Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Articles
Published: 2011-03-31
Page range: 35–52
Abstract views: 70
PDF downloaded: 1

Adding another piece to the cynipoid puzzle: the description of a new tribe, genus and species of gall wasp (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) endemic to The Republic of South Africa

Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish Agricultural University, P.O.Box 7007, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, ES-28006 Madrid, Spain
ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute,. Private Bag X134, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
Pest Diagnostic Laboratory, Plant Protection & Soil Conservation Directorate of County Vas, Ambrozy setany 2, 9762 Tanakajd, Hungary
Hymenoptera Cynipoidea Qwaqwaiini Qwaqwaia inquiline parasitoid Scolopia

Abstract

Larvae and adult females of a single species inducing galls on Scolopia mundii (Salicaceae) are described as Qwaqwaia scolopiae Liljeblad, Nieves-Aldrey & Melika sp. n. The genus Qwaqwaia Liljeblad, Nieves-Aldrey & Melika gen. n. is also described as new and placed in a tribe, Qwaqwaiini Liljeblad, Nieves-Aldrey & Melika trib. n., herein erected to encompass this sole species. Diagnostic characters and a key to all eight cynipid tribes are given. With its unique South African distribution and seemingly plesiomorphic morphology, this gall wasp is important for the future untangling of the early evolution of the microcynipoids.

References

  1. Basibuyuk, H.H. & Quicke, D.L.J. (1999) Gross morphology of multiporous plate sensilla in the Hymenoptera (Insecta). Zoologica Scripta, 28, 51–67.

    Buffington, M.L. (2008) A revision of Australian Thrasorinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) with a description of a new genus and six new species. Australian Journal of Entomology, 47, 203–212.

    Buffington, M.L. & Liljeblad, J. (2008) The description of Euceroptrinae, a new subfamily of Figitidae (Hymenoptera), including a revision of Euceroptres Ashmead, 1896, and the description of a new species. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 17, 44–56.

    Clausen, C.P. (1940) Entomophagous Insects. McGraw-Hill, New York, 688 pp.

    Gauld, I.D. & Bolton, B. (Eds.) (1988) The Hymenoptera. British Museum (Natural History)/ Oxford University Press, London. 332 pp.

    Germishuizen, G., Meyer, N.L. Steenkamp, Y. & Keith, M. (2006) A checklist of South African plants. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 41. SABONET, Pretoria, 1125 pp.

    Harris, R.A. (1979) A glossary of surface sculpturing. Occasional Papers of Laboratory Services-Entomology, 28, 1–31.

    Liljeblad, J. (2002) Phylogeny and evolution of gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 176 pp. Doctoral thesis.

    Liljeblad, J. & Ronquist, F. (1998) A phylogenetic analysis of higher-level gall wasp relationships (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). Systematic Entomology, 23, 229–252.

    Liljeblad, J., Ronquist, F., Nieves-Aldrey, J.L., Fontal-Cazalla, F., Ros-Farré, P., Gaitros, D. & Pujade-Villar, J. (2008) A fully web-illustrated morphological phylogenetic study of relationships among oak gall wasps and their closest relatives (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). Zootaxa, 1796, 1–73.

    Melika, G. & Prinsloo, G.L. (2007) Phanacis neserorum sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Aylacini): first record of a phytophagous Afrotropical cynipoid gall wasp. African Entomology, 15(1), 185–191.

    Nieves-Aldrey, J.L. (2001) Hymenoptera, Cynipidae. In: Ramos, M.A., Alba, J., Bellés, X., Gosálbez, J., Guerra, A., Macpherson, E., Martín, F., Serrano, J. & Templado, J. (Eds). Fauna Ibérica, vol. 16. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, 636 pp.

    Nieves-Aldrey, J.L., Vårdal, H. & Ronquist, F. (2005) Comparative morphology of terminal-instar larvae of Cynipoidea: phylogenetic implications. Zoologica Scripta, 34, 15–36.

    Nieves-Aldrey, J.L., Liljeblad, J., Hernández Nieves, M., Grez, A. & Nylander, J.A.A. (2009) Revision and phylogenetics of the genus Paraulax Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) with biological notes and description of a new tribe, a new genus, and five new species. Zootaxa, 2200, 1–40.

    Nyman, T. (2000) Phylogeny and ecological evolution of gall-inducing sawflies (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae). University of Joensuu, PhD Dissertations in Biology, 6, 1–92.

    Ovruski, S.M. (1994) Immature stages of Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes) (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Eucoilidae), a parasitoid of Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) and Anastrepha spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 3, 233–239.

    Quicke, D.J.L. (1997) Parasitic wasps. Chapman & Hall, London, 470 pp.

    Ronquist, F. (1995) Phylogeny and classification of the Liopteridae, an archaic group of cynipoid wasps (Hymenoptera). Entomologica scandinavica Supplements, 46, 1–74.

    Ronquist, F. & Nordlander, G. (1989) Skeletal morphology of an archaic cynipoid, Ibalia rufipes (Hymenoptera: Ibaliidae). Entomologica scandinavica Supplements, 33, 1–60.

    Ronquist, F. & Nieves-Aldrey, J.L. (2001) A new subfamily of Figitidae (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 133, 483–494.

    Ros-Farré, P. & Pujade-Villar, J. (2007) Plectocynipinae, a new subfamily of Figitidae and description of a new Neotropical genus of Thrasorinae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea). Zootaxa, 1583, 1–13.

    Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002) Trees and Shrubs of Mpumalanga and the Kruger National Park. Jacana, Johannesburg, 703 pp.

    van Noort, S., Stone, G.N., Whitehead, V.B. & Nieves-Aldrey, J.L. (2007) Biology of Rhoophilus loewi (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Cynipidae), with implications for the evolution of inquilinism in gall wasps. Biological Journal of the Linnaean Society, 90, 153–172.