Alomya

Hymenoptera > Ichneumonoidea > Ichneumonidae > Alomyinae > Alomya >

Alomya Panzer, 1806

Overview

Taxonomy

Key (species)

Alomya debellator

Description

Alomya superficially resemble some Ichneumonines but is readily recognized by several unique characters. In females the vertex is strikingly long and the proboscial fossa is unusually narrow (genae almost meeting behind the mandibles). Both sexes have large mandibles with blunt teeth (lower tooth larger and longer than upper in females, mandible often unidentate in males) and a strongly truncate clypeus with long erect golden setae. Gastocoeli and thyridiae are absent. Fore wing with 2m-cu meeting with the pentagonal areolet in its distal half, nervellus reclivious. The habitatus is usually enough for identification (cubic head, general shape).

Biology

All species are parasitoids of moths in the family Hepialidae. Females enter the tunnel of the host, ovipositing a single egg just behind its mouthparts. The moth larva is known to respond with aggression, sometimes causing Alomya females to lose antennae in the ordeal. Instead of pupating, the attacked host’s cuticle will harden, forming a structure known as a “mummy,” from which the adult wasp emerges months later.

Females are rarely seen. Males however are regularly spotted feeding on umbellifers or flying over low vegetation.

Distribution

Alomya widespread in the Palearctic. The exact number of species that occur in northern Europe is not clear, but at least three are known.

Identification

A key to northern European species is provided here. For a tradional key, see Bauer (1966).

References

Bauer, R. 1966. Die Gattung Alomya Panzer (Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae). Nachrichtenblatt der Bayerischen Entomologen, 15, 124–127.

Broad, G. R., Shaw, M. R., & Fitton, M. G. 2018. Ichneumonid wasps: (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): their classification and biology. Handbooks for the identification of British insects. Vol. 7, part 12. Royal Entomological Society.

Finlands Artdatacenter 2024. LAJI.FI: Alomyinae. https://laji.fi/sv/taxon/MX.310750[2024-07-13]

SLU Artdatabanken 2024. Artfakta: Alomyinae. https://artfakta.se/taxa/1015814[2024-07-13]

Yu, D.S.K., van Achterberg, C. & Horstmann, K. 2016. Taxapad 2016, Ichneumonoidea 2015 (Biological and taxonomical information), Taxapad Interactive Catalogue Database on flashdrive. Nepean, Ottawa.

BugWeb

BugWeb

Northern European species

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