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.

Aggregation Patterns, Sampling Plan, and Economic Injury Levels for the New Citrus Pest Delottococcus aberiae (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae).

Delottococcus aberiae De Lotto (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is the latest exotic mealybug species introduced in citrus in the Mediterranean basin. It causes severe distortion and size reduction on developing fruits. Due to its first interaction with citrus, D. aberiae economic thresholds are still unknown for this crop and the current Integrated Pest Management programs have been disrupted. The objectives of this study were to determine the aggregation patterns of D. aberiae in citrus, develop an efficient sampling plan to assess its population density, and calculate its Economic and Economic Environmental Injury Levels (EIL and EEIL, respectively). Twelve and 19 orchards were sampled in 2014 and 2015, respectively. At each orchard, population densities were monitored fortnightly in leaves, twigs, and fruit, and fruit damage was determined at harvest. Our results showed a clumped aggregation of D. aberiae in all organs with no significant differences between generations on fruit. Fruit damage at harvest was strongly correlated with fruit occupation in spring. Based on these results and using chlorpyrifos as the insecticide of reference, the EIL and EEIL were calculated as 7.1 and 12.1% of occupied fruit in spring, respectively. With all this, we recommend sampling 275 fruits using a binomial sampling method or alternatively, 140 fruits with an enumerative method bimonthly between petal fall and July.

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.

Intraspecific variation of host plant and locality influence the lepidopteran-parasitoid system of Brassica oleracea crops.

The aim of the study was to investigate the attractiveness to herbivores and parasitoids of two cultivars of Brassica oleracea L., namely, B. oleracea variety acephala (kale) and B. oleracea variety capitata (cabbage), that exhibit differences of morphological and biochemical traits. To this end, field samplings were replicated at seven localities in Galicia (northwestern Spain). Three specialist and three generalist lepidopteran species were sampled. In total, 7,050 parasitoids were obtained, belonging to 18 genera and 22 species. The results showed that 1) parasitism rate and parasitoid species richness changed with locality and was higher in cabbage, although this crop had lower herbivore abundance; 2) the proportion of specialist herbivores was higher in cabbage crops, whereas generalists dominated in kale crops; 3) the abundance of the parasitoids Telenomus sp. (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae), Cotesia glomerata L. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), and Diadegma fenestrale (Holmgren) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) was higher in kale crops; and 4) parasitism rate of Pieris rapae larvae and pupae and Mamestra brassicae eggs were higher in kale crops. In contrast with the notion that plant structural complexity provides physical refuge to the hosts and can interfere with parasitoid foraging, parasitism rate was higher on cabbage plants, which form heads of overlapped leaves. Possibly, different chemical profiles of cultivars also influenced the host-parasitoid relationship. These results suggest that top-down and bottom-up forces may enhance cabbage crops to better control herbivore pressure during the studied season. In Spain, information on natural occurring parasitoid guilds of Brassica crops is still scarce. The data provided here also represent a critical first step for conservation biological control plans of these cultivations.

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.

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.