Achrysocharoides Girault (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) new to tropical America, with eight new species

The genus Achrysocharoides Girault is here reported for the first time from tropical America. Included are ten species, eight newly described: Achrysocharoides asperulus, Achrysocharoides callisetosus, Achrysocharoides cuspidatus, Achrysocharoides foveatus, Achrysocharoides infuscus, Achrysocharoides mediocarinatus, Achrysocharoides purpureus, Achrysocharoides sulcatus, and two already known: Achrysocharoides ecuadorensis (Hansson) and Achrysocharoides gliricidiae (Hansson & Cave). All species are included in an identification key, diagnosed, described and illustrated. Only one of the species, Achrysocharoides gliricidiae, has a host record, an endoparasitoid in a leafmining Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera) on Gliricidia sepium (Fabaceae), thus conforming to the biology of extralimital Achrysocharoides species. The genus Kratoysma Bouček is here established as a junior synonym of Achrysocharoides, and the following species previously in Kratoysma are here recombined to Achrysocharoides: Kratoysma citri Bouček, Kratoysma ecuadorensis Hansson, Kratoysma gliricidiae Hansson & Cave, Kratoysma longifacies Hansson, Kratoysma nepalensis Hansson, Derostenus usticrus Erdös.     

Paracrias pluteus (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) in Brazil: new distribution and host records, and with a new host group for Paracrias

Bruchines damage agricultural crops and trees, reducing the quantity and quality of the seeds. The aim of this study is to record, for the first time, Paracrias pluteus as a parasitoid on the immature stages of Sennius spodiogaster and Sennius cupreatus on seeds of Melanoxylon brauna in Teixeiras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Paracrias pluteus is a parasitoid without previous host records and known only from Costa Rica. Specimens obtained in this study add to knowledge of the biology of Paracrias species with a new host group (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), and the first host record and a new distribution for Paracrias pluteus.     

Differences in egg parasitism of Chrysophtharta agricola (Chapuis) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) by Enoggera nassaui Girault (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) in relation to host and parasitoid origin

Abstract The first instances of egg parasitism of Chrysophtharta agricola , a pest of eucalypt plantations, are recorded. Enoggera nassaui was found parasitising C. agricola egg batches in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), New South Wales and Victoria: this is the first record of this parasitoid species from Victoria. One instance of Neopolycystus sp. parasitising C. agricola eggs in Victoria was also recorded. Parasitism of egg batches by E. nassaui ranged from 0 to 55% between five geographical populations collected in mainland Australia ( n  = 45), and from 0 to 2% between two populations collected in Tasmania ( n  = 300). For mainland sites at which parasitism was recorded, parasitism rates within sites differed significantly from either population in Tasmania. Reciprocal exposure experiments using one Tasmanian (Florentine Valley) and one parasitised mainland (Picadilly Circus, ACT) population were conducted in the laboratory to examine whether these different parasitism rates were attributable to egg or parasitoid origin. Parasitoids from the ACT parasitised C. agricola eggs of both origins more successfully than parasitoids from Tasmania, with up to 65% wasp emergence compared with 33% from Tasmania. Parasitoid origin significantly affected the number of wasps that emerged from exposed batches, but not the total loss from parasitism.     

伊朗寄生蓟马的侧姬小蜂属Ceranisus种类记述(膜翅目:姬小蜂科:凹面姬小蜂亚科)(英文)

侧姬小蜂属Ceranisus Walker,1841隶属膜翅目Hymenoptera、小蜂总科Chalcidoidea、姬小蜂科Eulophidae、凹面姬小蜂亚科Entedoninae,是蓟马幼虫重要的寄生蜂,迄今世界上已知16种。该属颜面凹陷,额V字形,槽沟伸达中单眼水平,侧单眼后部有1条完整的沟横穿颅顶,颚眼沟一般不分叉,上颚退化;雌性触角索节2分节,棒节2或3分节;盾纵沟不明显,一般中胸盾片中叶着生2对刚毛,小盾片1对刚毛;前翅缘毛短于翅宽,后翅末端尖锐;腹柄短,宽明显大于(或至少等于)长等特征明显,较易识别。本文首次报道该属伊朗的3种类:月侧姬小蜂Ceranisus menes(Walker,1839),平侧姬小蜂C.planitianus Erds,1966和爱侧姬小蜂C.amanosus Doganlar et al.,2009,这也是该属在伊朗的首次记录。并对近缘种爱侧姬小蜂C.amanosus Doganlar et al.,2009和乌侧姬小蜂C.udnamtak Tryapitsin,2005的鉴别进行了简要讨论。     

The first record for Melittobia australica Girault in New Zealand and new host records for Melittobia (Eulophidae)

Abstract

Melittobia australica Girault is a new record for New Zealand and from Vespula spp. In the Wellington district, M. australica was found in an embryo colony of the German wasp Vespula germanica (Fabricius) and in pupae of the mason wasp Pison spinolae Shuckard in 1980 and 1981 respectively. Melittobia was recorded in nests of P. morosum Smith in Canterbury, New Zealand in 1976 and 1977. The original sources of M. australica were considered.

The validity of the earliest record of Melittobia in a social wasp host is reconsidered. It is concluded Melittobia has been underated as a parasite of social wasps.     

Distribution, prevalence and host associations of Hymenoptera parasitic on Calliphoridae occurring in flystrike in New Zealand

Abstract. Between 1920 and 1930, four species of parasitoid Hymenoptera (Tachinaephagus zealandicus, Alysia manducator, Nasonia vitripennis and Brachymeria ucalegon) were imported to New Zealand as an aid in the control of the blowflies causing myiasis in sheep (flystrike). Their long-term effects have never been investigated and the extent to which they were successful in establishing and enlarging their ranges has been given scant regard over the last 60 years. A long-term epidemiological study of flystrike in New Zealand between 1986 and 1996 obtained 4061 samples of blowfly larvae from flystruck sheep and carrion and overall 1.1% of these larval samples (most from the North Island) were found to be parasitized. Tachinaephagus zealandicus and A. manducator were present in field strikes, together with the endemic Aphaereta aotea recently found to be a parasite of calliphorids. The endemic species Phaenocarpa antipoda was found in association with carrion but not flystrike. Neither N.vitripennis nor B.ucalegon were isolated from larvae in field strikes, the former because it parasitizes only pupae and the latter may be extinct as it has not been sighted since its introduction in 1919.
It is concluded that if parasitoid wasps are able to locate and parasitize blowfly larvae on struck sheep, then their parasitism rate on more accessible larvae on carcases may be correspondingly greater. For this reason their scope for use in integrated management of flystrike could be increased by culturing and field release.     

The influence of humidity on emergence in Dacnusa sibirica Telenga (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

The effects of four humidities (33, 55, 76 and 93% relative humidity) and four ages (0–1, 2–3, 4–5, 6–7 days) of parasitized Chromatomyia syngenesiae puparia on adult emergence in the leafminer parasitoid Dacnusa sibirica were examined in the laboratory. Parasitized puparia harvested at 0–1 days were susceptible to low humidities resulting in a significantly reduced parasitoid emergence. Aging of the puparia appeared to protect the developing parasitoid from low humidities. Increasing humidity produced a corresponding increase in the longevity of the adult parasitoid.     

中国宽脉啮小蜂属(膜翅目:姬小蜂科)的种类及鉴定

本研究对我国姬小蜂科Eulophidae宽脉啮小蜂属Dzhanokmenia Kostjukov,1977进行分类和比较形态学研究,记录该属7种,其中中国新记录2种,提供了7种的鉴别特征及生物学和地理分布信息。比较形态学研究结果表明:宽脉啮小蜂属在头部、触角、腹部背板、腿节以及雌性外生殖器着生位置等结构上存在明显的形态特化和种间差异,这些结构特征能有效应用于属内物种鉴定,为该类群物种的准确鉴定提供依据。基于上述研究结果,本研究编制了该属的分种检索表。     

A new species of Aprostocetus Westwood (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), parasitizing mango leaf gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), from India

A new species of Aprostocetus doonensis Singh sp. nov. is described from northern India. The new species is a parasitoid of mango leaf gall midge, Procontarinia mangiferae (Felt) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Some observations on biology and parasitization rate are also given.     

Entedoninae wasps (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eulophidae) associated with ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in tropical America, with new species and notes on their biology

Three new species of Eulophidae associated, or presumed to be associated with ants are described: two species of Horismenus Walker and one species of Microdonophagus Schauff. Information on the biology is also included. The two Horismenus species are from Chiapas, Mexico. Horismenus myrmecophagussp. n. is known only from females and is a gregarious endoparasitoid in larvae of the weaver ant Camponotus sp. ca. textor. The parasitoids pupate inside the host larva, and an average of 6.7 individuals develops per host. This is the second time a species of genus Horismenus is found parasitizing the brood of a formicine ant of genus Camponotus. Horismenus microdonophagussp. n. is described from both males and females, and is a gregarious endoparasitoid attacking the larvae of Microdon sp. (Diptera: Syrphidae), a predator on ant brood found in nests of Camponotus sp. ca. textor. The new species of Microdonophagus, Microdonophagus tertius, is from Costa Rica, and known only from the female. Nothing is known about its biology but since another species in same genus, Microdonophagus woodleyi Schauff, is associated with ants through its host, Microdon larva (with same biology as Horismenus microdonophagus), it is possible that also Microdonophagus tertius has this association. A new distributional record for Microdonophagus woodleyi is also reported, extending its distribution from Panama and Colombia to Brazil.     

Direct and indirect effects of egg parasitism by Neopolycystus Girault sp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) on Paropsis atomaria Olivier (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract  Neopolycystus sp. is the only primary egg parasitoid associated with the pest beetle Paropsis atomaria in subtropical eucalypt plantations, but its impact on its host populations is unknown. The simplified ecosystem represented by the plantation habitat, lack of interspecific competition for host and parasitoid, and the multivoltinism of the host population makes this an ideal system for quantifying the direct and indirect effects of egg parasitism, and hence, effects on host population dynamics. Within-, between- and overall-egg-batch parasitism rates were determined at three field sites over two field seasons, and up to seven host generations. The effect of exposure time (egg batch age), host density proximity to native forest and water sources on egg parasitism rates was also tested. Neopolycystus sp. exerts a significant influence on P. atomaria populations in Eucalyptus cloeziana. plantations in south-eastern Queensland, causing the direct (13%) and indirect (15%) mortality of almost one-third of all eggs in the field. Across seasons and generations, 45% of egg batches were parasitised, with a within-batch parasitism rate of around 30%. Between-batch parasitism increased up to 5–6 days after oviposition in the field, although within-batch parasitism rates generally did not. However, there were few apparent patterns to egg parasitism, with rates often varying significantly between sites and seasons.     

Euplectrus melanocephalus Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), an ectoparasitoid of larvae of fruit-piercing moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Catocalinae) from northern Queensland

Euplectrus melanocephalus is a gregarious, primary ectoparasitoid of larvae of the fruit-piercing moth genus Eudocima Billberg (Noctuidae: Catocalinae). In northern Queensland, E. melanocephalus parasitised second- and third-instar larvae of Eud. aurantia (Moore), Eud. cocalus (Cramer) , Eud. fullonia (Clerck), Eud. iridescens (Lucas), Eud. jordani (Holland) and Eud. materna (L.). In the laboratory, E. melanocephalus also parasitised Eud. salaminia (Cramer) but failed to oviposit on larvae of two other noctuids, Erebus terminitincta (Gaede) (Catocalinae) and Spodoptera litura (F.) (Amphipyrinae). When parasitising Eud. materna , eggs of E. melanocephalus were deposited dorsolaterally on one of the first five abdominal segments of second- and third-instar larvae. Fourth instars were occasionally parasitised when the density of parasitoids was increased, but successful development to adults was markedly reduced. Pupation took place between the leaf substrate and host. Female parasitoids provided with honey survived 21 days (range = 1–42) and deposited 112 eggs (range = 11–196), while development from egg to adult occupied 12–13 days at 25°C. The minimum temperature threshold for oviposition was 17.5°C, while minimum and maximum development thresholds for larvae were 18.5°C and 30°C, respectively. Studies on the parasitoid/host interactions of E. melanocephalus indicate that it is adapted principally to the larvae of Eudocima spp.     

Reproductive performance of Nesolynx thymus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), in relation to age of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

An investigation was undertaken to record the influence of host age on the reproductive performance of Nesolynx thymus (Hymenoptera:Eulophidae). This is an indigenous, gregarious, ecto-pupal parasitoid of certain dipteran insects, including the tachinid fly, Exorista bombycis (Louis) which is a well-known endo-larval parasitoid of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Each gravid N. thymus female was allowed to parasitise 1–4-day-old puparia of Musca domestica L. for 2 days at a parasitoid–host ratio of 1:20. The parasitised host puparia were observed for progeny recovery, sex ratio, female longevity and fitness (adult size). In addition, reproductive performance of the parasitoid progeny was assessed by allowing its females to parasitise for 2 days, 3-day-old puparia of E. bombycis at a parasitoid–host ratio of 1:4. There was a significant negative correlation between host age and parasitisation rate, parasitoid developmental duration, sex ratio and female longevity while the correlation was positive between host age and parasitoid recovery per host puparium. Similarly, negative correlation was observed between host age and morphometric parameters (body length, head width and wing span of male and female and length and width of female abdomen) of the progeny adults. Host age did not have any impact on the reproductive performance of progeny adults when allowed to parasitise puparia of E. bombycis.     

Australian Oligo-Miocene Mystacinids (Microchiroptera): upper dentition, new taxa and divergence of New Zealand species

The upper dentition of two Australian early Miocene mystacinids, Icaropsparadox and I. aenae, from Riversleigh, Queensland, are described for the first time. Also recognised is a late Oligocene mystacinid from Lake Palankarinna, South Australia. The new fossils help refine understanding about the evolutionary history of mystacinids in Australia, including their temporal and geographical range, possible dietary and roosting habits, and likely separation time of New Zealand mystacinids.     

Three new records of the subfamily Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Korea

Three species of the Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are reported for the first time in Korea: Aphidius rhopalosiphi de Stefani-Perez, 1902, Aphidius uzbekistanicus Luzhetzki, 1960 and Lysiphlebus orientalis Starý and Rakhshani, 2010. Their diagnosis, photographs and host list are included.     

Sex ratios in natural populations ofAphelinus mali (Hym.: Aphelinidae) in relation to host size and host density

In an apple orchard at Armidale, the Northern Tablelands of NSW, population sex ratios ofAphelinus mali (Haldeman), an endoparasitoid of the woolly apple aphid,Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann) varied from 0.51 (proportion of males) at low host densities to female-biased at high host densities (proportion of males ranged from 0.35–0.39). This shift in sex ratio seems to be caused by the differences in allocation of sons and daughters to hosts of different sizes. In the fieldA. mali parasitizes all life stages (four nymphal instars and adult) of the woolly aphid upon encountering. According to Hughes'(1979) optimal diet model, such general host acceptance seems to be the best strategy. However, it allows the host nymphs or adults to continue to develop or reproduce until about to mummify (pupate). No mortality was observed when first or second-instar hosts were parasitized in the laboratory. Field collected small mummified hosts yielded male-biased sex ratios whereas large mummified hosts produced mainly females. In the laboratory, progeny from smaller hosts (first to third-instars) produced sex ratios which were not significantly different from 0.5 whereas progeny from larger hosts (third and fourth-instars) produced female-biased sex ratio. During winter (June–August) and early spring (September–October) when the host populations in the orchard were predominantly nymphs, the parasitoid tended to allocate equal resources to male and female offspring. In contrast, at peak population densities in summer and autumn (December–May) when larger hosts were available, the sex ratios were female-biased. The host size ofE. lanigerum andA. mali is, therefore, an important component in the dynamics of host-parasitoid interactions.     

The ant-parasitic genus Rhipipalloidea Girault (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae), with a description of a new species

The genus Rhipipalloidea Girault (1934 ), from the Australian region is revised. Rhipipalloidea gruberi Girault (1940 ) is synonymised with R. mira Girault 1934 . A new species, R. madangensis , is described from Papua New Guinea. This species is separated from R. mira from Australia by the distinct striation on the head, and ramose, 12-segmented antennae of the females. Males and a host for the genus are described for the first time.