''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid

wasps A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...

belonging to the family

Ichneumonidae The Ichneumonidae, also known as the ichneumon wasps, Darwin wasps, or ichneumonids, are a family of parasitoid wasps of the insect order Hymenoptera. They are one of the most diverse groups within the Hymenoptera with roughly 25,000 species cu ...

. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily

Campopleginae Campopleginae is a large subfamily of the parasitoid wasp family Ichneumonidae with a world-wide distribution. Species in this subfamily have been used in the biological control of the alfalfa weevil, clover weevil, various species of ''Helioth ...

with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution.

Description

''Dusona'' is an easily recognized genus among other Campopleginae due to a number of clear diagnostic characteristics which include: elongated, oval or slit-shaped propodeal spiracles; a very strongly compressed metasoma; closed areolets and petiolar sutures that are often obliterated or positioned very low anteriorly. Additionally are many species able to reach unusually large body sizes, some exceeding 20 mm (see ''

Dusona falcator ''Dusona falcator'' is a large species of parasitic wasp belonging to the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Campopleginae. It is a parasitoid of the Buff-tip moth. It is one of the largest known species of Camopleginae, able to reach sizes over 20m ...

''). The thorax and head of most species are uniformly black, with the abdomen varying between black, red, brown, orange and yellow, with the fist tergit and the outer most tergites most usually black.

Ecology

All species of ''Dusona'' are

parasitoids In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionary strategies within parasitis ...

, with the main hosts being the larvae of Lepidopterans. The host is usually killed as a prepupa, in a few cases as a pupa. Only one species, '' Dusona minor'', has been reported as a parasitoid of larva outside of Lepidoptera, parasitoidizing the

sawfly Sawflies are the insects of the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera, alongside ants, bees, and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants where they l ...

Monoctenus juniperi ''Monoctenus'' is a genus of sawflies belonging to the family Diprionidae The Diprionidae are a small family of conifer-feeding sawflies (thus the common name conifer sawflies, though other Symphyta also feed on conifers) restricted to the No ...

''.

Species

* ''

Dusona abdominator ''Dusona abdominator'' is a species of parasitic wasp belonging to the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Campopleginae.''Taxapad Ichneumonoidea''. Yu D.S.K., 2009-05-04 Description Head, antennae and thorax black. In females are parts of the m ...

'' Hinz, 1985 * ''

Dusona admontina ''Dusona admontina'' is a species of parasitic wasp belonging to the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Campopleginae.''Taxapad Ichneumonoidea''. Yu D.S.K., 2009-05-04 It is a parasitoid of the larvae of ''Herminia grisealis''. Description Head, An ...

'' (Speiser, 1908) * ''

Dusona adriaansei ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an eas ...

'' (Teunissen, 1947) * ''

Dusona aemula ''Dusona aemula'' is a species of parasitic wasp belonging to the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Campopleginae.''Taxapad Ichneumonoidea''. Yu D.S.K., 4 May 2009 It is a parasitoid of Geometrid moth larvae, mainly ''Eupithecia'' species. Descri ...

'' (Forster, 1868) * ''

Dusona aequorea ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an ea ...

'' Gupta & Gupta, 1977 * ''

Dusona affinis ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Brischke, 1880) * ''

Dusona affinitor ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easil ...

'' Hinz, 1979 * ''

Dusona ahlaensis ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an ea ...

'' Gupta & Gupta, 1977 * '' Dusona alius'' (Norton, 1863) * ''

Dusona alpigena ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' Hinz, 1972 * ''

Dusona alpina ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Strobl, 1904) * ''

Dusona alpinator ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' Hinz & Horstmann, 2004 * ''

Dusona alticola ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Gravenhorst, 1829) * ''

Dusona alveolata ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' Gupta & Gupta, 1977 * ''

Dusona americana ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Ashmead, 1890) * ''

Dusona amurator ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' Hinz, 1985 * ''

Dusona anceps ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Holmgren, 1860) * ''

Dusona angustata ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Thomson, 1887) * ''

Dusona angustifrons ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Forster, 1868) * ''

Dusona annexa ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Forster, 1868) * ''

Dusona anomala ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Seyrig, 1935) * '' Dusona aquilonaria'' Gupta & Gupta, 1977 * ''

Dusona argentea ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Norton, 1863) * ''

Dusona argentopilosa ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Enderlein, 1921) * ''

Dusona artonae ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an ea ...

'' (Narendran, 2000) * ''

Dusona aspera ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' (Gupta & Gupta, 1976) * ''

Dusona assita ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easil ...

'' (Norton, 1863) * ''

Dusona associata ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an ea ...

'' (Walley, 1940) * ''

Dusona atriceps ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an ea ...

'' (Cresson, 1865) * ''

Dusona atricolor ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an ea ...

'' (Szepligeti, 1908) * ''

Dusona atrotibialis ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' Horstmann, 2006 * ''

Dusona augasma ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an eas ...

'' (Gupta & Gupta, 1976) * ''

Dusona auriculator ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an easi ...

'' Aubert, 1964 * ''

Dusona aurifer ''Dusona'' is a genus of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most species rich genus of the subfamily Campopleginae with 442 known species. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Dusona'' is an e ...

'' (Cresson, 1874) * ''