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Issue: Vol. 5777 No. 3: 19 Mar. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-03-19
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5777.3.1
Page range: 401-430
Abstract views: 28
PDF downloaded: 1

The species of Brasema Cameron, 1884 (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) associated with oak gall wasps (Hym., Cynipidae, Cynipini) in North America with the description of two new species from México

Universitat de Barcelona; Facultat de Biologia; Departament de Biologia Evolutiva; Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals; Avda. Diagonal 645; 08028-Barcelona; Catalonia; SPAIN.
Honorary Research Associate; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Canadian National Collection of Insects; Arachnids and Nematodes; K. W. Neatby Bldg.; 960 Carling Avenue; Ottawa; Ontario; CANADA; KIA 0C6.
Instituto de Fitosanidad; Colegio de Postgraduados; 56230 Montecillo; Texcoco; Estado de México; MéxICO.; División de Ciencias Forestales; Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo; Km 38.5 Carretera México-Texcoco. Chapingo; Estado de México; MéxICO.
Universidad de la Sierra Juárez; Instituto de Estudios Ambientales. Avenida Universidad S/N; C.P. 68725; Ixtlán de Juárez; Oaxaca; MéxICO.
División de Ciencias Forestales; Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo; Km 38.5 Carretera México-Texcoco. Chapingo; Estado de México; MéxICO.
Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona (MCNB); Departament d’Artròpodes; Passeig Picasso s/n; 08003- Barcelona; Catalonia; SPAIN.
Instituto de Fitosanidad; Colegio de Postgraduados; 56230 Montecillo; Texcoco; Estado de México; MéxICO.
Instituto de Fitosanidad; Colegio de Postgraduados; 56230 Montecillo; Texcoco; Estado de México; MéxICO.
Universitat de Barcelona; Facultat de Biologia; Departament de Biologia Evolutiva; Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals; Avda. Diagonal 645; 08028-Barcelona; Catalonia; SPAIN.
Universitat de Barcelona; Facultat de Biologia; Departament de Biologia Evolutiva; Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals; Avda. Diagonal 645; 08028-Barcelona; Catalonia; SPAIN.
Hymenoptera new species taxonomy morphology phylogeny

Abstract

Eight species of Brasema Cameron, 1884 (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) associated with galls of Cynipini (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) in North America are keyed and illustrated through macrophotography. The gender of Brasema is here treated as neuter rather than feminine and the reasons for this are given. Brasema mexicanum Cazorla-Vila & Pujade-Villar sp. nov. and Brasema obscurum Cazorla-Vila & Pujade-Villar sp. nov. are described from México emerging from different cynipid oak galls belonging to Quercus and Lobatae sections. Males and females of these new species are illustrated through macrophotography and scanning electron micrographs. The new species are supported as new by morphological and molecular evidence. New oak gall wasp hosts are recorded for B. auratum (Ashmead, 1886), B. dryophantae (Ashmead, 1886), B. macrocarpae (Ashmead, 1888) and B. speciosum (Girault, 1916). Distribution of B. macrocarpae and B. speciosum are expanded in USA and México, and B. flavovariegatum (Ashmead, 1888) and B. gemmarii (Ashmead, 1886) in the USA. A phylogenetic analysis of COI was carried out with 7 sequences of the two new Mexican species plus 64 sequences available from BOLD belonging to 21 identified and unidentified morphospecies to obtain the first Brasema phylogeny.

 

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How to Cite

Cazorla-Vila, J., Gibson, G.A.P., García-Martiñón, R.D., Clark-Tapia, R., Barrera-Ruíz, U.M., Mederos, J., Equihua-Martínez, A., Estrada-Venegas, E., Cuesta-Porta, V. & Pujade-Villar, J. (2026) The species of Brasema Cameron, 1884 (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) associated with oak gall wasps (Hym., Cynipidae, Cynipini) in North America with the description of two new species from México. Zootaxa, 5777 (3), 401–430. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5777.3.1