K. Sudheer

Biosystematics and biogeography of Oriental Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) Associated with plant galls

Abstract Chalcidoid wasps have exquisite life histories and diverse host relationships. They are believed to have originated in the upper Jurassic period. Among the chalcidoids it is not always easy to separate the obligatory gall inhabitants and those which have a discrete association with the galls. The following three categories of chalcidoids are treated in the present article (i) gall inducers (ii) gall inquilines and (iii) parasitoids attacking the gall inducers and gall inquilines. Gall-inducing chalcidoids mostly belong to Agaonidae, Eulophidae, Eurytomidae, Pteromalidae, Tanaostigmatidae, and Torymidae. The families of Chalcidoidea associated with plant galls in widely varying degrees of dependence are Aphelinidae, Encyrtidae, Trichogrammatidae, Eupelmidae, Mymaridae, Ormyridae, and Chalcididae. Several hypotheses explain the phylogeny of Chalcidoidea. Morphological features tend to support the monophyletic origin of Chalcidoidea. However, no hypothesis is acceptable totally to a chalcidologist, since a comprehensive knowledge on the distribution of the character states throughout the superfamily is lacking. Gall induction arose more then once in the six families referred above. The biogeography of gall-associated Chalcidoidea is related to the distribution of their respective host plants. The Oriental chalcidoids are not isolated from the nearby Asiatic and Middle-eastern countries. Even the Palearctic and Ethiopian elements are quite frequently met with in the Oriental region.

A review of the genus Aridelus Marshall (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae) from India

Abstract The Indian species of the genus Aridelus Marshall are revised. Three new species of Aridelus viz. A. absonus Narendran & Sheeba, sp. nov., A. achterbergi Narendran & Sheeba, sp. nov. and A. aeros Narendran & Sheeba, sp. nov. are described from India and comparison with their closest relatives are discussed. The diagnoses of the three Indian species already known are included. A key to the Indian species of Aridelus Marshall is also provided.

Three new species of Venturia Schrottky (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from India

Abstract Three new species of Venturia, viz., V. keralensis sp. nov., V. girishi sp. nov. and V. neoinclyta sp. nov. are described from India. Their affinities with the closest relatives are discussed. V. keralensis sp. nov. closely resembles V. tectonae (Perkins) but differs from the latter in the sculptures of head and thorax. V. girishi sp. nov. differs from the closely resembling V. palmaris (Wilkinson) in having the nervellus not intercepted, shorter ovipositor and sculptures on pronotum and propodeum. V. neoinclyta sp. nov. is similar to V. inclyta (Morley) but differs in having comparatively longer malar space, shorter interocellar distance and the sculptures on mesopleurum and metapleurum.

A new species of Nematopodius (Microchorus) Szépligeti from India (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Abstract Nematopodius (Microchorus) indicus, sp. nov. is described from India. This is the first report of this subgenus from India. This new species differs from other species in having sculptured body, punctures distinct and dense on anterolateral margin of pronotum and smaller malar space. A key to the Oriental species of Nematopodius (Microchorus) Szépligeti is also provided.