The natural history of the parasitic wasp Trogus pennator (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): Host‐finding behaviour and a possible host countermeasure

The parasitic wasp Trogus pennator (Ichneumonidae) attacks the larvae of swallowtail butterflies (Papilionidae). Female T. pennator were followed in the field as they searched for larvae of the zebra swallowtail butterfly, Eurytides marcellus (Papilionidae), feeding on Asimina (Annonaceae) in central Florida, USA. Predictions of host‐finding theory and interactions with the host were thus investigated in a natural setting. Wasps seldom flew to plants other than Asimina and apparently recognized the plants by visual cues. Plants were attractive regardless of host presence, as the wasps approached plants lacking E. marcellus feeding damage twice as often as they approached damaged plants. However, wasps approached damaged plants at a rate greater than their frequency in the Asimina population, indicating that they can detect host damage before they approach the plants. After approaching within 0.5?m of plants, wasps tended not to land on plants lacking feeding damage. A comparison of the plants they landed on, however, showed no consistent preferences for damaged plants. The weaker trends in the latter data indicate that the presence of feeding damage was not the sole criterion for landing, although it evidently influenced behaviour. After landing, wasps spent more time searching damaged plants than undamaged plants. Butterflies preferred to oviposit on plants shorter than those searched by T. pennator. Possible adaptive consequences of this phenomenon are discussed.     

Ovipositor mechanics of the braconine wasp genus Zaglyptogastra and the ichneumonid genus Pristomerus

The multiply-arched, apical quarter to half of the ovipositors of Zaglyptogastra species are capable of flexing ventrally through up to 180°. Flexion is achieved by ventral protrusion of the lower ovipositor valves relative to the upper one, an action which juxtaposes swollen lower valve sections with weak concave narrowings of the upper valve. The structural modifications associated with this flexion mechanism are described and similar ovipositor features are illustrated for the cremastine ichneumonid genus Pristomerus.     

伊朗Semnan省姬蜂科（膜翅目）昆虫区系研究（英文）

本文研究了伊朗Semnan省的姬蜂科昆虫区系，采集和鉴定了Alomyinae亚科（1种）、Anomaloninae亚科（1种）、Cremastinae亚科（1种）、Cryptinae亚科（5种）、Ctenopelmatinae亚科（2种）、Ichneumoninae亚科（5种）、Phuridinae亚科（1种）、Tersilochinae亚科（1种）和Tryphoninae亚科（4种）的21种。     

伊朗Markazi省姬蜂科昆虫种类（膜翅目：姬蜂总科）

本文调查鉴定了伊朗Markazi省的姬蜂科昆虫种类4亚科13属15种,其中Glypta cylindrator（ Fabrici-us）和 Ichneumon terminatorius Gravenhorst为伊朗分布新纪录。     

The biology and immature stages of Thrybius togashii Kusigemati (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae), with a description of the male

Thrybius togashii Kusigemati is found to be an ectoparasitoid of larvae of a phytophagous eurytomid, Tetramesa sp. (Hymenoptera), growing gregariously in internodal cavities of reeds (Phragmites japonica Steud.), in Japan. The female of T. togashii oviposits into reed canes and its predaceous larva consumes almost all eurytomid larvae in an internodal cavity. This species is bivoltine. The mode of parasitism of this species is unique in some respects. First, when the female oviposits, no food resources are available in the reed. Second, the parasitoid allows part of the host larvae to grow and exploits increasing food resources. The egg, pupa and first to final instar larvae and adult male are described and figured for the first time. Colour dimorphism in both sexes and adult morphology adapted to habitat and ovipositional substrate are also discussed.     

广西姬蜂科已知种类

广西已知姬蜂科１７９种，其中４种为中国首次记录，１１３种为广西新记录。     

A new species of the enigmatic Australian endemic family Trachypetidae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea): Cercobarcon lasallei sp.n.

ABSTRACT

The Trachypetidae is a newly recognised family of Ichneumonoidea endemic to Australia and one of the most distinctive wasp groups on the continent based on their large body size and superficial resemblance to some ichneumonids and aculeate wasps. The family is united in the presence of a unique sensory or glandular structure at the base of the mandibles. It is known from three genera: Cercobarcon Tobias, 1979, Megalohelcon Turner, 1918 (= Rhamphobarcon Tobias, 1979) and Trachypetus Guérin de Méneville, 1830, totalling eight described species. Trachypetines are rarely encountered, with very few specimens having been collected or recognised in collections since the group was revised in 1993. Here we report on a newly discovered species from Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, the first to be recognised in more than 25 years, and take much pleasure in naming it after Dr John La Salle, in celebration of his career.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3F0147A8-F628-4869-B7FD-2E1560145734     

The Eucerotinae: a Gondwanan origin for a cosmopolitan group of Ichneumonidae?

A new genus and species of the formerly monobasic and predominantly amphitropical, ichneumonid subfamily, Eucerotinae, is described from Chile. A phylogenetic analysis of the redefined Eucerotinae is undertaken. Barronia araucaria gen. et sp. n. has a sister-group relationship with Euceros. The southern hemisphere species of the latter genus were found to comprise a monophyletic clade, the sister group to all other Euceros species. Similarly all north temperate Euceros species form a monophyletic clade, the sister group of which occurs in Madagascar. Within the former clade, the North American species form a monophyletic group, the sister species of which is Palaearctic. Several other groups of Palaearctic taxa have a sister-group relationship to this lineage. These results suggest the Eucerotinae had an ancient origin on Gondwanaland in the lower Cretaceous, prior to the separation of the Indo-Madagascar terrane from the Australian-Antarctic-South American tectonic plate. We hypothesize the Palaearctic fauna colonized Eurasia following the impaction of India on to its southern margin, and that the North American fauna is derived from a single circum-polar dispersal from Eurasia. Our results do not support an earlier hypothesis that the Eucerotinae arose as hyperparasitoids of Symphyta. Evidence suggests the group arose as parasitoids of ophioniform ichneumonids attacking lepidopterous larvae feeding on gymnosperms or anemophilous angiosperm trees.     

Diurnal flight activity of Ichneumonidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) in Cabañeros National Park (Spain)

We examined the influence of weather factors, including temperature, humidity and sunlight, on the diurnal flight activity of Ichneumonidae (Insecta, Hymenoptera) in an oak wood in Cabañeros National Park (Spain) in June, when the annual flight activity reaches its maximum. Ichneumonidae flight activity peaked at temperatures of around 25.6–27°C, which is reached in late morning to midday and in the evening (20.00–21.00 h). The evening peak in activity was greater. Males were more active in the morning, whereas females were more active in the afternoon. Relative humidity is closely related to air temperature but showed little correspondence with flight activity. Illuminance did not explain diurnal flight activity, other than dictating diurnal or nocturnal habits of Ichneumonidae.