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Abstract
Family Ichneumonidae (Order: Hymenoptera; Parasitica) is considered as one of the largest families among class insecta, with about 60000 species, representing 2500 genera belonging to 35 subfamilies distributed allover the world. Most ichneumons are internal parasitoids of the immature stages of great variety of holometablous insect hosts (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera). Some ichneumons are parasitoids of egg and adult true spiders.
The present work delt with the following:-
A- Ecological studies:
1- Field survey study carried out on the species of this family during this investigation including most of the ecological zones in Egypt (Coastal Strip, Lower & Upper Egypt, Fayium, Eastern & Western deserts, Sinai, Gabal Wlba and Canal Zone).
2- Literature review survey carried out including available references and the previous studies as well as the major insect reference collections in Egypt (Plant Protection Research Institute Collection, Entomological Society of Egypt Collection, Ain Shams Univ. Collection, Cairo Univ. Collection and Al-Azhar Univ. Collection) to show the biological diversity and distribution of the species of this family in Egypt.
3- The field and literature review studies dealt with the taxonomic revision in Egypt showed that this family comprises 152 species and subspecies belonging to 50 genera and 13 subfamilies; Anomaloninae, Banchinae, Campopleginae, Cremastinae, Ctenopelmatinae, Diplazontinae, Ichneumoninae, Mesochorinae, Metopiinae, Ophioninae, Phygadeuntinae, Pimplinae, and Tryphoninae.
4- Survey studies on the main hosts of the agricultural pests that are parasitized by the ichneumonids showed that many insect orders have been detected which are:
Noctuidae, Lasiocampidae, Geometridae, Pyralidae, Choreutidae, Gelechiidae, Tortricidae, Lymantriidae, Nymphalidae, Cleophoridae, and Satyridae (Order: Lepidoptera). Curculionidae and Buprestidae ( Order: Coleoptera). Tephritidae, Syrphidae and Cecidomyiidae (Order: Diptera). Chrysididae and Ichneumonidae (Order: Hymenoptera).
B- Taxonomic studies:
The present work dealt with the taxonomic revision of the family in Egypt, including the diagnostic characters of the family, subfamilies and genera as well as a description of each species based on the external morphological characters of adults are given together with synonymies, geographical distribution and taxonomical notes, keys to subfamilies, genera, species are provided supported with full illustrations to facilitate the identification of the Egyptian ichneumonid taxa.
The present study lead to the following results:
1- One species is diagnosed as a new species which is Gelis apterosternaulus.
2- Eleven species are recorded for the first time in Egypt which are: Diadegma interrupta, Diadegma polygona, Venturia sp., Ophion arribai, Ophion clio, Ophion uraniae, Exeristes orgyladulia, Exeristes sp., Pimpla contemplator, Pimpla geniculata and Pimpla flavicoxis.