An annotated checklist of the Eulophidae (excl. Tetrastichinae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of Israel.

ABSTRACT

An annotated checklist of Israeli Eulophidae, excluding Tetrastichinae, is presented based primarily on a total of 757 specimens collected since the 1970s from 70 localities in Israel mostly by Malaise traps, sweeping and rearing from hosts. Altogether, 127 species belonging to 35 genera are recorded, of which 82 species (65%) are newly reported for Israel. Valid names, distribution, and known hosts are given for each species. Two previously reported species are excluded from the fauna and one is considered as doubtful in the country. The most species-rich genera are Pediobius, with 14 species, and Elasmus, with 12 species. The most common species, comprising about half of the collected specimens, are Diglyphus isaea (Walker), Neochrysocharis formosus (Westwood), Sympiesis sericeicornis (Nees), Pediobius pyrgo (Walker) and Euderus albitarsis Zetterstedt. Three species are currently known only from Israel, Aulogymnus albipes (Askew), Elasmus aternalis Yefremova & Strakhova and Pediobius thysanopterus Burks. Hosts are reported for 17 species, of which 10 are new records. Most of the species (88%) have a vast area of distribution characterized as Palearctic, Holarctic, or even cosmopolitan.