Arizona State University just released list of the Top 10 New Species of 2012.
The list consists of the judges’ picks for the most interesting and newsworthy species that were newly named in 2011. “Winners” include a mushroom that is named for the cartoon figure SpongeBob, and a bright blue tarantula.
Number 5 is an ant parasite, the wasp Kollasmosoma sentum.
This video of the wasps laying eggs in Cataglyphis ibericus worker ants may give you an idea why it was chosen.
Hey ant taxonomists, wouldn’t it be great to get an ant on the list next year? Nominations are now open!
It’s a jungle out there for ants.
Check out the parasitic wasp, Kollasmosoma sentum, ovipositing in Cataglyphis ibericus ants.
In this one Neoneurus vesculus is laying eggs in a Formica cunicularia worker.
Finally, Elasmosoma luxemburgense goes after Formica rufibarbis workers.
What do you think of creating videos as a way to bring notice to your scientific work?
Cees van Achterberg and José María Durán. (2011). Oviposition behaviour of four ant parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae, Neoneurini and Ichneumonidae, Hybrizontinae), with the description of three new European species. ZooKeys. 125 : 59-106. .