Nasonia

''Nasonia'' are a genus of small pteromalid parasitoid wasps that sting and lay eggs in the pupae of various flies. The fly species that ''Nasonia'' usually parasitize are primarily blow flies and flesh flies, making ''Nasonia'' a useful tool for biocontrol of these pest flies. The small match-head sized wasps are also referred to as ''jewel wasps'' based on the emerald sheen of their exoskeleton (visible in the adjacent image).

The wasp genus has acquired genes from the Pox virus and from ''Wolbachia'' in less than 100,000 years.Tiny wasp with potential for big impact
SFGate, David Perlman, Chronicle Science Editor. ''Nasonia'' and other parasitic Hymenopterans appear to have evolved at a faster rate than most other insect orders, and it has been noted by a number of authors that this could be due to ''Wolbachia'', different strains of which arguably infect or are endosymbionts of the differing species of ''Nasonia''.

There are currently four described species in the genus ''Nasonia'', ''N. vitripennis'', ''N. longicornis'', ''N. giraulti'', and ''N. oneida''. ''N. vitripennis'' is found worldwide; ''N. giraulti'' is found in eastern North America and ''N. longicornis'' is found in western North America. ''N. oneida'' was the most recently discovered, having been distinguished from ''N. giraulti'' as a separate species in 2010.

Nasonia development

Upon encountering a suitable pupal host the ''Nasonia'' female uses her ovipositor (stinger) to drill a small hole through its chitinous outer puparium. She then commences to inject venom into the host before laying 20 to 40 small eggs on the hosts outer integument. After approximately 36 hours the eggs hatch and the small ''Nasonia'' larvae use their mandibles to feed on the host. Though the ''Nasonia'' young develop inside of the host's puparium, as they do not directly enter the body of their prey they are considered ectoparasites.

Unlike the venom of bees, which is primarily used in defense, ''Nasonia'' venom functions to prime the host as a good food source. Specifically, the venom causes developmental arrest in the host, thus redirecting energy from this process toward pathways that produce nutrients required by the developing ''Nasonia'' larvae.

After seven days the larvae stop feeding and move into the pupal stage where they remain for another 7 days, leading to a total developmental time from egg to adult of approximately 14 days at 25 °C. The ''Nasonia'' males, which emerge several hours before the females, escape by chewing small holes in the hosts puparium. The males wait by the escape holes for the emerging females (typically their sisters) upon which they immediately court in the attempt at mating.

Genomics

In 2010 the ''Nasonia'' genome was announced after work over four years by an international consortium of research groups financed by the National Human Genome Research Institute. It is expected that the discovery will lead to applications in pest control.

References

External links

Nasoniabase

''Nasonia''
resources hosted at the University of Rochester

''Nasonia''
resources hosted by Massey University

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1850316

Hymenoptera genera
Pteromalidae
Taxa named by William Harris Ashmead