Leptopilina
Genus of wasps
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leptopilina is a genus of parasitoid wasp in the family Figitidae. The genus is best known for the three Drosophila parasitoids Leptopilina boulardi, Leptopilina heterotoma and Leptopilina clavipes, used to study host-parasite immune interactions. The venom released by L. heterotoma during oviposition contains virus-like particles that delay host larval development and suppress the host cellular immune response.[2][3] There is no evidence that these virus-like particles are the products of viral DNA as described in other parasitoid taxa.[4]
| Leptopilina | |
|---|---|
| |
| Leptopilina boulardii (Eucoilinae), a parasitoid of Drosophila | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Figitidae |
| Subfamily: | Eucoilinae |
| Genus: | Leptopilina Förster, 1862[1] |
Leptopilina japonica is a parasitoid of Drosophila suzukii which is an important pest in fruit production.[5][6] It was first captured in November 2020 as bycatch from a Vespa mandarinia trap in Washington State[7][8][9] - the first find of this species in the United States.[7][8][9] This may help to control D. suzukii in North America.[7][8][9]