A Review of the Biology of Eucharitidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) from Argentina

All the members of Eucharitidae are parasitoid of ants. Argentina has 14 genera and 41 species, but little is known about their biology. Herein are provided new data for host associations (host ant and/or host plant) of Galearia latreillei, Kapala spp., Latina rugosa, Orasema aenea, and Orasema sp. A revision of the most relevant biological aspects of Dicoelothorax platycerus, Latina rugosa, Neolirata alta, N. daguerrei, Lophyrocera variabilis, Orasema argentina, O. salebrosa, O. simplex, O. susanae, O. worcesteri, and O. xanthopus is included. New records of K. sulcifacies, Lo. plagiata, and Ob. semifumipennis in Argentina are presented. Galearia proseni is synonymized with G. latreillei

The Chalcidoidea bush of life: evolutionary history of a massive radiation of minute wasps.

Chalcidoidea are mostly parasitoid wasps that include as many as 500 000 estimated species. Capturing phylogenetic signal from such a massive radiation can be daunting. Chalcidoidea is an excellent example of a hyperdiverse group that has remained recalcitrant to phylogenetic resolution. We combined 1007 exons obtained with Anchored Hybrid Enrichment with 1048 ultra-conserved elements (UCEs) for 433 taxa including all extant families, >95% of all subfamilies, and 356 genera chosen to represent the vast diversity of the superfamily. Going back and forth between the molecular results and our collective knowledge of morphology and biology, we detected bias in the analyses that was driven by the saturation of nucleotide data. Our final results are based on a concatenated analysis of the least saturated exons and UCE datasets (2054 loci, 284 106 sites). Our analyses support an expected sister relationship with Mymarommatoidea. Seven previously recognized families were not monophyletic, so support for a new classification is discussed. Natural history in some cases would appear to be more informative than morphology, as illustrated by the elucidation of a clade of plant gall associates and a clade of taxa with planidial first-instar larvae. The phylogeny suggests a transition from smaller soft-bodied wasps to larger and more heavily sclerotized wasps, with egg parasitism as potentially ancestral for the entire superfamily. Deep divergences in Chalcidoidea coincide with an increase in insect families in the fossil record, and an early shift to phytophagy corresponds with the beginning of the "Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution". Our dating analyses suggest a middle Jurassic origin of 174 Ma (167.3-180.5 Ma) and a crown age of 162.2 Ma (153.9-169.8 Ma) for Chalcidoidea. During the Cretaceous, Chalcidoidea may have undergone a rapid radiation in southern Gondwana with subsequent dispersals to the Northern Hemisphere. This scenario is discussed with regard to knowledge about the host taxa of chalcid wasps, their fossil record and Earth's palaeogeographic history

Primer registro de Colocharis (Chalcidoidea: Eucharitidae) en la Argentina y descripción de una nueva especie

Se reporta la presencia de Colocharis Heraty para Argentina y se brinda una diagnosis para el género. Además, se describe C. hungi sp. nov., detallando los caracteres que la diferencian de las otras

Pseudochalcura prolata Heraty

Pseudochalcura prolata Heraty (Figs 12–15) Pseudochalcura prolata Heraty, 1986: 202 –205 (description), holotype ♀, Argentina: Chaco, Resistencia (MACN); Heraty, 2002: 224 (catalog). Diagnosis. Both sexes large-bodied, 3.3 – 3.5 mm, head transverse, 1.7 – 1.9 × as broad as high (Fig. 12), eyes bare, metatibial spur absent, fore wing disc with very short setae, superficially bare, submarginal vein without setae dorsally, and petiole curved in profile and shagreened dorsally; male with 12 antennal segments, with seven basal flagellomeres pectinate (Fig. 13); female with 8–11 antennal segments, with basal 5–7 flagellomeres pectinate, and Gs 1 striate. Description. Female. Description and characterization in accordance with that provided by Heraty (1986). Male. Length 3.2 – 3.3 mm. Black with a faint metallic bluish luster; scape, pedicel coxae and petiole dark brown, gaster slightly darker; antenna and rest of legs yellowish. (Fig. 14). Head 1.8 × as broad as high. POL 2.8 × LOL; POL 4.0 – 4.6 × OOL (Fig. 12). Frons and face finely striate, with striae stronger toward vertex; clypeus and supraclypeal area smooth. Eyes separated by 2.3 – 2.4 × their height. Malar space 0.8 × height of eye. Labrum with 5 digits. Antenna 12 -segmented, seven basal flagellomeres pectinate; branches slightly flattened, dorsal branch of F 2 8.3 – 12.5 × as long as broad, 8.3 × as long as basal length and 0.8 × as long as head height; F 6 and F 7 lobate and elongate; last flagellomeres not segmented (Fig. 13). Mesosoma areolate-rugose, lateral lobes shagreened, glabrous (Figs 14, 15). Pronotum and prepectus areolaterugose. Mesoscutum 1.8 – 1.9 × as broad as long. Mesoscutellum 1.3 – 1.4 × as long as maximum width of scutellar disc (Fig. 15). Propodeal disc slightly rounded, alveolate with broad interstices. Propleuron shagreened; mesopleuron and metapleuron with same sculpture as mesoscutum, femoral groove deeply impressed; callus with a few erect setae (Fig. 14). Metacoxa subtriangular, 1.0 – 1.1 × as long as broad, slightly striate and rugulose laterally but anterior and posterior surfaces punctate; mesocoxa without a lateral carina. Metafemur well expanded medially, 3.7 – 4.0× as long as broad; with sparse appressed setae laterally. Metatibia with semi-erect setae dorsally; metatibial spur absent. Petiole 3.0× as long as broad and 1.4 – 1.5 × as long as metacoxa; curved in profile and shagreened (Fig. 14). Gaster semi-globose, Gt 1 smooth with long setae dorsally and short setae to the sides. Distribution. Argentina: Buenos Aires, Chaco, La Rioja, Santiago del Estero. Uruguay: Montevideo. Material examined. 3 ♂: ARGENTINA: La Rioja: Bazán, RN9, 13.xi. 2000, P. Fidalgo, UCRC _ ENT 0 0 357442 (1 ♂, IFML); Santiago del Estero: Campo Gallo, 26 º 41 ' 53 "S 62 º 45 ' 54 "W, 29–30.iii. 2007, J. & J. Heraty, J. Torréns, UCRC _ ENT 0 0 435929, UCRC _ ENT 0 0 357443 (1 ♂, UCRC; 1 ♂, IFML).Published as part of Torréns, Javier, 2016, A new species of Pseudochalcura Ashmead (Chalcidoidea: Eucharitidae) from Argentina with descriptions of alternate sexes of two other species, pp. 239-245 in Zootaxa 4067 (2) on pages 243-245, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4067.2.8, http://zenodo.org/record/25914

Pseudochalcura Ashmead

Key to the species of Pseudochalcura Ashmead (modified from Heraty 1986) 1 Dorsal setae on submarginal vein present; setae of fore wing disc long or short; female first gastral sternite smooth; metatibial spur present.......................................................................................... 2 - Dorsal setae on submarginal vein absent; setae of fore wing disc very short, barely visible; female first gastral sternite strigose, striate or punctate; metatibial spur present or absent.......................................................... 7 2 Metacoxa bare; male antenna 12 -segmented with 5 or 6 long basal branches; eyes bare.............................. 3 - Metacoxa with erect lateral setae; male antenna 11 -segmented with 3 or 4 short basal branches; eyes bare or setose........ 4 3 Disc of propodeum with fairly dense, long setae; setae of fore wing disc long; wings usually with infuscate spot below stigma.................................................................................. P. americana (Howard) - Disc of propodeum bare or with few isolated setae; setae of fore wing disc very short in female, longer in male; wings without infuscate markings....................................................................... P. liburna Heraty 4 Digits of labrum long; petiole striate basally; setae of fore wing disc long; genal bridge deeply emarginate; gaster with long appressed setae dorsally; eyes bare (female unknown)......................................... P. excruciata Heraty - Digits of labrum reduced (see Fig. 32 in Heraty 1986); petiole smooth; setae of fore wing disc very short; genal bridge not or only slightly emarginate (see Fig. 50 in Heraty 1986); gaster with scattered short setae dorsally; eyes setose or bare........ 5 5 Eyes setose; dorsal mesosomal setae long; mesoscutellum areolate-rugose...................... P. nigrocyanea Ashmead - Eyes bare; dorsal mesosomal setae short; mesoscutellum longitudinally carinate.................................... 6 6 Mesopleuron and metapleuron areolate-rugose; male antenna with apical two flagellomeres distinctly separated (female unknown).............................................................................. P. frustrata Heraty - Mesopleuron and metapleuron crossed by irregular transverse carinae; male antenna with apical two flagellomeres fused, much longer than broad, and subdivided (clv, Fig. 5); female antenna with basal flagellomeres bluntly serrate; branch of F 2 0.6 – 0.7 × as long as basal length of flagellomeres.............................................. P. c a r i n a ta sp. nov. 7 Metatibial spur present; female antenna lobate or serrate; male antennal branches basally arranged along dorsal midline; head subtriangular, 1.5 – 1.7 × as broad as high; mesosoma of males only slightly more elongate than females.................. 8 - Metatibial spur absent; female antenna ramose basally; male antennal branches arranged alternately on either side of dorsal midline; head strongly transverse, 1.8 – 1.9 × as broad as high; mesosoma of males distinctly more elongate than females.... 12 8 Lateral carina of mesocoxa absent or only barely visible; costal cell of fore wing with row of ventral setae... 9 - Lateral carina of mesocoxa distinct; costal cell of fore wing bare............................................... 11 9 Metacoxa laterally, and pro- and mesocoxae ventrally with several fine, erect setae; antenna, coxae and basal half of femora black; female antenna 11 -segmented (male unknown).............................................. P. atra Heraty - Coxae bare or at most with a few short setae; antenna, coxae and basal half of femora brown; female antenna 10 - or 11 -segmented............................................................................................. 10 10 Female antenna 11 -segmented, covered with dense placoid sensilla and few setae; petiole not pinched ventrally and 3.2 × as long as wide (male unknown)............................................................. P. septuosa Heraty - Female antenna usually 10 -segmented, rarely 9 - or 11 -segmented, covered with numerous placoid sensilla and setae; petiole distinctly pinched ventrally and 1.7 – 3.0× as long as wide; male antenna 11 -segmented, with 4 basal branches................................................................................................ P. gibbosa Provancher 11 Female antenna 8 -segmented, with basal segments strongly serrated, becoming acuminate at tips; male antenna 8 -segmented, with last two flagellomeres fused, much longer than broad and subdivided (Fig. 10); metafemur abruptly expanded medially; first gastral sternite of female granular, not striate; wings hyaline................................... P. pauca Heraty - Female antenna 10 -segmented with basal segments not strongly acuminate at tips; male antenna 11 -segmented with 4 basal branches, with apical two flagellomeres distinctly separated, and last flagellomere as long as broad; metafemur broadly expanded medially; first gastral sternite of female finely striate; wings infuscate or hyaline............. P. chilensis Kieffer 12 Petiole granulate or shagreened dorsally; female antenna with basal flagellomeres strongly ramose, rami more than 4.0× as long as base......................................................................................... 13 - Petiole reticulate; female antenna with basal flagellomeres serrate to ramose, rami not more than 4.0× as long as basal width.................................................................................................... 14 13 Female antenna with F 2 –F 6 pectinate; male antenna 12 -segmented with 7 basal branches (Fig. 13); POL/OOL 3.6 – 4.1 ×; supraclypeal area smooth; Gs 1 of female striate; petiole shagreened..................................... P. prolata Heraty - Female antenna with F 2 –F 8 pectinate; male antenna 12 -segmented with 9 basal branches; POL/OOL 2.8 ×; supraclypeal area slightly striate; Gs 1 of female strigose; petiole granulate.................................... P. a l b a Heraty & Heraty 14 Female with basal flagellomeres lobate to serrate, but not ramose; mesosoma uniformly dark brown to black, sculpture prominent dorsally; profile of face linear. Male with antenna 12 -segmented, and with 6 long basal branches; mesosoma color as for female, sometimes with faint metallic reflections dorsally; ventral angle of face straight in profile; interstices and walls of areolae on mesosoma dorsum smooth.......................................................... P. condylus Heraty - Female with basal flagellomeres lobate or ramose; mesosoma patterned light and dark or completely yellow, sculpture shallow dorsally; face broadly concave below level of toruli. Male with antenna 12 -segmented, and with 7 long basal branches; mesosoma uniformly dark, with metallic reflections weak or absent; ventral angle of face concave in profile; sculpture of mesosoma as in female.......................................................................... P. sculpturata HeratyPublished as part of Torréns, Javier, 2016, A new species of Pseudochalcura Ashmead (Chalcidoidea: Eucharitidae) from Argentina with descriptions of alternate sexes of two other species, pp. 239-245 in Zootaxa 4067 (2) on pages 240-241, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4067.2.8, http://zenodo.org/record/25914

Redescripción de Mastrus ridibundus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), parasitoide introducido en la Argentina para el control de Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Se redescribe el agente de biocontrol introducido en la Argentina, Mastrus ridibundus (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), para el control de Cydia pomonella (L.) y se aportan nuevos caracteres para su identificación

Precariedad y Pobreza en Castilla León

El artículo se basa en los datos sobre Castilla y León incluidos en la última investigación sobre pobreza realizada en España: "Las Condiciones de vida de la población pobre en España" EDIS-FOESSA-CARITAS. Bajo el "umbral de la pobreza" (<50% de la renta neta media disponible por persona y año) viven en Castilla-León el 23% de las familias y el 25.5% de la población. Las tasas son algo superiores a las medias de todo el Estado. La pobreza predominante no es la más grave, aunque un sector de cerca de 22.000 familias vive en pobreza severa. Son sectores de mayor riesgo los jóvenes, las zonas marginales de las ciudades, los mayores de zonas rurales, los parados y las mujeres con cargas familiare

Redescripción de Mastrus ridibundus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), parasitoide introducido en la Argentina para el control de Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Redescription of Mastrus ridibundus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), parasitoid introduced for the control of Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Argentina

Se redescribe el agente de biocontrol introducido en la Argentina, Mastrus ridibundus (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), para el control de Cydia pomonella (L.) y se aportan nuevos caracteres para su identificación.<br>The bio-control agent introduced in Argentina Mastrus ridibundus (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) for the control of Cydia pomonella (L.) is redescribed, providing new characters for the species

Precariedad y Pobreza en Castilla León

El artículo se basa en los datos sobre Castilla y León incluidos en la última investigación sobre pobreza realizada en España: "Las Condiciones de vida de la población pobre en España" EDIS-FOESSA-CARITAS. Bajo el "umbral de la pobreza" (<50% de la renta neta media disponible por persona y año) viven en Castilla-León el 23% de las familias y el 25.5% de la población. Las tasas son algo superiores a las medias de todo el Estado. La pobreza predominante no es la más grave, aunque un sector de cerca de 22.000 familias vive en pobreza severa. Son sectores de mayor riesgo los jóvenes, las zonas marginales de las ciudades, los mayores de zonas rurales, los parados y las mujeres con cargas familiare

FIGURES 8 – 13 in A new genus of Eucharitidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), with notes on life history and immature stages

FIGURES 8 – 13. Neolirata daguerrei: 8, Labrum (female), lbd, labral digit; sld, seta of labral digit. 9 – 13, biology and immature stages of N. daguerrei: 9, habitat; 10, Urvillea chacoënsis; 11, underside of leaf of U. chacoënsis with eggs (eggs represented in white area); 12, egg; 13, planidia. md, mandible; plst, pleurostomal seta or spine; Tp, tergopleural line