Jewel wasps are among the most diverse and fascinating groups of insects, with a dazzling array of colors and shapes.
They are also known as parasitoid wasps, because they lay their eggs inside other insects, which serve as food for their developing larvae. But how did these wasps evolve to become so diverse and specialized?
A new discovery of a previously unknown family of jewel wasps in Cretaceous amber from Lebanon may provide some clues.
The Oldest Known Jewel Wasps
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The new family, named Protoidae, was described by a team of scientists from Germany and Lebanon in a paper published in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research.
The researchers examined several specimens of jewel wasps preserved in amber from Lebanon, which dates back to about 130 million years ago.
They were surprised to find that these wasps belonged to a new and very old family, currently the oldest known within the jewel wasps.
According to one of the co-authors of the paper, Jonah Ulmer, this finding was unexpected because no jewel wasps had ever been recorded from Lebanon or were known to be that old.
The researchers realized that they had a unique opportunity to study the early evolution of jewel wasps, which is thought to have originated in the late Jurassic around 162 million years ago.
The new family contains two genera, Protoita and Cretaxenomerus, and 10 new species of jewel wasps. The family name is derived from being a "proto" form of the Chalcidoidea, the scientific name for jewel wasps.
These ancient species show some features that are different from modern jewel wasps, such as a long, shovel-like process at the end of the abdomen, which may have helped them with egg-laying or searching for hosts.
A Glimpse into the Evolutionary History of Jewel Wasps
The discovery of Protoidae provides valuable insights into how jewel wasps diversified and adapted to different ecological niches over time.
By comparing these fossils with living species, the researchers can infer the order of evolutionary events and the origin of certain structures that led to the immense diversity we see today.
Ulmer explained that these ancient species present a unique snapshot of what these wasps looked like in their earliest forms, which allows researchers to better understand the order of evolutionary events through time and when certain structures evolved that ultimately led to the massive diversity we see today.
The researchers also note that there are likely other equally old families of jewel wasps still waiting to be discovered, either in the ground or in old forgotten museum cabinets.
Ulmer said that Protoitidae shows that we can keep looking further back in time than we expected and still find new and old species.
Jewel wasps are not only fascinating for their evolutionary history, but also for their ecological role and behavior.
They are important natural enemies of many pests, such as aphids, scale insects, and flies.
They also exhibit complex behaviors, such as manipulating their hosts' physiology and behavior, forming social groups, and engaging in sexual conflict.
By studying both living and fossil jewel wasps, we can learn more about these amazing insects and their impact on biodiversity and ecosystems.
