Tracking the origin and dispersal of the Asian chestnut gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) in Europe with molecular markers.

The Asian chestnut gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus, is an invasive pest causing significant damage to chestnut trees (Castanea spp., Fagaceae). Originating from China, it has recently invaded a wide range of regions in Europe and North America. Understanding the population genetic structure of important invasive pests is very useful for improving the knowledge concerning routes of expansion and colonizing capacity. Despite its economic importance, limited attention has been given to D. kuriphilus origin and spread, or to its genetic structure. In this study, D. kuriphilus populations sampled in eight European countries were screened using both mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1; COI) and nuclear (internal transcribed spacer 2; ITS2) sequences, and Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers. The molecular markers COI and ITS2 highlighted the presence of a single haplotype in all the studied populations. The recorded mitochondrial haplotype was identical to one of the most widespread haplotypes occurring in the native area (China). AFLP results indicated that D. kuriphilus individuals belong to two genetically distinct clusters without any further geographic clustering. These results suggest that D. kuriphilus populations in Europe could be the result of a single introduction of a Chinese founder population characterized by two genetically distinct lineages that subsequently spread rapidly across Europe. However, the possibility that populations originated from multiple introductions of the same Chinese mitochondrial haplotype cannot be excluded. The reported results provide useful information concerning this invasive species, potentially facilitating integrated pest management.

Brassica aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) populations are conditioned by climatic variables and parasitism level: a study case of Triângulo Mineiro, Brazil.

Cosmopolitan pests such as Brevicoryne brassicae, Lipaphis pseudobrassicae, and Myzus persicae (Aphididae) cause significant damage to Brassicaceae crops. Assessment of the important biotic and abiotic factors that regulate these pests is an essential step in the development of effective Integrated Pest Management programs for these aphids. This study evaluated the influence of leaf position, precipitation, temperature, and parasitism on populations of L. pseudobrassicae, M. persicae, and B. brassicae in collard greens fields in the Triângulo Mineiro region (Minas Gerais state), Brazil. Similar numbers of B. brassicae were found on all parts of the collard green plants, whereas M. persicae and L. pseudobrassicae were found in greatest numbers on the middle and lower parts of the plant. While temperature and precipitation were positively related to aphid population size, their effects were not accumulative, as indicated by a negative interaction term. Although Diaeretiella rapae was the main parasitoid of these aphids, hyperparasitism was dominant; the main hyperparasitoid species recovered from plant samples was Alloxysta fuscicornis. Parasitoids seem to have similar distributions on plants as their hosts. These results may help predict aphid outbreaks and gives clues for specific intra-plant locations when searching for and monitoring aphid populations.

Revision of the genus Aspicera Dahlbom, 1842 (Hym.: Figitidae: Aspicerinae).

The genus Aspicera Dahlbom (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae: Aspicerinae) is revised herein. Aspicera has a Holarctic distribution, being here cited for the first time from the following countries: Canada, Cyprus, Greece, India (northeastern corner, which is part of the Himalayan southeastern range and is considered as belonging to the Palaearctic), Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Montenegro, and Turkey. Morphological characters necessary to differentiate the species of Aspicera are described. The 27 previously described species of Aspicera were revised, always studying the type material when available (21 species); the type material of A. aegyptica Hedicke, 1928, A. chlapowskii Kieffer, 1901, A. coriacea Kieffer, 1901, A. lobata Hedicke, 1928, A. sibirica Kieffer, 1901, A. spinosa (Boyer de Fonscolombe, 1832) are lost or destroyed, these species were studied with the original descriptions. Of the 27 known species, 16 are considered as valid and are redescribed; A. effincta Belizin, 1952 is syn. nov. of A. suecica Dalla Torre & Kieffer, 1910, and A. brevispina Kieffer, 1901 and A. coriacia Kieffer, 1901 are syn. nov. of A. hartigi Dalla Torre, 1889. Aspicera nigra Ionescu, 1969, A. nigricornis Kirby, 1889 and A. rugosa (Hartig, 1843) do not belong to the Aspicerinae, but respectively to the genera Xyalophora and Neralsia (Figitinae), and Xyalaspis (Anacharitinae): Xyalophora nigra (Ionescu) n. comb., Neralsia nigricornis (Kirby) n. comb. and Xyalaspis rugosa Hartig status restored. Aspicera lobata Hedicke, 1928 is considered as 'incertae sedis'. The examination of additional specimens suggests that there is a general lack of knowledge of the species diversity of this genus. Thirty two new species are described: A. adelae Ros-Farré n. sp., A. annae Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. belizini Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. blancae Ros-Farré n. sp., A. buffingtoni Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. caminali Ros-Farré n. sp., A. carinata Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. dianae Ros-Farré n. sp., A. kovalevi Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. elisendae Ros-Farré n. sp., A. forshzarai Pujade-Villar & Ros-Farré n. sp., A. gemmae Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. jantonii Ros-Farré n. sp., A. julii Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. kiefferi Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. magdae Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. marginata Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. martae Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. danielssoni Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. carlestolrai Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. mireiae Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. porif Ros-Farré n. sp., A. marginata Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. punctifrons Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. readae Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. robusta Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. santamariai Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. sergioi Ros-Farré n. sp., A. singularica Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. teresae Ros-Farré n. sp., A. tomasi Ros-Farré n. sp., A. zuparcoi Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar n. sp. A key to all 48 valid species of Aspicera is given. All species are illustrated.

Aegilips chilensis (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae: Anacharitinae): Redescription and Biogeographic Considerations.

Aegilips chilensis Bréthes, 1918 is redescribed and illustrated. Aegilips chilensis is considered an endemic species of the Andean region, characterized for having anteroposterior cephalic processes, resembling spines, formed from the postgenal carina. This and other diagnostic characters are diagnosed and illustrated, and morphological affinities of Aegilips Haliday, 1835 with other Anacharitinae genera are discussed. Redescription and photographs of Aegilips chilensis are given.

Revision of the South American species of Neralsia (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) with the description of eight new species.

Neralsia is a genus of Figitid hymenopterans present in both the Neartic and the Neotropical regions. In this work, material from several museums (including all types of the South American species of Neralsia) was analyzed with light and electron microscopy. The South American species are studied as a whole, reviewing 26 previously cited species and describing eight new species. A key for their identification is included and the characters to differentiate species here considered are illustrated.

Description of Four New Species of Genus Acanthaegilips Ashmead, 1897 (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Anacharitinae) from Colombia.

There are four new species of the Neotropical Anacharitinae genus Acanthaegilips Ashmead, 1897: A. boyacensis sp. n., A. curvis sp. n., A. timidus sp. n., and A. truncatus sp. n. The diagnostic characters of this new species and data about their morphological variability and similarities with other Acantahegilips species are discussed. An updated key of genus Acanthaegilips is included.

Phylogeny of the Eucoilinae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae).

The Eucoilinae are a diverse and important group of parasitoids of Diptera, particularly in the tropics, but they are poorly known systematically and their generic classification is partly chaotic. Here, we present the first comprehensive cladistic analysis of higher eucoiline relationships. The analysis is based on 148 skeletal characters of adults documented in more than 1100 digital images available in an Internet-accessible database. The characters were coded for 45 taxa representing 35 eucoiline genera, spanning the entire diversity of the group, and 7 outgroup genera. Relationships were partly difficult to resolve and parsimony analysis under implied weights performed considerably better than analysis under uniform weights. The results support the monophyly of the Eucoilinae and show that eucoilines are most closely related to the figitid subfamilies Emargininae and Pycnostigminae, but are ambiguous concerning the exact relationships among these three lineages. Of the 6 eucoiline genus groups recognized by Nordlander in 1982 (Entomol. Scand. 13, 269-292), only 2 are supported as monophyletic: the Trybliographa and Kleidotoma groups. The Gronotoma group is a paraphyletic assemblage of two different basal clades of eucoilines. The Rhoptromeris group is unnatural and only the 2 core genera, Rhoptromeris and Trichoplasta, form a monophyletic lineage. The data are ambiguous concerning the Ganaspis group, which appears to be paraphyletic, and the Chrestosema group, which may be a good clade. Based on the results we propose a modified system of informal genus groups in the Eucoilinae and discuss putative synapomorphies supporting each genus group. The proposed relationships imply that the first eucoilines were parasitoids of leaf-mining agromyzids. The earliest split in the group was apparently between an Afrotropical and a Neotropical lineage, and much of the early radiation of the group occurred in these regions, particularly in the Neotropics.

Description of a new genus and three new species of Figitinae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae) from Colombia.

A new genus and three new species of Figitinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) are described from Colombia: Ferpereira Pujade-Villar n. gen., Ferpereira fiorellae Pujade-Villar n. sp., Neralsia levis Pujade-Villar & Petersen-Silva n. sp., and Figites colombiensis Pujade-Villar & Paretas-Martínez n. sp., which is the first species of Figites Latreille from Colombia and the second from South America. The diagnostic characters of these new taxa are illustrated.

First record of Alloxysta Förster (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) from Costa Rica, with description of four new species.

Four new species of Alloxysta Förster are described (A. andrewsi Ferrer-Suay & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. costaricensis Ferrer-Suay & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. hansoni Pujade-Villar n. sp. and A. luismii Ferrer-Suay n. sp.) from Costa Rica being the first records of this genus in this area. Their morphological features and diagnostic characters are illustrated. We provide a diagnosis of Apocharips hansoni Menke with a detailed description of the radial cell, which expands the characteristics of the genus Apocharips.

Systematics of Australian Thrasorinae (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea, Figitidae) with descriptions of Mikeiinae, new subfamily, two new genera, and three new species.

The Australian Thrasorinae are revised and Mikeius is transferred to Mikeiinae Paretas-Martínez & Pujade-Villar, subfam. n., and Mikeius clavatus Pujade-Villar & Restrepo-Ortiz, sp. n., is described. Two new genera of Thrasorinae are erected: Cicatrix Paretas-Martínez, gen. n., including Cicatrix pilosiscutum(Girault), comb. n. from Amblynotus, Cicatrix schauffi (Buffington), comb. n. from Mikeius, and Cicatrix neumannoides Paretas-Martínez & Restrepo-Ortiz, sp. n.; and Palmiriella Pujade-Villar & Paretas-Martínez, gen. n., including Palmiriella neumanni (Buffington), comb. n. from Mikeius, Thrasorus rieki Paretas-Martínez & Pujade-Villar, sp. n., is also described. A phylogenetic analysis of 176 morphological and biological characters, including all these new taxa and all genera previously included in Thrasorinae, was conducted. All subfamilies were recovered as monophyletic, with the following relationships: Parnipinae (Euceroptrinae (Mikeiinae (Plectocynipinae (Thrasorinae)))). A worldwide key to the subfamilies of Figitidae is provided that includes the new subfamily, as well as a key to genera Thrasorinae.

[Status of the knowledge of the Cynipini (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) in Mexico: perspectives for future studies]. / Estado del conocimiento de los Cynipini (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) en México: perspectivas de estudio.

The knowledge status of the gall-former cynipids in the Mexican oaks is commented herein. For each of the 157 cited species from 33 oak species, the most important biological and ecological information is included. Andricus championi (Cameron), a species described only from the gall, is considered as 'incertae sedis'. Andricus tumeralis Pujade-Villar nom. nov. is proposed to denominate the species Andricus ashmeadi Dalla Torre & Kieffer for being a homonymy of Andricus ashmeadi Basset. Atrusca dugesi (Mayr) n. comb. (formery in Cynips) and Antron sagata (Kinsey) n. comb. (formery in Sphaeroteras) are proposed. The reasons of these changes are commented as well as the need for further studies on Mexican cynipids.

First record of Alloxysta Förster (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) from Costa Rica, with description of four new species

Four new species of Alloxysta Förster are described (A. andrewsi Ferrer-Suay & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. costaricensis Ferrer-Suay & Pujade-Villar n. sp., A. hansoni Pujade-Villar n. sp. and A. luismii Ferrer-Suay n. sp.) from Costa Rica being the first records of this genus in this area. Their morphological features and diagnostic characters are illustrated. We provide a diagnosis of Apocharips hansoni Menke with a detailed description of the radial cell, which expands the characteristics of the genus Apocharips.

Estado del conocimiento de los Cynipini (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) en México: perspectivas de estudio / Status of the knowledge of the Cynipini (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) in Mexico: perspectives for future studies

The knowledge status of the gall-former cynipids in the Mexican oaks is commented herein. For each of the 157 cited species from 33 oak species, the most important biological and ecological information is included. Andricus championi (Cameron), a species described only from the gall, is considered as 'incertae sedis'. Andricus tumeralis Pujade-Villar nom. nov. is proposed to denominate the species Andricus ashmeadi Dalla Torre & Kieffer for being a homonymy of Andricus ashmeadi Basset. Atrusca dugesi (Mayr) n. comb. (formery in Cynips) and Antron sagata (Kinsey) n. comb. (formery in Sphaeroteras) are proposed. The reasons of these changes are commented as well as the need for further studies on Mexican cynipids.

Se comenta cual es el estado del conocimiento de los cinípidos que producen agallas en los encinos mexicanos. Para cada una de las 157 especies citadas en 33 especies de encinos, se mencionan los aspectos biológicos y ecológicos más importantes. Se considera a Andricus championi (Cameron), especie descrita solamente a partir de la agalla, como 'incertae sedis'. Se propone Andricus tumeralis Pujade-Villar nom. nov. para denominar a la especie Andricus ashmeadi Dalla Torre & Kieffer por ser homonimia de Andricus ashmeadi Basset. Se propone Atrusca dugesi (Mayr) n. comb., (antes incluida en el género Cynips) y Antron sagata (Kinsey) n. comb., (antes incluida en el género Sphaeroteras). Se exponen las razones de estos cambios taxonómicos y se señala lo mucho que queda por hacer en el estudio de los Cynipidae mexicanos.

Revision of the South American species of Neralsia (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) with the description of eight new species

Neralsia is a genus of Figitid hymenopterans present in both the Neartic and the Neotropical regions. In this work, material from several museums (including all types of the South American species of Neralsia) was analyzed with light and electron microscopy. The South American species are studied as a whole, reviewing 26 previously cited species and describing eight new species. A key for their identification is included and the characters to differentiate species here considered are illustrated. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (2): 795-828. Epub 2008 June 30.

Neralsia es un género de himenópteros de distribución americana, presente tanto en la región Neártica como en la Neotropical. En este trabajo se estudian, usando microscopia de luz y electrónica, las especies sudamericanas en su conjunto, 26 anteriormente citadas y ocho especies nuevas, que se describen aquí formalmente. Se presenta, además, una clave para su identificación; y se ilustran los caracteres que permiten definir las especies consideradas en este estudio.