Context:
Entomologists of the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment have discovered a new species of wasp in the Western Ghat region of Karnataka.
Relevance:
GS III: Species in News
About Taeniogonalos deepaki
Discovery:
- Discovered in the Belgaum region of Karnataka.
- Named after Dr. Deepak Deshpande, a medical doctor and nature enthusiast who collected the specimen.
Taxonomy:
- Belongs to the genus Taeniogonalos.
- Part of the family Trigonalyidae within the order Hymenoptera.
Family Characteristics:
- Trigonalyidae is known for hyperparasitoids, insects that infiltrate and develop within other parasitoids.
Distribution:
- Genus Taeniogonalos is found in various regions, including Afrotropical, oriental, eastern palaearctic, nearctic, Australian, and neotropical.
- Six species reported earlier from India and 20 from China.
Male Description:
- Scientists reported the first male description of another species, Taeniogonalos eurysoma.
Geographical Presence:
- Majority of Taeniogonalos species reported from south India.
Understanding Parasitoid:
- Organism with young that develop on or within another organism (host), ultimately leading to the host’s death.
- Exhibits characteristics of both predators and parasites.
-Source: The Hindu
