Teratologies, malformations and other abnormalities in cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae)

The present publication is the first illustrated catalogue of morphological aberrations observed in a family of non-social hymenopterans. Cephalic, thoracic, abdominal, and appendicular aberrations are recorded. Traditionally, only single cases of aberrations are documented in the literature but we here illustrate 163 cases of malformed Chrysididae observed on a total of 809 specimens recorded, including cases of anarthrogenesis, aplasia, asymmetry, atavism, ectromely, epigastrochisis, helicomery, hemiaplasy, heteromorphosis, heterotopy, hypertrophy, microcephaly, nanism, polymelia, polymery, polyocularism, schistomely, somatomely, symphysocery, symphysomery, tumor-like conditions and cuticular perforations, gynandromorphy and other uncategorized aberrations. Coloration abnormalities, like asymmetric coloration, depigmentation, melanism, rufinism and other variations are also reported. Moreover, new teratological cases are reported for Hymenoptera for the first time, such as a specimen with five legs and five wings, the potential development of embryonic, heteromorphic antenna on legs, and the occurrence of metasomal tissue on mesosoma. Based on material recently collected in Italy, malformations in general were observed in 3.72% of the cases (n= 609) on a total of 16,339 examined and 0.13% for the most spectacular cases, which is in any case a considerably higher percentage than those previously recorded in Hymenoptera and Coleoptera studies based on samples exceeding 10,000 individuals.