Age matters: variations in parasitoid diversity along a successional gradient in a dry semi-deciduous tropical forest.

Parasitoids are an important group of insects because their species number is among the highest. Multiple studies have addressed the relationships between forest successional age and insect diversity by focusing on herbivorous organisms, but changes in diversity of parasitoids are still poorly known. This work analyses the diversity of parasitoids in tropical forests representing three successional stages. A total of 30 traps were placed, ten in each forest successional stages. We estimated true diversity of Ichneumonidae species and guilds and explored the relationship between their diversity and the abundance of plant species using an Indicator Species Analysis; the relationship between parasitoid species and plant richness and abundance was tested using a Redundancy Analysis. A total of 1522 individuals and 168 morpho-species were captured in four months. Species richness showed no differences; however, parasitoid abundance was higher in young forest, while intermediate forest had the highest true diversity values (1D) with 71.6 effective species. According to insect guilds, richness, abundance, and diversity were similar in the three vegetation successional stages. This finding may be explained based on the intermediate disturbance hypothesis, which postulates that moderate disturbance levels favor the highest diversity. In conclusion, successional age matters, i.e., diversity is the highest in intermediate stages, while the old forests harbors guilds unique to that successional stage, such as parasitoids of melitophagous larvae of bees. Other successional stages were characterized by a single species of parasitoid, belonging to the genera Eiphosoma and Anomalon, which may indicate altered and preserved forests, respectively.

Two New Species and New Records of Metopiinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Ecuador.

The Ecuadorian Metopiinae fauna currently includes 17 species, but recent intensive samplings carried out at Southern Ecuador have increased this number. In the present paper, two new species, Exochus tapiarum sp. nov. and Leurus tapichalacae sp. nov., are described and illustrated. Furthermore, four new records of Metopiinae from Ecuador are provided: Colpotrochia beluga Gauld & Sithole, Exochus famellus Gauld & Sithole, E. izbus Gauld & Sithole, and E. ravetus Gauld & Sithole.

Discovery of a new species of Trieces (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Metopiinae) questioning the traditional delimitation between Trieces and Chorinaeus.

In this paper a new species of the Metopiinae genus Trieces Townes from Spain, Trieces confusus sp. nov., is described and illustrated. This species has diagnostic characters of both Trieces and the genus Chorinaeus, and we provide a brief discussion of the implications for the current delimitation of these genera.

The Neotropical species of Clistopyga (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae). Part IV: the C. eldae species group, with the description of three new species.

The Neotropical Clistopyga eldae species-group is revised. Three species, C. catarina, C. marcapatensis and C. polita, are described as new. The species C. eldae Gauld, 1991 is redescribed, and an illustrated identification key to all species of the group is provided.

The Neotropical species of Clistopyga (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae) Part III: the C. henryi species group, with the description of three new species.

The New World Clistopyga henryi species group is revised. Three species are described as new: C. carinata sp. nov., C. declinata sp. nov., and C. teresitae sp. nov. An illustrated identification key to Neotropical species of the group is provided. The Clistopyga henryi species group is composed of species with polished, and straight or down-curved ovipositors.

The Neotropical species of Clistopyga (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae). Part V: the C. diazi species group, with the description of three new species.

The Neotropical pimpline Clistopyga diazi species group is revised. Three species, C. albovittata, C. lapacensis and C. speculata are described as new. The species C. diazi Porter and C. lopezrichinii (Blanchard) are redescribed and illustrated. An identification key to all Neotropical species of the group is provided.

The Neotropical species of Clistopyga (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae). Part II: the C. isayae species group, with the description of seven new species.

The New World Clistopyga isayae species group is revised. Seven species are described as new: C. crassicaudata sp. nov., C. isayae sp. nov., C. kalima sp. nov., C. nigriventris sp. nov., C. panchei sp. nov., C. splendida sp. nov. and C. taironae sp. nov. An illustrated identification key to all species of the group is provided. The Clistopyga isayae species group is composed entirely of previously undescribed species mainly from Andean forests of tropical South America.

Description of the female of Labena madoricola González-Moreno & Bordera, 2015 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Labeninae), with new records of Labena species from Mexico.

The female of Labena madoricola González-Moreno & Bordera, 2015 is described and illustrated for the first time from material collected with Malaise traps in 2016 in the Biocultural Reserve Kaxil Kiuic, Yucatán, Mexico. Diagnostic characters to distinguish females of New World Labena are provided. New distribution records of Labena species in Yucatán Peninsula, are also reported.

The Neotropical species of Atractodes (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae), II: the A. pleuripunctatus species-group.

We describe three new species of parasitoid wasps of the genus Atractodes (Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae) from South America: A. colchaguensis sp. nov. from Chile, and A. pleuripunctatus sp. nov. and A. saragurensis sp. nov. from Ecuador. These species are all characterized by a densely and strongly punctate mesopleuron. The Atractodes pleuripunctatus species-group is defined to accommodate the new species. In addition, the second part of the key to species of the Neotropical Atractodes including this species-group is given.

The Neotropical species of Atractodes (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae), I: the A. propodeator and A. altoandinus species-groups.

The Neotropical species of the cryptine genus Atractodes are studied, and four species-groups are proposed. In this paper, A. altoandinus and A. propodeator species-groups are diagnosed. The former species-group occurs from southern Mexico to Brazil and includes some of the largest Atractodes species ever found, all possessing a strongly sloped propodeum; the latter species-group is only known from the Chilean Andes and includes one of the smallest species of Atractodes, characterised by a very short and curved tergite I and short first flagellomere. Four species, A. altoandinus, A. propodeator, A. reijoi and A. verapacensis are described as new. An illustrated identification key to all species-groups and to species of the A. propodeator species-group is provided.

Clistopyga caramba sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae; Pimplinae), an astonishing example of mimicry in spider-attacking parasitoid wasps.

Clistopyga caramba sp. nov. Castillo & Sääksjärvi, collected from the tropical Andean-Amazonian interface in Peru, is described and illustrated. The new species is characterized by highly modified posterior metasomal tergites and a rare colour pattern of the metasoma. Two possible explanations for the bizarre metasomal morphology and colouration are proposed.

Tersilochinae of Western Amazonia (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Genus Stethantyx Townes, part 2.

In this paper we describe four new species of Stethantyx Townes (Ichneumonidae: Tersilochinae) from Ecuador and Peru characterized by the fore wing with first and second abscissae of radius meeting at right angle: S. erwini Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov., S. radiata Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov., S. rufispa Khalaim & Bordera, sp. nov. and S. undulata Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov. Second part of the key to species of Stethantyx occurring in Western Amazonia is given. Additionally, S. altamira Khalaim & Broad and S. aprica Khalaim & Broad are recorded from South America for the first time, and new data on distribution of S. alajuela Khalaim & Broad, S. amazonica Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, S. heredia Kha-laim & Broad, S. orellana Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, S. sinuata Khalaim & Sääksjärvi and S. trepida Khalaim & Sääksjärvi in South America are provided. Male of S. orellana is recorded for the first time.

The Peruvian Amazonian species of Epirhyssa Cresson (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Rhyssinae), with notes on tropical species richness.

Epirhyssa Cresson 1865 is a large tropical genus of the family Ichneumonidae. It is the most diverse genus of the subfamily Rhyssinae with about 118 species worldwide. In this study we conducted four long-term field inventories to review the Peruvian Amazonian species of the genus. We provide illustrations, diagnosis and an identification key to the species currently known to occur in the region, including descriptions of 10 new species. In addition, we describe the female of E. wisei Porter and the male of E. pertenuis Porter, discuss the biogeographical patterns of species richness of the genus and provide new faunistic records for Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Paraguay and Peru. The Peruvian Amazonia is, according to our results, among the most species-rich areas in the world for this genus. Some of the new species described in this work were named by the public in Finland and Peru during two innovative competitions to name these beautiful species. The aims of these competitions were to draw attention to the plethora of unknown species lurking in the shades of tropical forests and the necessity to protect these highly diverse areas.

Description of three new species of Labena Cresson from Mexico (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Labeninae), with notes on tropical species richness.

Three new species of Labena Cresson (Ichneumonidae, Labeninae); L. littoralis sp. nov., L. tekalina sp. nov. and L. madoricola sp. nov. are described and illustrated. Material was collected with Malaise traps in 2008 and 2009 in the Biosphere Reserve Ria Lagartos (Mexico). Diagnostic characters to distinguish them from all other New World species of the genus are provided. In addition, the tropical species richness of the genus is shortly discussed.

Description of a new species of Aclastus Förster (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae) from the Peruvian Andes, with dimorphic females.

The aim of this paper is to describe and illustrate a new species of Aclastus with dimorphic females and to provide the diagnostic characters to distinguish it from Holarctic species of the genus. In addition, we provide data on the habitat and phenology of the species.

A bizarre new species of Triclistus Förster (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae; Metopiinae) from Amazonia.

A new bizarre new species of Metopiinae, Triclistus amazopeikkus sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The new species was collected from the lowland Peruvian Amazonia.

Tersilochinae of Western Amazonia (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Genus Stethantyx Townes, part 1.

Sixteen species of the genus Stethantyx Townes having first and second sections of radius meeting at obtuse angle are recorded from Peru and Ecuador in Western Amazonia. Ten species, S. amazonica Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov., S. aurantia Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov., S. juninensis Khalaim & Bordera, sp. nov., S. loretosa Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov., S. neopropodeator Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov., S. orellana Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov., S. sinuata Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov., S. tiputinia Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov., S. trepida Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov. and S. voluptaria Khalaim & Sääksjärvi, sp. nov., are described as new. Six species, previously known only from Costa Rica,           S. alajuela Khalaim & Broad, S. heredia Khalaim & Broad, S. orosia Khalaim & Broad, S. propodeator Khalaim & Broad, S. puntarenasa Khalaim & Broad and S. sanjosea Khalaim & Broad, are recorded from South America for the first time. A partial key to Western Amazonian species of Stethantyx is given.

First record of the genus Phradis Förster (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Tersilochinae) from the Neotropical Region.

One new species of the genus Phradis, Phradis peruvianussp. n., from the mountainous part of Peruvian Amazonia, is described and illustrated. This is the first record of the genus from South America and the Neotropical region.

The species of the Neotropical genus Fractipons Townes, 1970 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae).

In this paper, two new species of the Neotropical genus Fractipons Townes, 1970 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) are described. A new diagnosis for the genus, a re-description of Fractipons cincticornis Townes, 1970 and a key to known species are provided. New distribution records for the genus now include Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama and Peru.