Biology of \u3ci\u3eDiastrophus Nebulosus\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) and Its Parasitoid/Inquiline Complex in Galls on \u3ci\u3eRubus Flagellaris\u3c/i\u3e (Rosaceae)

Rubus flagellaris patches occasionally harbor colonies of compound stem- galls initiated by the cynipid, Diastrophus nebulosus. These isolated colonies host a parasitoid/inquiline complex made up of five principal and three incidental chalcidoid species and one cynipid inquiline. Over 1-2 seasons, parasitoid/inquiline infestation reduced primary host populations to lows of 2-0% in some colonies. Despite heavy parasitism in most colonies, dispersal of D. nebulosus out of infested colonies resulted in a survival rate of 22%. Among parasitoids, a new species, Eurytoma rubrigalla, was revealed along with new records for Eupelmella vesicularis and an unidentified Habrocytus species. Immature stages and life histories of D. nebulosus and members of its parasitoid/inquiline complex are illustrated and described with notes on gall genesis and development. Courtship and mating is summarized for Eurytoma diastrophi and arrhenotoky is here first reported for a Nearctic species in Diastrophus

First records of Charipinae (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea, Figitidae) aphid hyperparasitoids from Malta

Charipinae material has been collected from different localities in Malta. Three species have been identified: Alloxysta citripes, Alloxysta pilipennis and Phaenoglyphis villosa in association with two aphids and one parasitoid species. Diagnosis and information about distribution and hosts of each species is given. Plates with diagnostic features of these three species are also included. These findings represent the first record of the subfamily Charipinae in Maltapeer-reviewe

Revision of the types of species of Alloxysta described by Cameron and Fergusson (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Charipinae) and deposited in the Natural History Museum (London), including a key to the fauna of Great Britain

Type material of the species of Alloxysta described by Cameron and Fergusson and deposited in the Natural History Museum of London has been revised. Seven species are considered valid: Alloxysta abdera Fergusson, 1986, A. basimacula (Cameron, 1886), A. crassa (Cameron, 1889), A. mullensis (Cameron, 1883), A. piceomaculata (Cameron, 1883), A. pleuralis (Cameron, 1879) and A. semiaperta Fergusson, 1986. A. basimacula, A. crassa, A. maculicollis (Cameron, 1886), A. perplexa (Cameron, 1889) and A. piceomaculata are here removed from synonymy with A. macrophadna (Hartig, 1841). A. rufi ceps (Cameron, 1883) is removed from synonymy with A. victrix (Westwood, 1833). A. caledonica (Cameron, 1886) and A. perplexa are here synonymized with A. basimacula. A. maculicollis, A. ruficeps and A. ruficollis (Cameron, 1883) are here synonymized with A. castanea (Hartig, 1841). A. ancylocera (Cameron, 1886) was correctly synonymized with A. fuscicornis (Hartig, 1841), A. curvicornis (Cameron, 1883) was correctly synonymized with A. victrix and A. filicornis (Cameron, 1889) was correctly synonymized with A. macrophadna. Complete redescriptions and illustrations are given for valid species. A key for all the Alloxysta species found so far in Great Britain is given

The Thimbleberry Gallmaker, \u3ci\u3eDiastrophus Kincaidii,\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), in the Great Lakes Region

Diastrophus kinccddii, a gall wasp previously known only from California and the Pacific Northwest, is reported from the Great Lakes Region. It is present on thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus, in three counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michi- gan and in Duluth, Minnesota. It may have arrived on the Keweenaw Peninsula of Upper Michigan within the past ten years. Information about its biology, distribu- tion, and abundance is presented

Rediscovery of a rare gall on Rosa sempervirens induced by Diplolepis eglanteriae (Hartig, 1840) (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) in Malta

Diplolepis eglanteriae is a cynipid wasp inducing characteristic smooth pea-like galls on Rosa sempervirens. The gall was first reported as occurring in Malta in 1926 at Buskett. During the present study, the presence of this gall was confirmed and although it was not found again in Buskett it was found in three other localities on Malta. Three chalcid parasitoids were found associated with these galls, namely Eupelmus (Macroneura) muellneri Ruschka, 1921 (Eupelmidae), Stepanovia eurytomae (Nees, 1834) (Eulophidae) and Pteromalus sp. near bedeguaris (Pteromalidae); the latter two are here recorded for the first time from the Maltese Islands.peer-reviewe

Biological control of the chestnut gall wasp with \emph{T. sinensis}: a mathematical model

The Asian chestnut gall wasp \emph{Dryocosmus kuriphilus}, native of China, has become a pest when it appeared in Japan, Korea, and the United States. In Europe it was first found in Italy, in 2002. In 1982 the host-specific parasitoid \emph{Torymus sinensis} was introduced in Japan, in an attempt to achieve a biological control of the pest. After an apparent initial success, the two species seem to have locked in predator-prey cycles of decadal length. We have developed a spatially explicit mathematical model that describes the seasonal time evolution of the adult insect populations, and the competition for finding egg deposition sites. In a spatially homogeneous situation the model reduces to an iterated map for the egg density of the two species. While the map would suggest, for realistic parameters, that both species should become locally extinct (somewhat corroborating the hypothesis of biological control), the full model, for the same parameters, shows that the introduction of \emph{T. sinensis} sparks a traveling wave of the parasitoid population that destroys the pest on its passage. Depending on the value of the diffusion coefficients of the two species, the pest can later be able to re-colonize the empty area left behind the wave. When this occurs the two populations do not seem to attain a state of spatial homogeneity, but produce an ever-changing pattern of traveling waves

Phylogenomic analysis of protein-coding genes resolves complex gall wasp relationships

International audienceAbstract Gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) comprise 13 distinct tribes whose interrelationships remain incompletely understood. Recent analyses of ultra‐conserved elements (UCEs) represent the first attempt at resolving these relationships using phylogenomics. Here, we present the first analysis based on protein‐coding sequences from genome and transcriptome assemblies. Unlike UCEs, these data allow more sophisticated substitution models, which can potentially resolve issues with long‐branch attraction. We include data for 37 cynipoid species, including two tribes missing in the UCE analysis: Aylacini (s. str.) and Qwaqwaiini. Our results confirm the UCE result that Cynipidae are not monophyletic. Specifically, the Paraulacini and Diplolepidini + Pediaspidini fall outside a core clade (Cynipidae s. str.), which is more closely related to the insect‐parasitic Figitidae, and this result is robust to the exclusion of long‐branch taxa that could mislead the analysis. Given this, we here divide the Cynipidae into three families: the Paraulacidae stat. prom., Diplolepididae stat. prom. and Cynipidae (s. str.). Our results suggest that the Eschatocerini are the sister group of the remaining Cynipidae (s. str.). Within the Cynipidae (s. str.), the Aylacini (s. str.) are more closely related to oak gall wasps (Cynipini) and some of their inquilines (Ceroptresini) than to other herb gallers (Aulacideini and Phanacidini), and the Qwaqwaiini likely form a clade together with Synergini (s. str.) and Rhoophilini. Several alternative scenarios for the evolution of cynipid life histories are compatible with the relationships suggested by our analysis, but all are complex and require multiple shifts among parasitoids, inquilines and gall inducers

Los cinípidos mexicanos no asociados a encinos (Hymenoptera : Cynipidae), perspectivas de estudio

Ésta es la segunda aportación de los autores al estado de conocimiento de los Cynipidae de México. La única especie de Aylacini citada hasta el momento de México, Aylax rufipes (Cameron, 1884), es transferida a la familia Figitidae como Myrtopsen rufipes (Cameron, 1884) n. comb. Se discute la posibilidad de encontrar especies autóctonas o invasoras de Aylacini en México. En lo que se refiere a los cinípidos inquilinos, incluidos en la tribu Synergini, la riqueza de Synergus, Saphonecrus y Ceroptres dista mucho de ser conocida, habiéndose citado solamente dos especies de Synergus; Periclistus es un género inquilino inexistente en México debido a la ausencia de las agallas huésped, pertenecientes a tribu Diplolepidini. Finalmente, aunque las tribus Diplolepidini, Eschatocerini y Pediaspidini nunca se han citado, se discute su posible presencia.This is the second contribution of the authors to the knowledge of the Cynipidae in Mexico. The only Aylacini species cited for Mexico, Aylax rufipes (Cameron, 1884), is transferred to the family Figitidae as Myrtopsen rufipes (Cameron, 1884) n. comb. The possibility of finding native or invasive species of Aylacini in Mexico is discussed. Concerning the inquiline cynipids, included in the Synergini, the species richness of Synergus, Saphonecrus and Ceroptres is far from being well known, with only two Synergus species cited; Periclistus is an inquiline genus absent in Mexico due to the absence of the host galls; which belong to the Diplolepidini. Lastly, even if the tribes Diplolepidini, Eschatocerini and Pediaspidini have never been cited, their possible presence is discussed

Cynipidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) fauna of Istanbul

Pamukkale University Scientific Research Project Unit, 2012FBE04