An Australian stiletto fly (Diptera: Therevidae) parasitised by a bee fly (Diptera: Bombyliidae)

Exechohypopion therephaga sp. nov. (Bombyliidae) emerged from the pupa of Parapsilocephala ambocerina sp. nov. (Therevidae) collected near Wentworth, New South Wales, Australia. The adults, pupae and mature larvae of the bombyliid and therevid are described and illustrated. Because the therevid host was collected from soil as a larva, the first instar bombyliid planidium is presumed to attach to the therevid in the larval stage. This is the second known record of a therevid being parasitised. Both known cases occurred in Australia and involved a bombyliid parasitoid.     

A new parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) of the invasive bamboo aphids Takecallis spp. (Hemiptera: Aphididae) from Western Europe

A long-term survey of tritrophic (plant–aphid–parasitoid) associations in the urban ecosystems of Lleida (Catalonia) and Paris (France) resulted in the detection of associations of two bamboo aphids, Takecallis arundinariae (Essig) and Takecallis taiwanus (Takahashi), respectively, with a new aphid parasitoid species. Trioxys remaudierei Starý & Rakhshani sp. nov. is described and illustrated as a unique parasitoid of Takecallis aphids outside the area of their origin. The new species is easily distinguishable from its congeners in having the ventral prongs of the abdomen fused over two-thirds of their length, then bifurcated towards the tip. The only morphologically similar species is Trioxys betulae (Marshall), which exhibits a clearly different prong shape (and has a different host range, Symydobius Mordvilko and Clethrobius Mordvilko). The new species is compared with allied taxa associated with bamboo aphids. The occurrence of Takecallis taiwanus on bamboo is recorded in France for the first time.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:ED15BA16-E8A9-4CEA-BDA7-FBAB02FEB091     

The preimaginal stages of Minotetrastichus frontalis (Nees) and Chrysocharis laomedon (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), parasitoids associated with Phyllonorycter issikii (Kumata) (Lepidoptera,Gracillariidae)

The biology and morphology of the early larval instars of Minotetrastichus frontalis (Nees) are redescribed and the morphology of the preimaginal stages of Chrysocharis laomedon (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) are described in detail for the first time. Both species are larval-pupal parasitoids of Phyllonorycter issikii (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae), which is associated with Tilia sp. The female of M. frontalis lays her egg beside the host larva and the newly hatched first instar larva moves and has to find the host larva. The larva of P. issikii tries to continue its feeding but never pupates after paralysis. The female of C. laomedon lays its egg inside the cuticle of the larva of P. issikii, but the newly hatched parasitoid larva vacates the host larva and develops externally on its surface as an ectoparasitoid. Such behaviour might be facilitated by the constant temperature and humidity inside the mine. Some peculiarities of parasitoid–host relationships are described and discussed.     

The parasitoid complex and parasitoid‐induced mortality of spiders (Araneae) in a Central European woodland

The parasitoid complex of spiders was studied in three different sites of a forest and, for comparison, in open habitats in north‐western Lower Saxony (Germany). Qualitative data and, for four spider species, detailed quantitative rearing data were obtained. At least 25 parasitoids of spiders were recorded (23 species of Hymenoptera and two species of Diptera). External parasitoids of spiders were rare in the woodlands; only up to 1% of the spiders collected by hand searching and sweep netting had ectoparasitoids. During the investigation 23 parasitoid species were reared from spider egg masses, 10 of them occurring in woodlands. Two species were secondary parasitoids. Several parasitoid–host relationships were recorded for the first time. Egg masses of Floronia bucculenta were parasitized up to 5% by two species of the genus Gelis. Up to 10% of the egg masses of Linyphia hortensis were parasitized by Aclastus species. Egg masses of the spider genus Ero were parasitized by three species, causing an overall mortality of 40%. For egg masses of Agroeca spp. parasitization at some locations was up to 60%. An overview of the Central European parasitoid complex of spiders is provided.     

On the parasitoid community of Aulacidea laurae (Hym., Cynipidae), with description of a new species of Adontomerus (Hym., Torymidae)

An account is given of parasitoids (Hym., Chalcidoidea) reared from Spanish galls of Aulacidea laurae (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) which develop in achenes of Scorzonera laciniata (Asteraceae). The parasitoid community includes Adontomerus brevicaudatus (Hym., Torymidae) which is described as new. Final instar larva of the new species is also described. The generic placement of A. brevicaudatus and the composition of the parasitoid community are discussed.     

The food web of parasitoid wasps and their non-phytophagous fly hosts in birds' nests (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea,and Diptera: Cyclorrhapha)

We present a food-web study of the parasitoid wasps and their fly hosts found in the nests of cavity-nesting songbirds. This birds' nest parasitoid web is different from all parasitoid webs studied comprising exclusively non-phytophagous host species. A total of 490 nests were examined for host occurrence, abundance and parasitism rates. Thirty-two species of potential hosts and 10 species of parasitoid wasps were recorded in nests from 25 sites in northern Germany and from two additional sites in south-western Germany. Most of these species were rare and unspecialized. The only very common parasitoid was Nasonia vitripennis (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae). The records of 14 regular host species from northern Germany, which are connected to all 10 parasitoid species, were used for further calculation of food-web statistics. The parasitoid communities in birds' nests were compared with other known parasitoid communities. The birds' nests exhibited a lower species richness compared with communities of phytophagous hosts, but showed similarities with communities of necrophagous or coprophagous hosts, or of parasitoid hosts. The parasitism rate was comparable in all host–parasitoid-systems, supporting the idea that the parasitism rate is independent of species richness.     

New damselfly hosts and species identification of an aquatic parasitoid Hydrophylita emporos (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

The host–parasitoid relationship and species identity of aquatic parasitoids of two damselflies Coeliccia cyanomelas (Platycnemididae) and Psolodesmus mandarinus dorothea (Calopterygidae) from Fushan and Lienhuachih in Taiwan were studied using morphological characters and DNA barcoding sequences. The parasitoids reared from the damselflies’ eggs, and the field-collected parasitoids, were morphologically identified as Hydrophylita emporos (Trichogrammatidae), a recently described parasitoid of the damselfly P. m. mandarinus from Northern Taiwan. The CO1 (cytochrome c oxidase I) gene tree supported the identification as H. emporos, as well as all parasitoid samples from C. cyanomelas, P. m. dorothea and P. m. mandarinus. The sampled H. emporos populations did not differ genetically despite their different host associations. However, some genetic differences were found between H. emporos populations from Northern and Central Taiwan, indicating that the dispersal of H. emporos may be limited by geographical distances. Our results suggest that H. emporos can parasitise not only closely related sister subspecies, P. m. mandarinus and P. m. dorothea, but also phylogenetically distant species of another damselfly family, C. cyanomelas. This is the first record of multiple damselfly hosts for the aquatic parasitoid genus Hydrophylita. This finding implies that the host range of H. emporos and congeneric species may be broader than previously thought.     

Notes on the overwintering Apanteles-Tetrastichus-Lysibia complex (Hymenoptera: Parasitica), parasitoids of the large white butterfly

Apanteles glomeratus (L.) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is the main parasitoid responsible for limiting populations of Pieris brassicae (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), but Tetrastichus galactopus (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Lysibia nana (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), in turn, greatly limit the primary parasitoid population, reducing its potential for constraint of the future pierid population. The patterns of spring emergence of these species from overwintering A. glomeratus cocoon clusters have functional significance. The sex ratio of emerging A. glomeratus is significantly correlated with the cluster size, higher proportions of females emerging from the larger clusters. Non-ovipositional attacks by T. galactopus appear to cause heavy mortality in the Apanteles cocoon clusters. L. nana oviposits in cocoons of A. glomeratus, whatever they contain, and very active female L. nana lay higher proportions of diploid eggs than do lower status females.     

Biology and immature stages of Panteles schnetzeanus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a parasitoid of Lampronia fuscatella (Lepidoptera: Incurvariidae)

Panteles schnetzeanus (Roman), a parasitoid of the gall‐forming incurvariid moth Lampronia fuscatella (Tengström) and currently placed in the Stilbopinae, is shown to be a solitary koinobiont larval endoparasitoid. The large dark‐pigmented eggs possess a hook‐like tail which is embedded in host tissue, typically at the posterior or anterior end of the host. In cases of superparasitism, which represented 70% of cases, only a single egg hatches. The first instar, prepupa and final larval instar head capsules are described and illustrated. Many differences between the biology of Panteles and of Stilbops are discussed. Circumstantial evidence that suggests that Panteles may have an alternative host is also presented based on the emergence dates for it and the Lampronia together with the size, number and placement of the Panteles eggs. DNA sequence data additionally provide the first record of a eupelmid as attacking a gall‐forming incurvariid/parasitoid system, though it is not clear whether this was an hyperparasitoid on the Panteles or a primary on the incurvariid.     

Tetrastichinae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) associated with spider egg sacs

Aranobroter rayorae, gen. et sp. n., is described as a gregarious predator of spider eggs within egg sacs of Metepeira incrassata (Araneidae) from Veracruz, Mexico. Baryscapus uetzi, sp. n., is described as an internal parasitoid of A. rayorae. The biology of these two species is discussed. A review of Tetrastichinae associated with spider egg sacs includes new North American records.     

New species of Megastylus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Orthocentrinae) reared from larvae of Keroplatidae fungus gnats (Diptera) in a Dutch orchid greenhouse

A new parasitoid wasp species belonging to the genus Megastylus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Orthocentrinae) found in an orchid nursery in The Netherlands is described and illustrated: Megastylus woelkei sp. nov. It was reared from parasitized larvae of fungus gnats (Diptera: Keroplatidae). The biology of this new species and the possibility to use it in biological pest control are briefly discussed.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7E405813-67C6-44CD-B068-97B79523592E     

A new species of bethylid wasp (Hymenoptera) from New Zealand,with comments on its life history and host

A new species of parasitoid wasp Chilepyris platythelys (Chrysidoidea: Bethylidae), from New Zealand, is described and illustrated. Its life history is described and its host, an anobiid (Coleoptera) larva, Hadrobregmus (Megabregmus) magnus is mentioned as the first host record for the genus Chilepyris.     

Description of a new species of Armandia (Polychaeta: Opheliidae) from western Kyushu,Japan, with character variations

Armandia amakusaensis sp. nov. (Polychaeta: Opheliidae) is described from an intertidal sandflat in western Kyushu, Japan. The holotype measures 13.14 mm in total body length, and has 32 setigers, with branchiae on setigers 2–31. Eleven pairs of lateral eyes are present on setigers 7–17. The anal funnel opens dorsally, fringed with 11 papillae, its length being slightly shorter than the length of the last three setigers. A long unpaired cirrus originates mid-ventrally from the inside of the anal funnel. Variation in these diagnostic characters is described. The new species is most similar to A. leptocirris (Grube, 1878) and A. intermedia Fauvel, 1902. However, it is distinguished from A. leptocirris in the distribution patterns of the branchiae and the lateral eyes, and from A. intermedia in the distribution pattern of the lateral eyes, the ratio of anal funnel length to total body length, and the number of anal-funnel papillae.     

The first twisted-wing parasitoid in Eocene amber from north-eastern China (Strepsiptera: Myrmecolacidae)

An Early Eocene amber twisted-wing parasitoid (Strepsiptera) is described and figured from the Fushun Coalfield in north-eastern China, representing the first record of this order for the Tertiary of Asia and the second extinct genus of Myrmecolacidae. Kronomyrmecolax fushunicus gen. et sp. nov. is represented by a single male which is distinguished from other living and fossil myrmecolacids, particularly Palaeomyrmecolax Kulicka, in middle Eocene Baltic amber. The genera differ in details of hind wing venation and antennal morphology.     

Revision of the proctotrupoid genus Pelecinus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Pelecinidae)

The extant Pelecinidae consist of the single genus Pelecinus Latreille. This group is restricted to the continental New World; miscellaneous reports and specimens from Jamaica, Australia, India and Malaysia are errors. Three species are recognized: the widespread Pelecinus polyturator (Drury), found from the southern portions of the eastern provinces of Canada, the eastern USA (west to North Dakota, Colorado and New Mexico) and Mexico south to northern Argentina; Pelecinus thoracicus Klug revised status, from western Mexico; and Pelecinus dichrous Perty revised status from northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and south-eastern Brazil. Pelecinus rufus Klug, 1841 and Pelecinus annulatus Klug, 1841 are treated as junior synonyms of Pelecinus dichrous Perty, 1833. The status of Pelecinus polyturator var. apicalis Roman is discussed and the name is treated as a synonym of P. polyturator. The only recorded host species for the genus are for P. polyturator: Phyllophaga anxia (LeConte), P. drakei Kirby, P. futilis (LeConte), P. rugosa (Melsheimer) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae); and Podischnus agenor Olivier (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae).     

The parasitoid complex attacking coexisting Spanish populations of Euphydryas aurinia and Euphydryas desfontainii (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae,Melitaeini)

We report on a five‐year investigation of the complex of parasitoids associated with coexisting populations of Euphydryas aurinia and Euphydryas desfontainii at a Spanish site. A sample of over 7000 eggs, 1000 larvae and 200 pupae (the last of these in part having been experimentally placed) revealed the existence of no egg parasitoids, of three primary larval parasitoids and of five primary pupal parasitoids, plus 13 secondary and facultatively tertiary parasitoids associated with the cocoons of the main larval parasitoid, the specialist Cotesia sp. D. The most abundant secondary parasitoid, Neochrysocharis albiscapus, entirely escaped tertiary parasitism by being gregarious. The mortality induced by parasitoids on the butterfly populations, although heavy, was clearly partially minimized by secondary parasitoids acting on Cotesia sp. D. The striking coincidence of the parasitoid complexes attacking the two Euphydryas species suggests a good system for investigating apparent competition between hosts sharing common natural enemies.     

Meteorus acerbiavorus sp. nov. (Hymenoptera,Braconidae), a gregarious parasitoid of Acerbia alpina (Quensel) (Lepidoptera,Arctiidae) in North Finland

The new gregarious parasitoid Meteorus acerbiavorus sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) was reared from the cocoons of Acerbia alpina (Quensel) (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) in north-western Finnish Lapland. This species belongs to Meteorus rubens (Nees) species group and differs from the most related M. rubens in the following features: the eyes densely setose; the median lobe of the mesoscutum, scutellum, mesopleuron, and the hind coxa entirely or at least partly rugulose-granulate or rugose-areolate and sometimes with granulation; the ovipositor subapically with distinct dorsal node; the ventral borders of the first metasomal tergum weakly separated by narrow space in its basal half; the colour of the body and legs mostly or entirely dark; the fore wing more or less darkened. Phylogenetic relationships among several Meteorus species close to M. rubens including new M. acerbiavorus were investigated based on DNA sequence fragments of the mitochondrial COI and the nuclear 28S rDNA genes. The discussions on the species groups of Meteorus, on distribution of Acerbia alpina in the Holarctic and on its known parasitoids are presented.     

Acerophagus artelles sp. nov. (Hymenoptera Chalcidoidea Encyrtidae), a biocontrol agent of Dysmicoccus grassii (Leonardi) (Hemiptera Coccoidea Pseudococcidae) on banana in the Canary Islands (Spain)

Acerophagus artelles sp. nov., an effective parasitoid of Dysmicoccus grassii on banana in the Canary Islands, is described, illustrated and compared with related species. A concise diagnosis and relevant taxonomic notes on the genus Acerophagus are also reported.