Mattias Forshage

Afrotropical Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera).

Abstract The Afrotropical Cynipoidea are represented by 306 described species and 54 genera in four families: Cynipidae, Figitidae, Liopteridae and Ibaliidae, the latter represented by a single introduced species. Seven of these genera are only represented by undescribed species in the region. Seven new genus-level synonymies, one genus resurrected from synonymy, 54 new combinations, one combination reinstated, and one new replacement name are presented. We provide identification keys to the families, subfamilies and genera of cynipoid wasps occurring in the Afrotropical region (Africa south of the Sahara, including Madagascar and southern Arabian Peninsula). Online interactive Lucid Phoenix and Lucid matrix keys are available at: http://www.waspweb.org/Cynipoidea/Keys/index.htm. An overview of the biology and checklists of species for each genus are provided. This paper constitutes the first contributory chapter to the book on Afrotropical Hymenoptera.

Eucoilinae of North America: A Revised Catalog of Genera and Described Species

Abstract We present an updated catalog of North American Eucoilinae, bearing little resemblance to previous regional catalogs, which have been lagging behind in the recent systematic work in the group. The current catalog comprises 34 genera, arranged in six tribes. Of these genera, 9 are represented wholly by unidentified or undescribed species in the region, while the other 25 include 108 species recorded from the region. In comparison with previous catalogs, 24 genera and 41 species are added, and 34 species-level names are recombined, while 7 genera, five subgenera and 11 species are removed from the list of North American taxa. A modern, phylogenetically stable and type-based classification is implemented, as well as a tribal classification. In terms of nomenclatural acts, 25 new combinations are made (one is a reinstatement of an old combination); four new genus-levels synonymies are made (Tetramerocera Ashmead junior synonym of Ganaspis Förster, Bewelda Quinlan and Aporeucoela Kieffer junior synonyms of Hexacola Förster, Pentaplastidia Weld junior synonym of Trybligrapha Förster); eight new species-level synonymies are made; two species names are removed from synonymy; one new replacement name given (Hexacola pennsylvanicus for Hexacola subaperta Kieffer 1907 nec (Kieffer 1901a)).

Redescription of Ganaspis brasiliensis (Ihering, 1905), New Combination, (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) a Natural Enemy of the Invasive Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Abstract. The new combination of Ganaspis brasiliensis (Ihering, 1905) is proposed, and the species is redescribed from historical specimens taken in the Neotropical Region as well as more recent specimens reared from Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, 1931 in South Korea. Drosophila suzukii, otherwise known as the spotted-wing Drosophila, is a major pest of soft fruits the world over, and the search for effective natural enemies of this fly are ongoing. Though not parasitoids of D. suzukii, we also propose the following new combinations: Dieucoila brasiliensis (Kieffer, 1909), new combination, and Dieucoila brasiliana (Weld, 1952), new combination. After summarizing all known species of Eucoilinae with the specific epithet ‘brasiliensis’, we encourage future researchers to avoid this name in order prevent nomenclatural confusion.

Quasimodoana, a new Holarctic genus of eucoiline wasps (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea, Figitidae), with a phylogenetic analysis of related genera

Abstract A new Holarctic genus, Quasimodoana gen.n. is described for the Palearctic eucoiline wasp Eucoila decipiens Förster, 1869, as Quasimodoana decipiens comb.n. A lectotype is designated for this species. A new North American species is described here as Quasimodoana gibba sp.n. As the new genus has similarities with several eucoiline genera, belonging to two related but distinct lineages, a phylogenetic analysis was carried out, based on 83 morphological characters. The two lineages included in the analysis are referred to here under the tribal names of Eucoilini and Trichoplastini stat.nov. We discuss reasons for adopting available tribal names (rather than ‘informal genus groups’), and Trichoplastini is removed from synonymy with Eucoilini. The phylogenetic analysis places Quasimodoana unambiguously within Eucoilini, as a sistergroup to the Trybliographa complex. However, there is only weak support for the monophyly of Eucoilini and for the hypothesized sistergroup relationship between Eucoilini and Trichoplastini.

Structure of insect community in the fungus Inonotus radiatus in riparian boreal forests

ABSTRACT Basidiomes of polypore fungi host many insects. Yet systematic information about insect assemblages from most fungal species is lacking. We studied the insect community associated with the wood-decaying fungus Inonotus radiatus (Sowerby: Fr.) P. Karst. (Hymenochaetales). More specifically, we studied the effect of successional stage and weight of basidiomes, as well as shore exposition (north or south), on species richness and composition, as well as occurrence and abundance of the most abundant fungivores. Basidiomes were collected from riparian forests at five lakes in Sweden. Insects were reared out from the basidiomes in the laboratory. A total of 5645 adult insect individuals of 117 taxa were obtained. Among these, 2782 specimens of 36 taxa use Inonotus radiatus basidiomes as breeding habitat. Eight species of parasitic wasps were new to Sweden. The most abundant fungivore was Ennearthron cornutum (Ciidae), which is a generalist breeding in many polypore species. Based on our material and literature, the melandryid beetles Abdera affinis and A. flexuosa seem to be specialists on the order Hymenochaetales. Other frequent fungivores were Dorcatoma dresdensis (Ptinidae), and the lepidopterans Archinemapogon yildizae, Nemapogon cloacellus and N. picarellus (Tineidae). The parasitoid community associated with the tineid moths was similar to the community associated with the other polypore species in the order Polyporales. In contrast, the parasitoids associated with Dorcatoma (and/or Abdera) were different from the other Polyporales species, suggesting that the fungal host species is more important for these parasitoid species than the beetle host species itself. The most abundant and frequent parasitoids were the braconids Diospilus dispar and Colastes fritzeni, which both parasitise Dorcatoma. Species richness was significantly smaller in fresh than in more decayed basidiomes, but species composition did not differ. There was no difference in species composition or richness between north and south shorelines.

Fauna Europaea: Hymenoptera – Apocrita (excl. Ichneumonoidea)

Abstract Fauna Europaea provides a public web-service with an index of scientific names (including important synonyms) of all living European land and freshwater animals, their geographical distribution at country level (up to the Urals, excluding the Caucasus region), and some additional information. The Fauna Europaea project covers about 230,000 taxonomic names, including 130,000 accepted species and 14,000 accepted subspecies. This represents a huge effort by more than 400 contributing specialists throughout Europe and is a unique (standard) reference suitable for many users in science, government, industry, nature conservation and education. Hymenoptera is one of the four largest orders of insects, with about 130,000 described species. In the Fauna Europaea database, ‘Hymenoptera - Apocrita (excluding Ichneumonoidea)’ comprises 13 superfamilies, 52 families, 91 subfamilies, 38 tribes and 13,211 species. The paper includes a complete list of taxa dealt with, the number of species in each and the name of the specialist responsible for data acquisition. As a general conclusion about the European fauna of Hymenoptera, the best known countries in terms of recorded species are those from northwestern Europe, with the least known fauna probably in the more eastern and southeastern parts of Europe.

Dung beetles as drivers of ecosystem multifunctionality: Are response and effect traits interwoven?

Rapid biodiversity loss has emphasized the need to understand how biodiversity affects the provisioning of ecological functions. Of particular interest are species and communities with versatile impacts on multiple parts of the environment, linking processes in the biosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere to human interests in the anthroposphere (in this case, cattle farming). In this study, we examine the role of a specific group of insects - beetles feeding on cattle dung - on multiple ecological functions spanning these spheres (dung removal, soil nutrient content and greenhouse gas emissions). We ask whether the same traits which make species prone to extinction (i.e. response traits) may also affect their functional efficiency (as effect traits). To establish the link between response and effect traits, we first evaluated whether two traits (body mass and nesting strategy, the latter categorized as tunnelers or dwellers) affected the probability of a species being threatened. We then tested for a relationship between these traits and ecosystem functioning. Across Scandinavian dung beetle species, 75% of tunnelers and 30% of dwellers are classified as threatened. Hence, nesting strategy significantly affects the probability of a species being threatened, and constitutes a response trait. Effect traits varied with the ecological function investigated: density-specific dung removal was influenced by both nesting strategy and body mass, whereas methane emissions varied with body mass and nutrient recycling with nesting strategy. Our findings suggest that among Scandinavian dung beetles, nesting strategy is both a response and an effect trait, with tunnelers being more efficient in providing several ecological functions and also being more sensitive to extinction. Consequently, functionally important tunneler species have suffered disproportionate declines, and species not threatened today may be at risk of becoming so in the near future. This linkage between effect and response traits aggravates the consequences of ongoing biodiversity loss.

Review of Afrotropical Figitinae (Figitidae, Cynipoidea, Hymenoptera) with the first records of Neralsia and Lonchidia for the region.

Abstract The cynipoid subfamily Figitinae is poorly represented in the Afrotropical region with two genera (Figites Latreille and Xyalophora Kieffer) and six species currently known. Here we record an additional two genera (Neralsia Cameron and Lonchidia Thomson) for the region and describe three new species: Neralsia haddocki sp. n.; Xyalophora tedjoansi sp. n.; Xyalophora tintini sp. n. Benoit’s species described in 1956 are synonymized under Figites aciculatus (Benoit, 1956): Figites effossus syn. n.; Figites favonius syn. n.; Figites furvus syn. n.; Figites fraudator syn. n. Identification keys to the figitine genera and species occurring in the Afrotropical region are provided. Online interactive Lucid Phoenix and Lucid matrix keys are available at: http://www.waspweb.org/Cynipoidea/Keys/index.htm

The Description of Garudella Buffington and Forshage, New Genus (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Eucoilinae)

Abstract.— Garudella, a remarkable new genus of eucoiline wasp is described from Thailand, Laos, and the Republic of Congo. Four new species of Garudella are described as well: G. acothonaspis, G. afrotropica, G. algo, and G. alicae. Several autapomorphies distinguish this genus from other eucoiline genera: a distinctly protracted and broadened pronotal plate; a massive, posteriorly protruding propodeum; reduced posterior rim of metapleuron; reduced scutellar foveae and lack of lateral bar “windows”; and a generally reduced scutellar plate. In addition, the posterior of the head has a distinctly curved occipital impression, resulting in the cuticle surrounding the foramen magnum to be extruded into a neck-like process. The biology of Garudella is unknown, but based on phylogenetic inference from morphology, the presumed host could be a cyclorrhaphous Diptera in a saprophagous environment.

Revision of the West Palaearctic species of Rhoptromeris Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Eucoilinae)

ABSTRACT The West Palearctic species of Rhoptromeris are revised. A total of 11 species are recognised as valid in this region, including four newly described species: Rhoptromeris dichromata sp. nov., Rhoptromeris koponeni sp. nov., Rhoptromeris leptocornis sp. nov. and Rhoptromeris macaronesiensis sp. nov. Eucoila luteicornis Ionescu, 1959 is synonymised with Rhoptromeris heptoma (Hartig, 1840) syn. nov. A checklist of the Holarctic Rhoptromeris is presented and an identification key to the West Palearctic species is provided. www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8164332C-93E2-4E3F-A408-F5FF5DFB366E