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RESEARCH PRODUCT

A review of the subfamily Charipinae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae), hyperparasitoids potentially affecting the biological control of aphids

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description

Charipinae is an important subfamily of aphid hyperparasitoids. As aphids are some of the most significant pests in the world, studying the insect community associated with them is of crucial importance. Here, we review the biological information available on Charipinae. The information has been grouped into different sections: (a) historical background; (b) morphological and ecological features; (c) phylogenetic relationships; (d) overview of aphid biology and biological control; (e) evolutionary history; and (f) future perspectives. After this review, it is evident that there are still some aspects of charipine taxonomy and biology that remain elusive: (a) reliability and improvement of host associations; (b) validity of the brachypterous species; (c) problems related with the paraphyly of the genus Phaenoglyphis; (d) taxonomic improvement of these morphologically difficult species by the combination of molecular and morphological data; and (e) phylogeny. Additionally, important information on morphological variations among taxa and the synapomorphies of the valid genera are given for the first time. Finally, we premiere the Interactive Charipinae worldwide database and highlight the importance of this tool for the scientific community in terms of interactive determination keys for agronomists, ecologists, taxonomists, and evolutionary biologists.