To understand the factors governing the diversity, abundance and host associations of parasitoids attacking frugivorous drosophilid flies on Iriomote-jima, a subtropical island of Japan, we monitored parasitism on several occasions over the period 2003–2009. Fifteen drosophilid and 12 parasitoid species were recorded. Three species of Drosophila, D. bipectinata, D. albomicans and D. takahashii, bred abundantly in banana baits, though their abundance varied between years and seasons. Frequent parasitoid species were Asobara japonica, A. pleuralis (Braconidae), Leptopilina ryukyuensis and L. pacifica (Figitidae). L. victoriae was recorded only in December 2003. In addition, host acceptance and host suitability of the four most frequently recorded parasitoid species were studied in the laboratory. Most parasitoid and drosophilid species showed species-specific associations with more than one antagonist species, suggesting that they have been subjected to complex coevolutionary interactions. In addition, host range of most of the parasitoid species included one of the three major Drosophila species, suggesting that the abundance of potential hosts is one of the factors determining the evolution of parasitoid host use., Biljan Novkovic ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
After comparing the morphology of the genus Hemicrisis Förster, 1869 and Phaenoglyphis Förster, 1869, and examining the sculpturing in this genus, the synonymy between Hemicrisis and Phaenoglyphis is re-established. The specific status of Phaenoglyphis pubicollis (Thomson, 1877) comb. n. is re-established and differentiated from Phaenoglyphis ruficornis (Förster, 1869) comb. n. A new species of Charipinae, Phaenoglyphis evenhuisi sp. n. is described from Andorra. It is characterized by the presence of sculpture on the mesonotum, a character only shared with P. pubicollis. Some illustrations are provided. Notes on all the sculptured Charipinae are provided as well as a key to the genera of Alloxystini.
The genus Xyalophora (Giraud, 1860) is revised herein. The revision includes the type species of Xyalophora (Figites clavatus Giraud, 1860), the type material and the original descriptions of all the species of Xyalophora included in the Weld catalogue, and long series of undetermined material. Xyalophora clavata (Giraud, 1860) and X. singularis (Ashmead, 1896) are the only currently recognized species that should be included in Xyalophora. Four new species are described: X. belizini sp. n., X. giraudi sp. n., X. provancheri sp. n. and X. zarazagai sp. n. The type species of Ceraspidia, Ceraspidia japonica Belizin, 1952, corresponds to males of a species within Xyalophora. Thus, Ceraspidia is a new synonymy of Xyalophora, which results in Xyalophora japonica comb. n. Xyalophora impatiens (Say, 1836) and Xyalophora picea (Spinola, 1853) being considered like incertae sedis, as the latter does not belong to the Figitinae but to the Eucoilinae and is probably a species within Acantheucoela Ashmead, 1900. Xyalophora aciculata Benoit, 1956 is transferred to the genus Figites Latreille, 1802: Figites aciculata comb. n. Xyalophora leviventris Kieffer, 1908 is a synonym of Xyalophora quinquelineata (Say, 1836), which is transferred to Xyalophoroides gen. n., a new genus here described. The differences between all the genera of Figitinae with a scutellar spine are discussed and illustrated.
Larvae of Strobilomyia flies (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) are serious pests in conifer-seed orchards because they feed on the seed inside the cones. Figitid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea) of Strobilomyia larvae in conifer cones are commonly reported but under various generic names. It is argued here that, across the entire Holarctic region, these figitids belong to Amphithectus and perhaps also to Sarothrus (Figitinae), but not to Melanips (Aspicerinae), contrary to some reports. We conclude that the identity of the commonly found figitid associated with conifer cones (Larix and Picea) in Europe and Asia is Amphithectus austriacus (Tavares, 1928) comb. n. This is most likely considering the original description and the host association, although the type specimen of Seitneria austriaca Tavares, 1928 is lost. This species name takes priority over the recently described Amphithectus coriaceus Paretas-Martinez & Pujade-Villar, 2013. Seitneria Tavares, 1928 becomes a new junior synonym of Amphithectus Hartig, 1840, and Amphithectus coriaceus Paretas-Martinez & Pujade-Villar, 2013 becomes a new synonym of Amphithectus austriacus (Tavares, 1928) comb. n.