ZSI announces discovery of 4 new species of microscopic parasitic wasps

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) on Friday announced the discovery of four new species of microscopic parasitic wasps.

These wasps, belonging to genus Idris Forster (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), were discovered in West Bengal and are primary egg parasitoids of jumping spiders (Salticidae), an official said.

Uniquely, they exhibit gregarious parasitism, a behaviour where multiple wasps develop within a single spider egg sac.


ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee emphasised the ecological importance of the discovery, stating it represents "a modern, integrative approach to understanding biodiversity."

"This study not only expands our knowledge of insect diversity but also highlights the remarkable variety of parasitoid wasps in lesser-explored habitats," she said.

The groundbreaking discovery - led by senior scientist Dr K Rajmohana and her research team - was recently published in the European Journal of Taxonomy.

A wasp is a small black and yellow flying insect that can sting.

Rajmohana said, "Each new species discovery adds a critical piece to the puzzle of life's diversity."

"Understanding these hidden members of ecosystems can reveal essential insights into ecological processes, evolution, and biodiversity patterns," she added.

The newly identified species - Idris bianor, Idris furvus, Idris hyllus and Idris longiscapus - were collected between 2021 and 2023 from agro-ecosystems and semi-natural habitats across West Bengal.

Their identification was achieved through a meticulous combination of detailed morphological examination and cutting-edge DNA barcoding.

"An integrated taxonomic approach, which combines traditional morphological studies with modern molecular analysis, is crucial for species delimitation," KP Dinesh, scientist at ZSI, Pune, said.

Dinesh provided the molecular expertise for the study.

Co-author Rupam Debnath, a researcher on the team, said, "DNA sequences are currently available for only a small number of described Idris species globally. This makes our contribution particularly valuable in expanding the genetic reference library for the group."

Parasitoid wasps like Idris play a crucial ecological role.

"Despite their minute size, parasitoids are powerful natural regulators," lead author of the paper, Sushama V, said.