''Aerophilus'' is a genus of
parasitoid wasp
Parasitoid wasps are a large group of hymenopteran Superfamily (zoology), superfamilies, with all but the wood wasps (Orussoidea) being in the wasp-waisted Apocrita. As parasitoids, they lay their eggs on or in the bodies of other arthropods, ...
s belonging to the family
Braconidae
The Braconidae are a family of parasitoid wasps. After the closely related Ichneumonidae, braconids make up the second-largest family in the order Hymenoptera, with about 17,000 recognized species and many thousands more undescribed. One analysis ...
. As members of the subfamily Agathidinae, they are
koinobiont endoparasitoids of
caterpillars
Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths).
As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...
. The host is attacked as an early
instar
An instar (, from the Latin '' īnstar'' 'form, likeness') is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, which occurs between each moult (''ecdysis'') until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to ...
, 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
Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...
.
[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.]
Several species have been used in
biological control
Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or o ...
programs, but with minimal success.
''Aerophilus'' has a world-wide distribution. Thirty-five species have been described from the United States and Canada.
Species
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Aerophilus abdominalis
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Aerophilus aciculatus
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Aerophilus acrobasidis
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Aerophilus areolatus
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Aerophilus astioles
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Aerophilus arthurevansi
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Aerophilus bakeri
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Aerophilus barbieri
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Aerophilus bicarinatum
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Aerophilus bicristata
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Aerophilus binominatus
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Aerophilus boliviensis
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Aerophilus bradzlotnicki
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Aerophilus brasiliense
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Aerophilus brevitarsus
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Aerophilus brullei
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Aerophilus buttricki
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Aerophilus calcaratus
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Aerophilus chapmani
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Aerophilus colleenhitchcockae
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Aerophilus crassicornis
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Aerophilus davidsmithi
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Aerophilus davidwagneri
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Aerophilus difficillis
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Aerophilus ebulus
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Aerophilus erythrogaster
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Aerophilus facetus
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Aerophilus femoratus
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Aerophilus flavicalcar
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Aerophilus fortipes
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Aerophilus fundacionbandorum
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Aerophilus gregburtoni
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Aerophilus hopkinsensis
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Aerophilus infumatus
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Aerophilus jdherndoni
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Aerophilus jessicadimauroae
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Aerophilus jessiehillae
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Aerophilus klastos
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Aerophilus kowlesae
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Aerophilus lamelliger
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Aerophilus leucotretae
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Aerophilus lucidus
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Aerophilus macadamiae
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Aerophilus malus
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Aerophilus melanocephalus
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Aerophilus melleus
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Aerophilus mingfangi
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Aerophilus minys
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Aerophilus nicklaphani
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Aerophilus niger
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Aerophilus nigripes
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Aerophilus nigrobalteatus
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Aerophilus ninanae
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Aerophilus nucicola
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Aerophilus pastranai
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Aerophilus paulmarshi
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Aerophilus perforator
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Aerophilus persicus
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Aerophilus philippinensis
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Aerophilus pilosus
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Aerophilus pookae
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Aerophilus rayfisheri
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Aerophilus rebeccashapleyae
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Aerophilus reginae
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Aerophilus reticulatus
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Aerophilus robertcourtneyi
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Aerophilus robpringlei
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Aerophilus romani
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Aerophilus rufipes
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Aerophilus rufus
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Aerophilus rugulosus
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Aerophilus sandraberriosae
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Aerophilus scuptilis
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Aerophilus speciosicornis
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Aerophilus spinulatus
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Aerophilus stoelbae
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Aerophilus sulcatus
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Aerophilus tayrona
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Aerophilus tenuiceps
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Aerophilus terrymoyeri
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Aerophilus tommurrayi
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Aerophilus usitatus
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Aerophilus vaughntani
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Aerophilus wyomingensis
References
Braconidae genera
{{Ichneumonoidea-stub