Fig wasp
Female specimen of Blastophaga psenes
The fig wasps ( Agaonidae ) are a family of insects of the superfamily of jewel wasps ( Chalcidoidea ), of which about 35 species are known. They are characterized by the fact that they lay their eggs in the inflorescences of fig species and at the same time get the pollination of flowers. This symbiosis benefits the fig wasps by eggs and larvae are protected later in the inflorescences and fruits and find food. Usually there is a very close relationship between fig wasps and Ficus species. There are also many Feigenvarietäten of self-fertilization.
Pollination of real fig
The Real fig ( Ficus carica ), whose fruits are as fresh and dried figs in the trade, is visited by the single European style Blastophaga psenes. The females lay their eggs in the short-styled inflorescences the goat fig which has both female and male flowers, while the edible figs are only female flowers. By oviposition form from the flowers Gallen, from which first hatch wingless males. This drill access to neighboring gall to mate with the females still living in it. While the males do not leave the inflorescences, the females fly with pollen laden to the long-styled female inflorescences of the real figs and pollinate them. An egg laying is not possible because the females with the ovipositor, the ovary can not reach.
This has been overlooked in the first attempts to grow figs in California.
Genera
- Agaon Dalman, 1818
- Alfonsiella Waterston, 1920
- Allotriozoon Grandi, 1916
- Blastophaga Gravenhorst, 1829
- Cerato brines Mayr, 1885
- Court Ella Kieffer, 1911
- Deilagaon Wiebe, 1977
- Dolichoris Hill, 1967
- Elisabethiella Grandi, 1928
- Eupristina Saunders, 1882
- Kradibia Saunders, 1883
- Liporrhopalum Waterston, 1920
- Nigeriella Wiebe 1974
- Paragaon Joseph, 1959
- Pegoscapus Cameron, 1906
- Platyscapa Motschoulsky, 1863
- Pleistodontes Saunders, 1882