Aerophilus

Aerophilus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Suborder:	Apocrita
Superfamily:	Ichneumonoidea
Family:	Braconidae
Subfamily:	Agathidinae
Genus:	Aerophilus; Szepligeti, 1902
Species
	Many, see text

Aerophilus is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Braconidae. As members of the subfamily Agathidinae, they are koinobiont endoparasitoids of caterpillars.^[1] The host is attacked as an early instar, but not consumed and killed until the host is about to pupate. Nearly all species of Aerophilus have a narrow host range, attacking only one caterpillar species. However, the host range of the genus as a whole is quite broad, including many families of Lepidoptera.^[2]

Several species have been used in biological control programs, but with minimal success. Aerophilus has a world-wide distribution. Thirty-five species have been described from the United States and Canada.

References[]

^ Wharton, Robert A.; Marsh, Paul M.; Sharkey, Michael J. (1997). The Manual of the New World Genera of the Family Braconidae (Hymenoptera) (PDF). Washington DC: The International Society of Hymenopterists. pp. 68–83.
^ Sharkey MJ, Chapman EG. 2016. Revision of Aerophilus Szépligeti (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae) from eastern North America, with a key to the Nearctic species. Contributions in Science 524: 51-110.

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[1] Wharton, Robert A.; Marsh, Paul M.; Sharkey, Michael J. (1997). The Manual of the New World Genera of the Family Braconidae (Hymenoptera) (PDF). Washington DC: The International Society of Hymenopterists. pp. 68–83.

[2] Sharkey MJ, Chapman EG. 2016. Revision of Aerophilus Szépligeti (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae) from eastern North America, with a key to the Nearctic species. Contributions in Science 524: 51-110.

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