Parasitism by Gryon aetherium (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) on Bagrada hilaris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) eggs in northcentral California.

Bagrada bug, Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is an invasive pest of cruciferous crops. The parasitoid Gryon aetherium Talamas (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) is a promising biological control agent for B. hilaris because it can forage in the soil where B. hilaris deposits most of its eggs. In this study, we assessed parasitism by G. aetherium on B. hilaris eggs in situ in northcentral California, including the Salinas Valley where most cruciferous crops in the United States are grown. Parasitism was documented by leaving soil-filled trays under infested plants for 7-14 days, then removing eggs and holding them for emergence of parasitoids. Gryon aetherium accounted for over 99% of emerged parasitoids, and occurred at 11 of the 12 sampled sites. Of the 17,729 and 31,759 B. hilaris eggs collected in 2021 and 2022, 1,518 (8.84%) and 2,654 (8.36%) were parasitized by G. aetherium, respectively. Parasitism rates were generally higher inland and ranged from 3.64% to 44.93% in 2021 and from 1.01% to 23.04% in 2022, and never exceeded 15% on any sample dates at several coastal sites in the Salinas Valley. Discovery efficiency (a measure of the ability of parasitoids to locate egg patches) reached 80% or higher at all but 1 site, but exploitation efficiency (a measure of the ability of parasitoids to exploit the egg patch after it has been discovered) was generally <20%, suggesting that G. aetherium can locate egg patches efficiently but is less efficient at finding eggs within patches.

Twenty years of Dipterology through the pages of Zootaxa.

We present a summary and analysis of the Diptera-related information published in Zootaxa from 2001 to 2020, with a focus on taxonomic papers. Altogether, 2,527 papers on Diptera were published, including 2,032 taxonomic papers and 1,931 papers containing new nomenclatural acts, equivalent to 22% of all publications with new nomenclatural acts for Diptera. The new nomenclatural acts include 7,431 new species, 277 new genera, 2,003 new synonymies, and 1,617 new combinations. A breakdown by family of new taxa and new replacement names proposed in the journal during the last two decades is provided, together with a comparison of Zootaxa's output to that of all other taxonomic publications on Diptera. Our results show that the journal has contributed to 20% of all biodiversity discovery in this megadiverse insect order over the last 20 years, and to about 31% in the last decade.

The female velvet ants (aka modkhong) of southern Thailand (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), with a key to the genera of southeast Asia.

A review of female mutillids in southern Thailand is presented, based on literature, loaned material, and two field expeditions. Thirty-three species in 23 genera have been previously recorded from Thailand (Lelej 2005; Lelej et al. 2016, 2017; Okayasu et al. 2018). In March and April 2017, 337 female specimens were collected in the provinces of Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, and Trang. In May 2018, 255 female specimens were collected in the provinces of Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, and Surat Thani. These collected specimens were sorted into 38 morphospecies: 13 already known from Thailand, nine previously described species newly recorded from Thailand, and 16 new to science and described here. Based on loaned material, three more described species were newly recorded from southern Thailand and one more undescribed species was found. Keys to females of the 31 mutillid genera found in southeast Asia and 42 mutillid species studied from southern Thailand are provided. Illustrations and diagnoses are provided for each species studied in southern Thailand, including the following 17 new species: Bischoffitilla tokay Williams, Bischoffitilla cambrai Williams, Mickelomyrme puttasoki Williams, Mickelomyrme kinguri Williams, Nordeniella maleeae Williams, Smicromyrme helarctos Williams, Smicromyrme borkenti Williams, Smicromyrme thaochani Williams, Krombeinidia agricola Williams, Krombeinidia chang Williams, Krombeinidia baanmaka Williams, Orientidia manleyi Williams, Orientidia thoawanae Williams, Petersenidia modkhong Williams, Petersenidia leleji Williams, Trogaspidia pittsi Williams, and Trogaspidia wilsoni Williams. Three new synonyms and one new combination are recognized: Bischoffitilla lamellata (Mickel, 1933) = Squamulotilla arundinacea Pagden, 1934, syn. nov., Mickelomyrme pusillaeformis (Hammer, 1962), comb. nov. = Mickelomyrme yunnanensis Lelej, 1996, syn. nov., Trogaspidia pagdeni (Mickel, 1933) = Timulla (Trogaspidia) pagdeni nodoa Mickel, 1933, syn. nov. Finally, two other taxa are raised to full species from subspecies status, Eotrogaspidia oryzae (Pagden, 1934), status resurr., and Trogaspidia lingnani (Mickel, 1933), status nov. New combination is also proposed for Krombeinidia meeungensis (Cockerell, 1928), comb. nov. Twenty-three new country records are presented: 12 from Thailand, four from Vietnam, four from Laos, two from Cambodia, and one from Indonesia.

Jewelled spider flies of North America: a revision and phylogeny of Eulonchus Gerstaecker (Diptera, Acroceridae).

The spider fly genus Eulonchus Gerstaecker is found throughout the Nearctic Region. Six species are recognized and intraspecific morphological variation is documented in several species. A phylogeny of Eulonchus based on DNA sequence data of three molecular markers (COI, CAD, and 16S) is presented and relationships of species are discussed in the light of biogeography and host usage. All six species of Eulonchus are redescribed using natural language descriptions exported from a character matrix, and a key to species is presented. Lectotypes are designated for Eulonchus sapphirinus Osten Sacken, Eulonchus smaragdinus Gerstaecker, and Eulonchus tristis Loew.

Interactions between a sap beetle, sabal palm, scale insect, filamentous fungi and yeast, with discovery of potential antifungal compounds.

The multi-trophic relationship between insects, yeast, and filamentous fungi is reported on sabal palm (Sabal palmetto (Walter) Lodd. ex Schult. & Schult. f.). Gut content analyses and observations of adult and larval feeding of the sap beetle Brachypeplus glaber LeConte indicate that niche partitioning of fungal food substrata occurs between adults and larvae. This is the first report of specific mycophagous niche partitioning among beetle life stages based on gut content analyses. Fungi isolated from the beetle gut of adults, larvae, and pupae include species of Fusarium Link, Cladosporium Link, and Penicillium Link, which were differentially ingested by larvae and adults; Fusarium solani and Penicillium species in larvae, whereas F. oxysoproum, F. verticillioides, and Cladosporium in adults. These data indicate the first species-level host data for Brachypeplus Erichson species. Fusarium proliferatum (Matsush.) Nirenberg was the most commonly occurring fungal gut component, being isolated from the palm as well as gut of larvae, pupae, and adults; representing a commonly shared food resource. One species of yeast, Meyerozyma caribbica (Vaughan-Mart. et al.) Kurtzman & Suzuki (basionym = Pichia caribbica), was isolated from all life stages and is likely responsible for anti-fungal properties observed in the pupae and represents a promising source of antifungal compounds; rearing and diagnostic protocols are provided to aid biomedical researchers. Feeding and cleaning behaviors are documented using time-lapse video-micrography, and discussed in a behavioral and functional morphological context. Adults spent long periods feeding, often >1/3 of the two-hour observation period. A generic adult body posture was observed during feeding, and included substrate antennation before and after ingestion. Adult grooming behaviors were manifested in distinct antennal and tarsal cleaning mechanisms. Larval behaviors were different from adults, and larvae feeding on Fusarium fungi immediately ceased all subsequent feeding. This is the first ethogram for any adult or larval sap beetle.

New spider flies from the Neotropical Region (Diptera, Acroceridae) with a key to New World genera.

Two new genera and five new species of spider flies (Diptera: Acroceridae) are described from the Neotropical Region. A new genus of Philopotinae (Neophilopota brevirostris Schlinger gen. et sp. n.) is described from Mexico, while an unusual new species of Sphaerops Philippi, 1865 (Acrocerinae: Sphaerops micella Schlinger sp. n.) is described from Chile. A new Panopinae genus near Lasia Wiedemann, 1824 (Coquena stangei Schlinger gen. et sp. n.), is described from Argentina and two new species of Pialea Erichson, 1840 (Pialea brunea Schlinger sp. n. and Pialea corbiculata Schlinger sp. n.)are described from Venezuela. Each genus is diagnosed and figured, and a key to species provided. The Neotropical fauna presently includes 19 genera, containing approximately 100 species. A key to New World genera is also included.