''Leptopilina'' is a genus of parasitoid wasp in the family

Figitidae Figitidae is a family of parasitoid wasps. The full diversity of this wasp family is not yet known, but about 1400 species have been described to over 130 genera. For example, the largest subfamily, Eucoilinae (previously considered as a separa ...

. The genus is best known for the three Drosophila parasitoids ''

Leptopilina boulardi ''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 ...

'', ''

Leptopilina heterotoma ''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 ...

'' and ''

Leptopilina clavipes ''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 i ...

,'' 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. There is no evidence that these virus-like particles are the products of viral DNA as described in other parasitoid taxa. '' L. japonica'' is a

parasitoid In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable str ...

of '' Drosophila suzukii'' which is an important

pest Pest or The Pest may refer to: Science and medicine * Pest (organism), an animal or plant deemed to be detrimental to humans or human concerns ** Weed, a plant considered undesirable * Infectious disease, an illness resulting from an infection ** ...

fruit production The horticulture industry embraces the production, processing and shipping of and the market for fruits and vegetables. As such it is a sector of agribusiness and industrialized agriculture. Industrialized horticulture sometimes also includes the ...

. First captured in November 2020 as

bycatch Bycatch (or by-catch), in the fishing industry, is a fish or other marine species that is caught unintentionally while fishing for specific species or sizes of wildlife. Bycatch is either the wrong species, the wrong sex, or is undersized or juve ...

from a ''

Vespa mandarinia The Asian giant hornet (''Vespa mandarinia'') or northern giant hornet, including the color form referred to as the Japanese giant hornet, is the world's largest hornet. It is native to temperate and tropical East Asia, South Asia, Mainland Sout ...

'' trap in Washington State - the first find of this species in the United States. This may help to control ''D. suzukii'' in North America.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q16984384 Hymenoptera genera