Corresponding author: Cornelis van Achterberg (
Academic editor: M. Sharkey
The Palaearctic genus
Achterberg C van, Ortiz de Zugasti Carrón NF (2016) Revision of the genus
The subfamily
The second author detected the first stands for the distance between both posterior ocelli for the distance between posterior ocellus and compound eye
Ants constitute complex and well organized societies, which normally defence their nests viciously against intruders (
On 23 July 2014 two small wasps were seen in a nest of
One female wasp was kept alive for two days along with ten ant workers of the same nest where the wasp was found. They were kept in a plastic container (8 cm × 8 cm × 3 cm) with supply of moisture and fed once with diluted honey. During this period, the wasp actively looked for the company of the ants. Upon disturbing the artificial nest, the wasp was always, and promptly, looking for a concentration of standing (not running) ants to join. Most of the time the wasp was hiding under the legs of the ants and sometimes walking around the group. The wasp was observed being frequently groomed and antennated by the ants. The wasp always showed a submissive behaviour and it was once observed actively antennating an ant, an action that elicited ant-wasp trophallaxis. While the first specimen was kept alive along with the ants, no wasp-ant rubbing such as is described by
In an ongoing study on aphid-ant relationships at a similar environment in Spain, so far
Veins r + SR and 1-R1 of fore wing absent and if weakly indicated then continuous with postero-basal border of pterostigma (Fig.
Myrmecophylic endoparasitoids of root aphids (
Palaearctic; four species, of which two new to science.
1 | Secondfourth segments of fore tarsus about as long as wide in dorsal view and with medium-sized bristles apically (Figs |
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– | Secondfourth segments of fore tarsus distinctly longer than wide in dorsal view and with long apical bristles (Figs |
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2 | Scutellum distinctly convex and shiny, smooth (Fig. |
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– | Scutellum irregularly flattened and dull, finely sculptured posteriorly (Fig. |
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3 | Vertex and mesoscutum with satin sheen and vertex with dense short pubescence between sparse long setae (Fig. |
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– | Vertex and posteriorly mesoscutum shiny and vertex with sparse short pubescence between long setae; first tergite flat and shiny, its maximum width at level of spiracles of ♀ 0.7 times distance between spiracle and apex of tergite (Fig. |
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1 ♀ (
This species shares with
Parasitoid of root aphids attended by the ants
Reported from Japan and Far East Russia (
1 ♀ (
This species shares with
Parasitoid of root aphids belonging to the genera
Reported from Andorra, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, UK and Serbia (
Holotype, ♀ (
Similar to
Holotype, ♀, length of fore wing 2.0 mm, and of body 2.1 mm.
Unknown.
Netherlands.
Named “
Holotype, ♀ (
Similar to
Holotype, ♀, length of body 2.2 mm and of damaged fore wing 1.1 mm.
Endoparasitoid of the aphid
Spain.
Named “
We thank Drs Juan M Nieto Nafria and Nicolás Pérez Hidalgo for their generous help identifying the aphids. Many thanks to Dr Xavier Espadaler for his invaluable advice and disposition and to Dr Hajimu Takada (Kyoto) for the gift of the