Agathidinae

Agathidinae
Female of an unidentified genus with elongate gena.
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Braconidae
Subfamily:	Agathidinae
Tribes
Agathidini Agathirsini Cremnoptini Disophrini Earinini Lytopylini Mesocoelini

Agathidinae is a subfamily of braconid parasitoid wasps. Some species have been used in biological control programs.^[1]

Agathidines are among the larger braconids, and diurnal members of this subfamily are often brightly patterned. They belong to the noncyclostome group.^{[citation needed]} Several genera, such as Agathis, Cremnops and Disophrys, are characterized by elongate genae.^[1]

Agithidines can be recognized by the following combinations of features: forewing veins M + CU not tubular in basal third or more, forewing vein RS complete to the wing margin (except Mesocoelus and Plesiocoelus), occipital carina absent, and second submarginal cell of forewing usually present (90% of species.)^[1]

They are found worldwide, but are more diverse in the tropics. However, some genera such as Agathis and Earinus are more speciose in temperate regions.^[1][2]

Most Agathidines are solitary koinobiont endoparasitoids of concealed Lepidoptera larvae. However, the tribe Disophrini attacks free living Lepidoptera larvae. The tribes Agathidini and Earinini attack the first and second instar larvae of their hosts, contrasting with the Disophrini, which attack later instars, as well as the Cremnoptini, which parasitize every larval stage. Most species are diurnal, but many Disophrini are nocturnal, with pale coloration and enlarged ocelli.^[1]

The first attempt at a tribal arrangement for Agathidinae consisted of 2 tribes, Agathidini and Microdini. Sharkey revised the tribes in 1992 and considered 5 tribes, adding Cremnoptini, Disophrini, and Earini. The Microdini, then treated as Eumicrodini, was synonymized under Agathidini by Simbolotti and van Achterberg in 1999 to render 4 tribes. Phylogenetic analysis by Sharkey and Chapman in 2017 revealed that 4 tribes were insufficient and instead divided the subfamily into 7 tribes. They further found that the genera Asperagathis, Bassus, and Zosteragathis were not monophyletic. One problematic species, the Nearctic Bassus annulipes, was found to represent a complex of species. Further, Bassus annulipes was rendered under the tribe Lytopylini while the Old World species fell under Agathidini.^[3]

Agathidines have been used for biological pest control. Notable examples include Agathis pumila for the western larch case-bearer, Alabagrus stigma for the sugarcane borer, and Bassus unicoloratus for the potato tuberworm.^[1]

The 63 genera placed here include:^[4][3]

• 
  Agathidini - Alabagrus texanus
• 
  Agathirsini - Agathirsia sp.
• 
  Cremnoptini - Megalagathis sp.
• 
  Disophrini - Coccygidium sp.
• 
  Earini - Earinus elator
• 
  Lytopylini - Lytopylus sp.
• 
  Mesocoelini - Therophilus sp.

• Photos on BugGuide
• DNA barcodes at BOLD systems