A survey of parasitoid species within Eriogyna pyretorum (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) in Fuzhou Region of China

Eriogyna pyretorum Westwood is a notorious defoliator of Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl that causes large economic and ecological losses in planted forests. To understand the importance of suppress population of E. pyretorum on natural parasitoids, a two-years investigation was conducted in the field. Four parasitoid species were identified from E. pyretorum: Gregopimpla himalayensis (Cameron, 1899), Theronia depressa (Gupta, 1962), Xanthopimpla konowi (Krieger, 1899) and Kriechbaumerella longiscutellaris Qian et He. G. himalayensis and T. depressa were first reported parasitoid wasps within E. pyretorum. Parasitism rates were 18.76% for K. longiscutellaris, 2.10% for G. himalayensis, 7.55% for T. depressa and 0.83% for X. konowi. Longevity, offspring and sex ratio were compared in four hymenopteran species, and K. longiscutellaris was the abundant parasitoid of E. pyretorum in Fujian province of China.

The complete genome of Chelonus insularis reveals dynamic arrangement of genome components in parasitoid wasps that produce bracoviruses

Bracoviruses (BVs) are endogenized nudiviruses in parasitoid wasps of the microgastroid complex (family Braconidae). Microgastroid wasps have coopted nudivirus genes to produce replication-defective virions that females use to transfer virulence genes to parasitized hosts. The microgastroid complex further consists of six subfamilies and ∼50,000 species but current understanding of BV gene inventories and organization primarily derives from analysis of two wasp species in the subfamily Microgastrinae ( Microplitis demolitor and Cotesia congregata ) that produce M. demolitor BV (MdBV) and C. congregata BV (CcBV). Notably, several genomic features of MdBV and CcBV remain conserved since divergence of M. demolitor and C. congregata ∼53 million years ago (MYA). However, it is unknown whether these conserved traits more broadly reflect BV evolution, because no complete genomes exist for any microgastroid wasps outside of the Microgastrinae. In this regard, the subfamily Cheloninae is of greatest interest because it diverged earliest from the Microgastrinae (∼85 MYA) after endogenization of the nudivirus ancestor. Here, we present the complete genome of Chelonus insularis , which is an egg-larval parasitoid in the Cheloninae that produces C. insularis BV (CinsBV). We report that the inventory of nudivirus genes in C. insularis is conserved but are dissimilarly organized when compared to M. demolitor and C. congregata . Reciprocally, CinsBV proviral segments share organizational features with MdBV and CcBV but virulence gene inventories exhibit almost no overlap. Altogether, our results point to the functional importance of a conserved inventory of nudivirus genes and a dynamic set of virulence genes for the successful parasitism of hosts. Our results also suggest organizational features previously identified in MdBV and CcBV are likely not essential for BV virion formation. Significance Bracoviruses are a remarkable example of virus endogenization, because large sets of genes from a nudivirus ancestor continue to produce virions that thousands of wasp species rely upon to parasitize hosts. Understanding how these genes interact and have been coopted by wasps for novel functions is of broad interest in the study of virus evolution. This manuscript characterizes bracovirus genome components in the parasitoid wasp Chelonus insularis , which together with existing wasp genomes captures a large portion of the diversity among wasp species that produce bracoviruses. Results provide new information about how bracovirus genome components are organized in different wasps while also providing additional insights on key features required for function.

Review of Afrotropical sceliotracheline parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae)

The platygastrid subfamily Sceliotrachelinae, while represented globally by numerous biologically important taxa, is generally poorly known for the Afrotropical region. It contains a number of species of economic significance, including some that attack hemipteran pests of citrus. Here we review the taxonomy of the subfamily for the region. We revise two enigmatic, endemic South African genera, Afrisolia Masner and Huggert and Sceliotrachelus Brues, providing illustrated identification keys to the species. Afrisolia anyskop van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov., Afrisolia quagga van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov. and Afrisolia robertsoni van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov. are described for this previously monotypic genus. Sceliotrachelus was previously known only from the two male type specimens of Sceliotrachelus braunsi Brues. Two new species, Sceliotrachelus midgleyi van Noort, sp. nov. and Sceliotrachelus karooensis van Noort, sp. nov., are described from the Eastern and Western Cape, respectively. The female of S. braunsi is described for the first time and additional distribution records for the species are documented. The putatively basal species, S. karooensis, exhibits less derived morphology than the highly apomorphic S. braunsi, necessitating reassessment of the limits of the genus. The exceptional morphology exhibited by species of Sceliotrachelus is hypothesized to be an adaptation to living in leaf-litter. We also revise the Old World species of Parabaeus Kieffer, describing a remarkable new species, Parabaeus nasutus van Noort, sp. nov., and provide an illustrated and updated key to the species. Fidiobia Ashmead is currently represented in Africa by seven described species to which we add Fidiobia celeritas van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov., a charismatic new species from South Africa. The distribution of the genus Isolia is expanded to include new country records for I. hispanica Buhl (Kenya) and an undescribed species from Madagascar. To facilitate the ongoing exploration and documentation of the African platygastrid fauna, an identification key to Afrotropical sceliotracheline genera and high resolution images of exemplar species for the remaining genera are provided. An overview of known species richness and biology is also included. All images presented here as well as additional images and interactive online Lucid identification keys are available on WaspWeb at http://www.waspweb.org.

New family-level characters for Platygastroidea

Platygastridae (Hymenoptera) is a diverse family of parasitoid wasps for which few studies of internal morphology have been conducted. The monophyly of the group is undisputed based on recently published molecular data, but based on morphology, the family is diagnosable from other platygastroids only by a combination of character reductions. In the present study we explored the mesosoma of Platygastroidea and found two new synapomorphies for Platygastridae: an externally visible anterior mesofurcal pit, which corresponds to an invagination that connects to the anterior portion of the mesofurca, and internally, a posteriorly shifted origin of the first wing flexors. The absence of a mesofurcal bridge and the exclusively mesopectal origin of the fore wing flexors are treated as synapomorphies for Platygastridae+Janzenellidae. Phylogenetic implications and evolutionary hypotheses regarding these traits are discussed.

Stink bug egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) associated with pistachio in Iran and description of a new species: Trissolcus darreh Talamas

Surveys for egg-parasitoid wasps were conducted in Rafsanjan, Iran, on two species of Pentatomidae (Hemiptera) found in pistachio orchards, Acrosternum arabicum Wagner and Brachynema signatum Jakovlev. Five species of Scelionidae (Platygastroidea) were recovered, including one that is here described as new: Psix saccharicola (Mani), Trissolcus colemani (Crawford), T. darreh Talamas sp. nov., T. perepelovi (Kozlov), and T. semistriatus (Nees). In addition to describing a new species, we report new host associations, provide COI barcodes for four of these species, and discuss host-related intraspecific variation in T. darreh and T. perepelovi.

Protokoll der Jahresversammlung der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft vom 5. März und 21. Juni 2021 via Videokonferenz

Aufgrund der anhaltenden Corona-Pandemie musste die Jahresversammlung leider auf einen Tag reduziert werden und ohne physische Präsenz stattfinden. Sie wurde daher per Videokonferenz abgehalten. Der Präsident Oliver Martin hatte dafür ein Meeting via Zoom organisiert, das reibungslos ablief. Trotz der erschwerten Umstände konnte ein interessantes Vortragsprogramm für die Jahresversammlung zusammengestellt werden. Den Themenschwerpunkt bildete die experimentelle Forschung mit Hymenopteren, jedoch aus ganz unterschiedlichen Fachgebieten. Das Programm startete mit dem Hauptvortrag von Yuko Ulrich, Professorin an der ETH Zürich, zum Thema Sozialverhalten und Krankheitsdynamik bei Ameisen. Darin gab sie einen Einblick, wie im Labor soziale Interaktionen und die Mechanismen der Entstehung von Arbeitsteilung untersucht werden. Als Modellorganismus diente die räuberische Ameisenart Ooceraea biroi, die keine Königinnen ausbildet. Stattdessen vermehren sich alle Individuen parthenogenetisch, was den Faktor der genetischen Varianz in Experimenten deutlich reduziert. Mittels Kameras über mehreren Dutzend Ameisenkolonien und Farbcodes auf den Tieren konnte das Verhalten und der Aufenthaltsort (im Nest oder ausserhalb des Nests) jedes Individuums analysiert werden. Dann wurde der Einfluss der Koloniegrösse, sowie der Mischung von Genotypen und Körpergrössen innerhalb einer Ameisengruppe auf das Verhalten der Tiere untersucht. Abschliessend berichtete Frau Ulrich über die neueste Forschung mit experimentell infizierten Ameisen. Von Pilzsporen befallene Tiere werden intensiver von Artgenossen betreut, wodurch ihre Überlebensrate stark steigt. In zukünftigen Studien sollen die genannten Untersuchungen über mehrere Generationen von Ameisen hinweg ausgedehnt werden. ● Social behaviour and disease dynamics in clonal ant colonies. Yuko Ulrich, ETH Zürich ● Defensive symbionts protect aphids from parasitoid wasps depending on stable genotype-by-genotype interactions. Elena Gimmi, Eawag / ETH Zürich ● Megachile sculpturalis Smith, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), an Asian wild bee populates Europe. Julia Lanner, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien / Universität Bern ● Homemade or take away: Where do the cuticular hydrocarbons of parasitoid wasps come from? Corinne Hertäg, ETH Zürich ● Entwicklungsbiologische Ursachen sexueller Merkmale bei Mistkäfern: Wie macht man lange Beine? Patrick Rohner, Indiana University Der ETH Zürich sei für das Zurverfügungstellen des Videokonferenzraums herzlich gedankt.

High diversity of pimpline parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae) from the lowermost Eocene Fur Formation

With an estimated 100,000 extant species, Darwin wasps (Ichneumonidae) are more specious than all vertebrates together. However, only 288 fossil species have been described to date, with hundreds more awaiting formal description in palaeontological collections. One of the largest gaps in our knowledge concerns the ~12 million years between the K-PG mass extinction and the late Ypresian, from which only two species have been formally described, including Pimpla stigmatica Henriksen from the Danish Fur Formation (~55 Ma). Ie here redescribe and reclassify this species in the genus Epitheronia Gupta, n. comb., and describe nine new species from this fossil locality that are consistent with a placement in Pimplinae: Crusopimpla collina n. sp., C. elongata n. sp., C. minuta n. sp., C. rettigi n. sp., C. violina n. sp., Theronia? furensis n. sp., T. nigriscutum n. sp., Xanthopimpla ciboisae n. sp., and X. crescendae n. sp. The diagnosis of the genus Crusopimpla Kopylov, Spasojevic & Klopfstein is amend in the light of the new species. By comparing the preserved colouration between and within specimens of different species, we draw conclusions about the taxonomic usefulness of colour patterns observed in Fur Formation ichneumonids. The number of described species of pimpline parasitoid wasps from Fur is very high when compared to any other fossil deposit, but low with respect to numbers of extant species. Further study and excavation of Fur ichneumonids will certainly reveal an even higher diversity.