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| Podagrion mantis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Torymidae |
| Genus: | Podagrion |
| Species: | P. mantis
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| Binomial name | |
| Podagrion mantis Ashmead, 1886
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Podagrion mantis was first described in 1886 by W.H. Ashmead and was the first species of its genus to have been described from the United States. All species in the genus are parasitoid wasps known only to parasitize mantids. They have been observed most often utilizing the egg case (ootheca) of Stagmomantis carolina, but have also been reported to choose S. limbata or Tenodera angustipennis as hosts, showing a high degree of specialization.[1]
A mantid's ootheca is made up of tanning agents and structural proteins that is watery and tacky when first deposited, but soon hardens into a stiff foam.[2] The female Podagrion can parasitize an ootheca in either the fresh or hardened state.[3][1] The female uses her long ovipositor to deposit an egg into the ootheca. As the eggs develop, the wasp larvae consume the mantid larvae before emerging as adults.[4]
The cumulative effect of several generations of parasitoid wasps on ootheca are estimated to cause over 30% loss of developing mantids[5] and there is a clear negative correlation between parasitoid burden and mantid enclosure.[6]
- ^ a b Breland, O.P. (1941). "Podagrion mantis Ashmead and other parasites of praying mantis egg cases (Hym: Chalcidoidea, Dipt: Chloropidae)". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 34: 99–113. doi:10.1093/aesa/34.1.99.
- ^ Brunet, P.C.J. (1951). "The formation of the ootheca by Periplaneta americana: I. The Micro-anatomy and Histology of the posterior part of the abdomen". Journal of Cell Science. s3-92 (18): 113–127. doi:10.1242/jcs.s3-92.18.113.
- ^ Fagan, W.F.; Folarin, A. (2001). "Contrasting scales of oviposition and parasitism in praying mantids". Population Ecology. 43 (1): 87–96. Bibcode:2001PopEc..43...87F. doi:10.1007/PL00012019. S2CID 39683276.
- ^ Grissell, E.E.; Goodpasture, C.E. (1981). "A review of Nearctic Podagrionini, with description of sexual behavior of Podagrion mantis (Hymeoptera: Torymidae)". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 74 (2): 226–241. doi:10.1093/aesa/74.2.226.
- ^ Fagan, W.F. (2002). "Can vertebrate predation alter aggregation of risk in an insect host- parasitoid system?". Journal of Animal Ecology. 71 (3): 487–496. Bibcode:2002JAnEc..71..487F. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2656.2002.00615.x.
- ^ Coombs, M. (1994). "Seasonality and host relationships of insects associated with oothecae of Archimantis latistyla (Serville) (Mantodea:Mantidae)". Australian Journal of Entomology. 33 (3): 295–298. doi:10.1111/j.1440-6055.1994.tb01232.x. S2CID 84653382.