Chelonus (Carinichelonus) mahadeb

Chelonus (Carinichelonus) mahadeb Latest News

A rare parasitic wasp Chelonus (Carinichelonus) mahadeb named has been recently recorded from a tea estate in Assam.

About Chelonus (Carinichelonus) mahadeb

• It is a new species of parasitic wasp.
• It was discovered from Nahortoli Tea Estate in Assam.
• Parasitic wasps of the genus Chelonus are tiny insects but play an important ecological role. 
  • They are known as egg–larval parasitoids, meaning they lay their eggs inside the eggs of other insects, usually moths and butterflies. 
  • The developing wasp larva eventually consumes the host, helping regulate insect populations naturally.
  • Because many moth larvae are major agricultural pests, species of Chelonus are often considered beneficial insects that contribute to natural pest control in crop ecosystems, including plantations.
• The discovery is notable because the subgenus Carinichelonus is extremely rare and poorly documented worldwide. 
• It is only the second new species of this subgenus described from India in recent times.

Source: EM

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