Phylogenetic implications of ovipositor structure in Eucharitidae and Perilampidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea)

The external and cross-sectional morphology of the ovipositor was examined for 21 genera and 28 species of Philomidinae, Perilampidae and Eucharitidae. Eleven characters were scored and either mapped onto existing topologies reflecting the relationships of genera, or included in a larger data set focused on the generic relationships of Eucharitidae and analyzed using parsimony. The presence of a setiform flap in the ventral wall of the dorsal valve supported the monophyly of Perilampinae and possibly Chrysomalla (Chrysolampinae) + Perilampinae. Monophyly of Eucharitidae was supported by a thinning of the dorsal wall of the dorsal valve. One of two islands of most parsimonious trees that have recently been proposed was selected on the basis of fewer step changes as a result of both character mapping and parsimony analysis. Within Eucharitinae, this would support a clade that includes Kapala, Stilbula and Pseudochalcura, with Schizaspidia and Chalcura as its sister group. By mapping characters, an additional hypothesis of monophyly of Anorasema and Gollumiella was preferred, which on the basis of the pruned topologies was a single step shorter than the preferred islands of trees.     

Two new species of Hymenoepimecis (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) with notes on their spider hosts and behaviour manipulation

The wasp genera included in the Polysphincta genus-group develop exclusively as koinobiont ectoparasitoids of spiders, an unusual pattern within Hymenoptera. All known species of Hymenoepimecis attack orb-web spiders and Hymenoepimecis argyraphaga was previously described inducing a sudden modification of its host's web-building behaviour. Information on parasitoid–host interactions and even on host identities for most members of the genus-group, however, remain scarce. In this study we describe two new species of Hymenoepimecis and present information on their hosts, spiders of the genera Leucauge (Tetragnathidae) and Manogea (Araneidae). Cocoon webs of both host species are distinct from their normal webs. The modified cocoon web of Leucauge roseosignata constructed under the influence of Hymenoepimecis japi sp. nov. is very similar to the cocoon web described for Leucauge argyra. It is composed of three axes, including several radial threads each, and a hub used by the larva to attach the cocoon's suspension line. Spiral viscous threads, present in normal webs and in webs of parasitized spiders carrying larvae in the initial instars, are absent in cocoon webs. In the cocoon web of Manogea porracea the horizontal sheet is poorly structured and the cocoon is attached far from the spider's normal resting position, in an area composed of a densely tangled structure.     

A new scale insect host family (Hemiptera: Asterolecaniidae) for Aphytis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) in China

Aphytis wasps are among the most important natural enemies of scale insects, and armoured scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) have generally been considered as the only hosts of the genus Aphytis. Host records from non-diaspidids have been considered erroneous by most authors. A new scale insect host, Bambusaspis notabilis (Russell), however, belonging to Asterolecaniidae (Hemiptera), has been found as the host of a new Aphytis species in our field investigations. Aphytis bambusaspis Wang, Huang & Polaszek sp. nov. is described and illustrated, and detailed photographs of the key characters of the female and male of the new species are provided. Type specimens are deposited in Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China and Natural History Museum, London, UK. Previously published host records of Asterolecaniidae are reviewed.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0BE6DB64-CB75-466A-B974-8A620FAFEA1E     

Meteorus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitoids of Pyralidae: description and biology of two new species and first record of Meteorus desmiae Zitani, 1998 from Ecuador

Two new Ecuadorian wasp species attacking pyralid larvae are described: Meteorus albisericus and Meteorus pyralivorus, as well as a new Ecuadorian distribution record for Meteorus desmiae Zitani, another pyralid parasitoid, previously known from Costa Rica and Colombia. The hosts of M. albisericus were found feeding on Clibadium glabrescens S. F. Blake (Asteraceae), Diplazium costale var. robustum (Sodiro) Stolze (Dryopteridaceae), Brunellia tomentosa Bonpl. (Brunelliaceae) and Cavendishia sp. Lindl. (Ericaceae). Chusquea scandens Kunth (Poaceae) is the associated plant for M. pyralivorus hosts. Meteorus. albisericus is the first Neotropical Meteorus species with dorsopes whose biology is known. We hypothesize that the parasitism of pyraloid caterpillars has originated at least twice in Neotropical Meteorus.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B603F36B-4645-490D-AD4D-469088EEF36F     

Wallaceaphytis: an unusual new genus of parasitoid wasp (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) from Borneo

Wallaceaphytis Polaszek and Fusu gen. nov. (type species Wallaceaphytis kikiae Ayshford and Polaszek sp. nov.) is described from Danum Valley, Sabah, in Malaysian Borneo. Although known from just a single female individual, the genus is extremely unusual morphologically, being the only member of the large subfamily Aphelininae with four-segmented tarsi. The form of the fore wings and head are also unique in the subfamily, and its status as a new genus is confirmed by analysis of nuclear ribosomal DNA. DNA sequence analysis was undertaken by comparison with more than 60 aphelinid sequences from GenBank. The sequence for the standard DNA barcode region (cytochrome oxidase c subunit I; COI) is provided. The new genus is named in honour of Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of the theory of evolution by natural selection. The new genus and species are published on the exact date of the centenary of his death.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:700D2B2A-1586-4100-85D2-24844EFE3F90     

Saproxylic beetles (Coleoptera) and hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) from a Mediterranean forest: towards a better understanding of their biology for species conservation

This report represents the first integrative study on saproxylic Coleoptera and Diptera Syrphidae from a representative Mediterranean forest in Cabañeros National Park in Central Spain. We collected 107 beetles, representing 32 families, and 25 species of hoverfly. Two undescribed and numerous rare beetle species were recorded, as were four hoverflies considered to be threatened species in Europe. We compiled biological information for all of the taxa encountered and recorded new data on their feeding habits, breeding microsites, and known tree associations. We found that the saproxylic biodiversity in this National Park was characterized by a significant number of Central European and North African species. Our results on the saproxylic assemblage, comprising many rare and poorly known species, of a typical Mediterranean forest represent a first step toward improved understanding of the saproxylic community and establishing the basis for conservation strategies in this region.     

On some Indian species of Aphelinidae,with a description of a new Coccophagus (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea)

Summary

The Philippine cruise of the U.S. Fisheries Steamer Albatross 1907–10 collected 61 species of spider crabs from the Philippine Islands bringing the total number of species known from the area to 71; 28 new species were described by Rathbun and the present report records 19 species not previously known from the area; included are nine widespread Indo-west Pacific forms, four previously known from Japan and four Indian Ocean species.

Hyastenus sebae White is renamed H. whitei and the former name is applied to H. oryx A. Milne Edwards. Hyastenus tuberculosus Rathbun is confirmed as a synonym of H. convexus Miers, Platymaia remifera Rathbun is reduced to synonomy with P. wyvillethomsoni Miers and Chorilia sphenocarcinoides Rathbun is transferred to the genus Sphenocarcinus.

The majority of species (51) occur around the central and southern islands of the archipelago and most of these (35 speciesl occur at varying depths on the continental shelf. Twelve species occur intertidally and 21 species are known from depths over 100 fms, some occurring as deep as 800 fms.

The spider crab fauna is clearly part of the Indo-west Pacific, 25 species being widespread ones; 26 species are shared with Japan, 24 with Australia and 31 with the Indian Ocean. However, 20 species appear to be confined to the Philippine Islands. The relationships of the Philippine fauna with that of the rest of Indonesia is not yet clear     

Indian species of Ephialtes Schrank (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Abstract

Two new species of Ephialtes, viz. E. erythromerus and E. melanomerus, are described from the Himalaya.     

Life cycle of Huarpea fallax (Hymenoptera: Sapygidae) in a xeric forest in Argentina

This study describes the life cycle of Huarpea fallax (Hymenoptera: Sapygidae) in a xeric forest in La Pampa province, Argentina. This cleptoparasitic wasp attacks the nests of two species of leaf-cutter bees: Megachile catamarcensis and Anthidium vigintipunctatum, both belonging to the family Megachilidae. Nests of these bee species were obtained during a trap-nesting programme. Adult emergence showed a unimodal pattern indicating a univoltine life cycle. The period from egg-laying to adult emergence lasted for 10–13 months; however, one female took about 2 years to emerge, suggesting parsivoltinism. Most females attack one cell per host nest, the outermost cells being the ones most parasitized. However, the position of the attacked cells was variable. In this paper, although there were insufficient data to prove a correlation, the data suggest a positive trend between body size of sapygid wasps and their host bees.     

The African species of Zaglyptogastra (Hymenoptera) with a checklist of world species

An illustrated key is provided to the African species of the braconine wasp genus (Zaglyptogastra Ashmead. Four new species are described: Z. afenestrata sp. nov. from Ruanda, Z. levisulcata sp. nov. from Uganda, Z. tenuicauda sp. nov. from Angola, Congo and Zaire, and Z. virgulivena sp. nov. from Zaire. A replacement name, Z. caudatula nom. nov. is proposed for Calliidia caudata Szépligeti, 1914b. Six new synonymies are proposed: Zaglyptogastra basalis (Szépligeti; 1914) (= Z. equitator (Wiedemann, 1824)); Z. leucogaster (Cameron, 1909a) (= Z. nigripennis (Szépligeti, 1908)); Z. stanleyi (Cameron, 1912), Z. maxima (Szépligeti, 1914b), Z. eleganta (Shenefelt, 1978) and Z. tomentosa (Fahringer, 1931) (= Z. tincticanaliculata (Cameron, 1912)). Notes are provided on the African species and species groups. A checklist of world species is given.     

A new genus and species of Syncarida (Crustacea: Malacostraca) from Borneo

A new genus and species of the family Parabathynellidae, Sabahbathynella wongi, is described. It has been discovered in the interstitial of coarse sand filling the spaces between big stones of the bank along a stream in Sabah on Borneo. The new genus of the family Parabathynellidae exhibits some unusual features which make it impossible to assess its phylogenetic position. There are some convergencies with the genus Thermobathynella.     

On a collection of Banchinae from Australia (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Summary

The first zoeal stage of Ebalia nux Milne Edwards is described and the available information on leucosiid larvae is reviewed. A comparison of the zoeal characters of the Leucosiidae, particularly of the telson and the cephalothoracic appendages, with those of other brachyurans provides no evidence for the inclusion of this family in a distinct oxystomatous group along with the dorippids and calappids. Rather, the leucosiids appear to be highly evolved catometopous crabs, most closely related to the pinnotherids and somewhat less closely to the ocypodids.     

First host record for the rogadine genus Pholichora van Achterberg (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with description of a new species and notes on convergent wing venation features

The wasp genus Pholichora is recorded as parasitic on geometrid moth larvae on the basis of a new species, P. subscleroma Quicke and Shaw from South Africa (Natal), reared from Ascotis reciprocaria (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Ennominae). The discovery of this new species necessitates a reassessment of the characters separating Pholichora from Hemigyroneuron. An association between wing venation features (ovoid cells and scleromes) and nocturnality is discussed.     

Revision of the Neotropical species of the tribe Euderomphalini (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

The Neotropical species and genera of the tribe Euderomphalini (Eulophidae: Entedoninae) are revised. Five genera are described as new: Cabeza, including six species (baeostigma (§, ¦), canaliculata (§), laticeps (¦), petiolata (§), planiscapus (§), ugaldei (§)); Itahipeus, including two species (brasilicola (§, ¦), euryceps (¦)); Monterrondo, including one species (aphelosoma (§)); Sifraneurus, including one species (strigifer (§)); Xenopomphale, including one species (sulcata (§)); all above-mentioned species are described as new. Five additional genera are included: Aleuroctonus LaSalle and Schauff, with four species, one described previously: vittatus (Dozier) (§, ¦), and three described here: latiscapus (§), marki, (§, ¦) and metallicus (§); Entedononecremnus Girault, with 14 species, two described previously: krauteri Zolnerowich and Rose (§, ¦), unicus Girault (§, ¦), and 12 described here: bennetti (§, ¦), bimaculatus (§, ¦), convexus (§, ¦), crassicornis (§, ¦), depressus (§), fulgens (§), hansoni (§, ¦), imdasus (§, ¦), parfer (§, ¦), reticulatus (§), tripar (§) and unicarinatus (§); Euderomphale Girault, with two species, one described previously: flavimedia (Howard), and one described here: sulciscapus (§, ¦); Neopomphale LaSalle and Schauff, with 20 species, two described previously: aleurothrixi (Dozier) (§, ¦), quercicola (Dozier) (§, ¦), and 18 described here: azofeifai (¦), cerrobius (¦), depilis (§), dichrous (§, ¦), erecta (¦), graciliclava (§), longicornis (¦), longipilis (§, ¦), nonaequa (§, ¦), noyesi (§), pinguicornis (§, ¦), prymna (§), rubescens (§, ¦), rubii (§), silvestris (¦), transversa (§), umbonata (§, ¦), xenipennis (§); Dasyomphale LaSalle and Schauff, including one species (chilensis LaSalle and Schauff). The genera are placed in either one of three genus-groups, one of which is newly created. The species Euderomphale quercicola Dozier is newly combined to Neopomphale. Lectotypes are designated for Entedononecremnus unicus Girault, Euderomphale quercicola Dozier and Gyrolasia flavimedia Howard. Key to genera and species are included.     

Two new species of the genus Microstigmus Ducke (Hymenoptera: Sphecoidea)

Summary

Five species of tettigoniid of the Decticine genus, Platycleis (sensu stricto), are found in the environs of Montpellier, Hérault, S. France. P. intermedia, P. sabulosa and P. albopunctata are essentially early-evening singers. There is a nycthemeral cycle of vertical migration in these three species—they sing from a greater height than that at which they rest during the daytime. P. affinis and P. falx sing both during the day and during the evening. As the syllables of the songs of the five species are similar, and since these insects sing at the same time of year and at least during the evening, interspecific acoustic interference would seem likely. However, such interference appears to be avoided by spatial separation of singing individuals (the males only). The difference in habitat preferences may be so distinct that two species do not occur in the same locality (e.g. P. falx and P. albopunctata). Where two species do occur in one local area, one of them is generally confined to one type of vegetation (e.g. P. intermedia in the bushes) and the other to another type (e.g. P. affinis on the open ground). Differences in chirp types, and in the specific response to particular song patterns, mean that ethological barriers as well as ecological ones would appear to prevent heterospecific matings. However, prevention of acoustic interference between allospecific males seems to be brought about mainly by habitat-preference differences. In one species pair, P. falx and P. affinis, the habitat-preference difference is very slight, and their songs are similar. These facts, coupled with the impression that the range and abundance of P. affinis are increasing, while those of P. falx are decreasing, suggest that P. affinis is supplanting P. falx in the open areas of wasteland in the Montpellier area.     

Nest architecture and use of floral oil in the oil-collecting South African solitary bee Rediviva intermixta (Cockerell) (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Melittidae)

Nest architecture, use of floral oil for brood cell lining and pollen collecting are described for the first time for the genus Rediviva, using the South African endemic oil-collecting solitary bee species Rediviva intermixta. The nest consists of a dead-end vertical tunnel with a single brood cell located at the end of each of several horizontally branching lateral tunnels. Brood cells are lined with a thin layer of waxy material, presumably derived from chemically modified floral oil. Rediviva intermixta is a pollen generalist but relies on a small number of host plant species for oil-collecting. Brood cells are provisioned with pollen from at least six plant families, but with a preference for non-oil-producing Scrophulariaceae. The nesting biology and Dufour’s gland size of the species are discussed and compared with the closely related genera Melitta and Redivivoides (non-oil-collecting) and Macropis (oil-collecting). The differences between Macropis and Rediviva suggest that oil-collecting in the two genera evolved independently.     

A revision of the European species of Baeoneurella Dodd (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae)

ABSTRACT

The genus Baeoneurella Dodd, is resurrected, and Eumicrosoma Gahan, is treated as a junior synonym. A comparison between Baeoneurella and Telenomus Haliday, with emphasis on the T. floridanus group, is made to evaluate the generic limits of Baeoneurella, and synapomorphies for this genus are presented. The European species of Baeoneurella, including a new species, B. maceki Popovici, Masner and Polaszek, are described and illustrated, with new data concerning their distribution and habitats. Keys to the European species of this genus for females and for males are provided.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3F3ECAB2-FBF9-40BB-8447-06CEF1073038     

The species of Encarsiella Hayat (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) from China

Four species of Encarsiella are recorded from China, including Taiwan, of which two species, E. nepalensis and E. amabilis sp. n. are new records for China. An illustrated key for their identification is provided, including the as yet extralimital species E. boswelli, which is almost certainly present in China, though currently unrecorded.     

Phylogenetic evaluation of the tropical Camptotypus genus-group (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), with a key to the world genera

The phylogeny of the disjunct pantropical Camptotypus genus-group (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae) was reconstructed using 40 morphological characters.The monophyly of many established genera (Parvipimpla, Clydonium, Odontopimpla) was found to be supported, but Hemipimpla was found to nest within Camptotypus and has thus been treated as a junior synonym of it (syn. n.). A group of undescribed Neotropical species were found to form a separate monophyletic group, herein referred to as Genus A. Species of the Neotropical genus Zonopimpla formed a basal paraphyletic grade which could not satisfactorily be resolved into discrete monophyletic units. Rather than subsuming all the more derived genera within one large group, or attempting to erect numerous new and probably ephemeral genera (for isolated species of Zonopimpla), we propose the retention of this grade-group as a separate genus at present. The host utilization patterns of the genus-group, and the biogeography of the genus-group are discussed. The group is hypothesized as having originated and radiated in the Neotropics, as ectoparasitoids of weakly concealed lepidopterous hosts. One lineage, Clydonium, has become specialized at attacking hosts in woody galls where it utilizes coleopterous as well as lepidopterous hosts. The Old World genera (Camptotypus and Parvipimpla) comprise a monophyletic group and are suggested to have originated from a single dispersal event across the widening Atlantic. No evidence for either a southern or northern circum-polar dispersal was observed in this entirely tropical genus-group. One lineage in the Afrotropical region has switched from attacking lepidopterous hosts, to attacking pre-pupal and pupal polistine vespids.     

Encarsia (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) parasitoids of Bemisia species in Taiwan (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

The whitefly genus Bemisia (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is represented by five species in Taiwan, including the notorious global pest Bemisia tabaci. A catalogue of Encarsia species attacking these whiteflies, based almost entirely on previously unpublished records, is provided. A key for the identification of the 17 Encarsia species known to parasitize Bemisia species in Taiwan is provided. Three new species, E. guangxingana Shih, Ko and Polaszek sp. nov., E. lineolata Shih, Ko and Polaszek sp. nov. and E. magnalata Shih, Ko and Polaszek sp. nov., are described from Taiwan. These new species were all reared from Bemisia giffardi.