MicroCT 3D reconstruction of three described braconid species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Traditionally, entomologists have used destructive methods especially dissection in order to investigate the important taxonomic characters of specimens. New technologies for imaging and analyzing in taxonomy, offer opportunities to deposit three-dimensional (3D) data to proposed for rare and valuable type materials in museums and collections. Micro-computed tomography, as a non-destructive imaging technique, has become an emerging and progressive technology in insect science. However, this technology is rarely used in entomology compared to in medical and industrial applications. In this study, MicroCT imaging protocols are explained in detail using three species of braconid wasps: Aleiodes arnoldii Tobias, 1976 (Braconidae: Rogadinae), Hormius moniliatus Nee, 1811 (Braconidae: Hormiinae) and Macrocentrus bicolor Curtis, 1833 (Braconidae: Macrocentrinae). MicroCT scan data of three braconid wasp species from Iran, depicted main identification of skeletal body parts. A brief step-by-step is provided on image acquisition, 3D reconstruction and mesh editing to create a virtual model of the species utilized for morphological and morphometric studies. As a result, the use of micro-computed tomography as a non-invasive virtual examination tool was explored. The complete datasets containing the raw TIFF MicroCT data, 3D models and 3D rotation videos available for download at http://www.morphosource.org/Detail/ProjectDetail/Show/project_id/822