superfamily, a review of chalcidoid morphology, an overview of the fossil record, a phylogenetic framework for the revised classification of the superfamily, an identification key for the 50 recognized families, and detailed treatments of the individual families. The book consolidates much recent research on the phylogenomics of Chalcidoidea and the fossil record. This research has resulted in substantial changes to their classification, and in a review of all families, the new family groups are presented to the general scientific public for the first time. The book is an historic milestone, presenting a reclassification of the superfamily and a synthesis of knowledge on all aspects of Chalcidoidea that will serve for generations to come. Individual chapters clarify the limits of families and subfamilies based on contemporary phylogenetic studies. These chapters provide for each family: diagnostic features and extensively illustrated details of their specialized morphology, summaries of their distribution and worldwide diversity, a history of their classification history and major workers, phylogenetic relationships, natural history, use in biological control and economic impact, fossil history, and fully illustrated identification keys to subfamilies or in some cases to genera. Additional chapters present best practices for collecting, rearing from hosts, and preservation, review digital resources currently available, explore the diversity of their natural history and their human impacts, such as their use and importance to biological and natural control of pest arthropods. Chapters by worldwide authorities explore the enormous biological diversity of chalcidoid wasps including consequences of their almost unbelievable miniaturization (the most extreme known in insects), relationships with endosymbionts, special aspects of genetics, genomics, evolutionary biology and development, and brief accounts of the most significant chalcidoid researchers that have passed. For many years to come this important book will serve the needs of hymenopterists and professional entomologists, taxonomists and systematists, entomologists working on parasitic wasps as biological control agents, and ecologists working on parasite-host interactions.
Parasitoid wasps are cosmopolitan, numerous and enormously diverse with probably one million or more species worldwide, most of which occur in moist tropics. The ecological importance of this group of insects is enormous although perhaps most evident in their major roles in the control of insect pest populations. In natural ecosystems they are integral in regulating populations of a vast number of insects, and therefore are key players in terrestrial food webs. Knowledge of their biology is still very poor because the current state of taxonomy is still in its infancy in many parts of the world. In this book, we provide an overview of the more than 30 families of parasitoid wasps that are found in the 11 countries in South East Asia. Particular emphasis is given to the most commonly encountered and reared, and those used as natural enemies in biological control programmes. In addition, outlines of the biology, ecology and behaviour of each family and important subfamily are presented. The current state of taxonomy in the region is summarised using distribution maps. Other chapters cover basic morphology, terminology and identification, collecting and rearing in the tropics, food web construction, and the molecular revolution in identification of difficult taxonomic groups. All groups are photographically illustrated. This book will be of value to professional entomologists, academics, entomology students and the growing body of amateur entomologists and insect photographers.