TAXONOMIC STUDY OF MICROGASTRINAE (BRACONIDAE: HYMENOPTERA) OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA- PAKISTAN
BY
FAKHRUDDIN
A dissertation submitted to The University of Agriculture, Peshawar in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PhD) IN AGRICUTLURE (ENTOMOLOGY)
DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY FACULTY OF CROP PROTECTION SCIENCES THE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, PESHAWAR KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA- PAKISTAN MAY, 2015 TAXONOMIC STUDY OF MICROGASTRINAE (BRACONIDAE: HYMENOPTERA) OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA- PAKISTAN
BY
FAKHRUDDIN
A dissertation submitted to The University of Agriculture, Peshawar in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PhD) IN AGRICUTLURE (ENTOMOLOGY) Approved by:
______Chairman Supervisory Committee Prof. Dr. Mian Inayatullah
______Member (Major Field) Prof. Dr. Sajjad Ahmad
______Member (Minor Field) Prof. Dr. Farman Ullah Department of Plant Protection
______Chairman & Convener Board of Studies Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem
______Dean Faculty of Crop Protection Sciences Prof. Dr. Mian Inayatullah
______Director Advanced Studies and Research Prof. Dr. Farhatullah
DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY FACULTY OF CROP PROTECTION SCIENCES THE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, PESHAWAR KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA- PAKISTAN MAY, 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER NO. TITLE PAGE NO.
LIST OF FIGURES ...... i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...... vi ABSTRACT ...... vii
I. INTRODUCTION...... 1
II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ...... 5
III. MATERIALS AND METHODS ...... 11
IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ...... 19
V. SUMMARY...... 89
VI. CONCLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATION...... 93
LITERATURE CITED ...... 96
MAPE OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA ...... 108 LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE NO.
1. Cotesia flavipes Cameron. Habitus, lateral view ...... 113
2. Diolcogaster spretus. Head and mesosoma, lateral view ...... 114
3. A-B: Apanteles galleriae. Head, dorsal view, illustrating IOD, OOD and F1L measuremen; B, Measosoma, dorsal view, illustrating SW, SH and PPW measurement...... 115
4. Apanteles galleriae. A, Head, frontal view; Microplitis manilae. B, Leg, lateral view, illustrating, OL, CL, FL, TL, BtL and TsL measurement...... 116
5. Cotesia flavipes. Metasoma, illustrating T1, T2 and T3 measurement ...... 117
6. Microgaster deprimator. Fore and hind wing, illustrating different veins ...... 118
7. Microgaster deprimator. Fore and hind wing, illustrating different cells ...... 119
8. Microgaster deprimator. Fore and hind wing, illustrating measurement used ...... 120
9. A-C: Apanteles calycinae. A, Hind tibia; B, Ovipositor sheath; C, Propodeum...... 121
10. A-B: Glyptapanteles maculitarsis. A, Propodeum, B, T1 and T2...... 122
11. A-D: Dolichogenidea lactea. A, Hind tibia; B, Ovipositor sheath; C, Propodeum...... 121
12. A-B: Apanteles spp.. A, Hind wing, arrow pointing to concave and sparsely fringed vennal lobe; B, Hind wing, arrow pointing to slightly straight fringed vennal lobe. C, Dolichogenidea spp. Hind wing, arrow pointing to convex and evenly fringed venal lobe...... 124
13. Apanteles calycinae. Ovipositor sheath, arrow pointing to the desclerotized hypopygium with expandable pleats...... 125
14. Apanteles agilis. lateral view, arrow pointing to the paper like thin hypopygium...... 125
15. Apanteles galleriae, arrow pointing to the ovipositor sheath...... 126
16. Propodeum of Apanteles galleriae, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the distinct costulae...... 126
4 17. Habitus of Apanteles galleriae, lateral view, arrow pointing to the wing without areolet...... 126
18. Metasoma of Apanteles galleriae dorsal view, arrow pointing to the areola on propodeum; (B) pointing to the T1; (C) pointing to the hind femur...... 126
19. Apanteles significance. Mesosoma, T1 and T2; arrow (A) pointing to the rugose scutellum, arrow (B) pointing to the indistinct costulae on propodeum...... 127
20. Metasosma of, Apanteles swabiensis dorsal view, arrows (A-B) pointing to the T1 and T2...... 128
21. Apanteles swabiensis, arrow (A) pointing to the hypopygium making angle with the gaster; (B) pointing to the hind tibia with apical blackish margin...... B...... 128 A 22. Propodeum of Apanteles swabiensis, dorsal view,A arrow (A) pointing to the distinct costulae; (B) pointing to the diamond areola...... 128 B 23. Cotesia flavipes, postero-lateral view, arrow pointing to the hypopygium...... 129
24. Mesosoma of Cotesia flavipes, arrow pointing to the unsulptured and A glabrous scutellum ...... 129
25. Habitus of Cotesia flavipes, arrow pointing to the dorsoventrally depressed mesosoma...... 129
26. Head of Cotesia flavipes, arrow pointingA to the distinctly separated flagellomeres...... 129 B 27. Metasoma of Cotesia melittaearum, arrow (B) pointing to the distinctly larger T3 than T2...... 130
28. MetasomaA of Cotesia melittaearum, lateral view...... 130
29. Metasoma of Cotesia melittaearum, dorso- lateral view, arrow pointing to the hypopygium...... 130
30. Mesosoma of Cotesia glomeratus, poster-lateral view, arrow pointing to the sheath...... 131
31. Mesosoma of Cotesia glomeratus, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the parallel T1...... 131 B 32. Wing of Cotesia glomeratus, arrow pointing to the open areolet...... 131
33. Mesosoma of Cotesia glomeratus, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the propodeum...... 131
5 34. Metasoma of Cotesia lycophron, lateral view, arrow pointing to the short hypopygium...... 132
35. Fore wing of Cotesia lycophron, arrow pointing to the IRI...... 132
36. Metasoma of Cotesia nowsheraensis, lateral view, arrow pointing to the short truncate hypopygium...... 133
37. Scutellum of Cotesia nowsheraensis, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the shallow punctures...... 133
38. Metasoma of Cotesia nowsheraensis, dorsal view, arrow (A) pointing to the T2 with median carina; (B) pointing to the setoseT3...... 133
39. Propodeum of Cotesia nowsheraensis, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the median longitudinal carina...... 133
40. Metasoma of Cotesia plutellae, dorsal-lateral view, arrow pointing to the hind leg...... 134
41. Antennae of Cotesia plutellae, arrow pointing to the flagellomeres. 134
42. Scutellum of Cotesia plutellae, arrow pointing to the indistinct intersculptural spaces...... 134 A 43. Metasoma of Cotesia plutellae, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the T2. 134 B 44. Habitus of Cotesia ruficrus, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the hind leg……………………………………………………………………….135
45. Metasoma of Cotesia ruficrus, arrow pointing to the T2, which glabrous and smooth...... 135
46. Antennae of Cotesia ruficrus, arrow pointing to the flagellomeres.135
47. Metasoma of Cotesia ruficrus, dorso-lateral view, arrow pointing to the hypopygium ovipositor sheath...... 135
48. Wing of Cotesia tibialis, arrow pointing to the open areolet...... 136
49. Habitus of Cotesia tibialis, lateral view, arrow pointing to the hind leg...... 136
50. Metasoma of Cotesia tibialis, arrow pointing to the hypopygium and sheath...... 136
51. T1 and T2 of Diolcogaster spretus, dorsall view, arrow pointing to the posteriorly narrowing median field on T2...... 137
52. Metasoma of Diolcogaster spretus, arrow pointing to the long coxa...... 137
6 53. Wing of Diolcogaster spretus, arrow pointing to the closed areolet...... 137
54. Propodeum of Microplitis achterbergi, dorsal view, arrow pointing to indistinct longitudinanl and transverse carina...... 138
55. Metasoma of Microplitis achterbergi, dorsal view, arrow (A-B) pointing T1-T2...... 138
56. Metasoma of Microplitis achterbergi, arrow pointing to the fore wing areolet and stigma...... 138
57. Scutum of Microplitis achterbergi, arrow pointing to the indistinct natouli...... 138
58. Metasoma of Microplitis chitralensis, lateral view, arrow pointing to the hypopygium...... 139
59. Metasoma of Microplitis chitralensis, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the notauli...... 139
60. Metasoma of Microplitis chitralensis, arrow (A) pointing to the transverse carina and (B) to the median field on T2...... 139
61. Habitus of Microplitis chitralensis, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the hind leg...... 139
62. Propodeum of Microplitis demolitor, arrow pointing to the distinct transverse carina...... 140
63. Scutum of Microplitis demolitor, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the indistinct natouli...... 140
64. T1 and T2 of Microplitis demolitor, dorsal view, arrow (B) pointing to the indistinct median field...... 140
65. Metasoma of Microplitis demolitor, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the areolet on fore wing...... 140
66. Metasoma of Microplitis manilae, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the triangular areolet...... 141
67. Head and mesosoma of Microplitis manilae, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the natouli...... 141
68. Propodeum, T1 and T2 of Microplitis manilae, arrow (A) pointing to the apical convex swelling on T1; arrow (B) pointing to the unclear oblique grooves...... 141
69. Metasoma of Microplitis manilae, lateral view, arrow pointing to the hind tibia...... 141
7 70. Habitus of Microplitis madianus, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the hind tibia...... 142
71. Propodeum of Microplitis madianus, arrow pointing to the median longitudinal carina ...... 142
72. T1 and T2 of Microplitis madianus, dorsal view, arrow (B) pointing to the median field...... 142
73. Metasoma of Microplitis madianus, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the indistinct natouli...... 142
74. Metasoma of Microgaster deprimator, dorso- lateral view, arrow pointing to the ovipositor...... 143
75. Metasoma of Microgaster deprimator, dorsal view, arrow (A) pointing to the T1 and (B) to the T2...... 143
76. Metasoma of Paroplitis wesmaeli, dorsal view...... 144
77. Wing of Paroplitis wesmaeli, arrow pointing to the closed areolet ...... 144
78. Metasoma of Paroplitis wesmaeli, arrow (A) pointing to the T1; (B) to the A T2; (C) to the T3...... 144
B
8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I glorify Allah ta’ala and seek blessings and salutations of peace for the noble Prophet (Sallallahu ‘ alaihi wasallam) and His sahabah (radiyallahu ‘anhum) and those who follow Him in upholding the cause of the right way. There is none worthy of worship except Allah alone, He has no partner, His is kingdom and praise, and He is all-powerful, whose unlimited blessings gave me, thoughts, health and the ability to complete this task successfully. I bow before His compassionate endowment. I feel pride in expressing my gratitude and sincere feelings of regards to my honorable and dignified supervisor Prof. Dr. Mian Inayatullah, Department of Entomology, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar for his keen interest, intensive teaching, useful suggestions, and friendly behaviour during my studies. Without his consistent encouragement and constructive criticism, this research was very hard to be planned and completed. Heartfelt thanks are extended to Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem, Chairman Department of Entomology, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, for his kindness thorough out the course of this studies and research work and for his kind cooperation and administrative support during my studies.
It’s a pleasure to thank members of my supervisory committee Prof. Dr. Sajjad Ahmad, Department of Entomology, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar and Prof. Dr. Farmanullah Department of Plant Protection, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar for the help, cooperation and guidance in my research work. I would also want to thank Prof. Dr. Imtiaz Ali Khan, Mr. Saleem Jan (Associate Professor), Dr. Maqssod Shah (Associate Professor) and Dr. Amjad Usman (Assistant Professor), Department of Entomology for their brilliant comments and suggestions throughout the course of my studies. I am really very thankful to Higher Education Commission for providing me funds for my PhD studies under Indigenous 5000 Fellowship Program. Thanks are also extended to Agricultural Research System, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for granting me leave for my studies. Thanks are also extended to all of the faculty members and laboratory staff, Department of Entomology, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, for their support and encouragement. A lot of thanks to all friends of mine; especially, S. Fahad Shah, Dr. Abdu Samad, Touheed Iqbal, Kamran Sohail; for their help in laboratory work and data compilation. A very special thanks to my beloved parents, brothers and sisters for their unlimited love and precious prayers. Words cannot express how grateful I am to my parents for all of the sacrifices that they have made on my behalf. May Allah give them unlimited happiness in this life and hereafter. At the last but not the least I merit the love and encouragement of my wife from the beginning up to completion of this task.
Fakhruddin
9 TAXONOMIC STUDY OF MICROGASTRINAE (BRACONIDAE: HYMENOPTERA) OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA- PAKISTAN
Fakhruddin and Inayatullah
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Crop Protection Sciences The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan May, 2015
ABSTRACT Microgastrines were collected from different agro-ecological zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan during 1994 to 2013. A total of 1200+ specimens were collected and examined for proper identification. Results show that twenty three species in eight genera occur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These genera include: Apanteles Foerster, Cotesia Cameron, Dolichogenidea Viereck, Diolcogaster Ashmead, Glyptapanteles Ashmead, Microplitis Foerster, Microgaster Latreille, and Paroplitis Wesmaeli. The genus Paroplitis Wesmaeli had not previously been collected in Pakistan. Genus Cotesia Cameron is the most diverse with eight species including C. flavipes Cameron, C. glomeratus (L.), C. plutellae (Kurdjumov), C. melittaearum Wilkinson, C. ruficrus Haliday, C. nowsheraensis Ghous, C. tibialis (Curtis) and C. lycophron Nixon. Six species C. flavipes, C. melittaearum, C. ruficrus, C. nowsheraensis, C. tibialis Curtis, C. lycophron are reported for the first time from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Microplitis Foerster is the second speciose genus represented by five species: M. achterbergi Rana, M.chitralensis sp.nov, M. demolitor Wilkinson, M. manilae Ashmead and M. medianus Ruthe.Three species M. achterbergi Rana, M. manilae Ashmead, M. medianus Ruthe are new record for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Genus Apanteles Foerster is the third speciose group represented by five species: A. agilis (Ashmead), A. calycinae Wilkinson, A. galleriae Wilkinson, A. significance Walker and A. swabiensis sp.nov. Out of these A. calycinae Wilkinson, A. significance Walker, A.agilis (Ashmead) are new record for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Genus Paroplitis Wesmaeli is very rare in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa represented by single species Paroplitis wesmaeli Ruthe as new record for Pakistan. Genus Microgaster Latreille is represented by one species Microgaster deprimator Fabricius as new record for Pakistan. Genera Dolichogenidea Viereck, Diolcogaster Ashmead and Glyptapanteles Ashmead are represented by single species Dolichogenidea lactea (Nees), Diolcogaster spretus (Marshall) and Glyptapanteles meculitarsis (Cameron) respectively. These species are new records for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Improved description, distributional notes, important diagnostic characters and images of key morphological features have been provided. Keys to the microgastrine genera and species have been constructed for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
10 I. INTRODUCTION
Microgastrinae is a diverse and widespread subfamily of parasitoid wasps within Braconidae with worldwide distribution except Antarctica. The subfamily includes about 2000 described species under 55 genera. As large part of world fauna is poorly known, the actual richness of Microgastrinae is expected to range from 5000 to 10000 species (Whitfield, 1997, Yu et al. 2012).
These wasps can be recognized by the 16 flagellar segments with placodes and distaly reduced wing venation. They have petiol with spiracle on laterotergites. Additionally, the apical margin of clypeus is concave and maxillary palpi are 5- segmented. Some of them have long ovipositors while others have short ones (Mason, 1981).
Microgatrines are found in almost every habitate where lepidopterous larvae occur. Every collection effort will yield some of these wasps. Few lepidopterous larvae escape their attack (Inayatullah, 2002). More than 100 microgastrine species have been successfully applied in different biological control programs worldwide (Whitfield, 2002). In India, the parasitization of Chilo partellus larvae by Apanteles spp. was recorded to be 35-50 percent during September in maize (Nirmala and Desh, 1996). The indigenous strain of Cotesia flavipes kept the population of sugarcane borers i.e. Chilo infuscatelus, C. auricilius and Acigona steniellus, at the level of 7.1, 8.7 and 21.3 percent during two years in India (Shenhmar and Brar, 1996).
Adult microgastrines use lepidopterous larvae to lay their eggs on. These wasps locate a 2nd and 3rd instar caterpillar and lay one or more eggs inside the body of the host. At the same time she injects symbiotic viruses into the hemocoel of the host that knock down the internal defensive responses of the host. The eggs hatch in the host hemocoel within two to three days and simultaneously release special cells from the egg chorion called the tertocytes which are inhibitory to pupation (Beckage, 1994).
Apanteles creatonoti has been reported to give 38% control of Spilosoma oblique in field as compared to 45.6% in laboratory (Sathe and Bhosale, 1996) while
11 70% parasitism of Plutella xylostella was observed to be caused by Cotesia species on cabbage and cauliflower (Usha et al. 1997).
During a biocontrol practice in China, Apanteles cypris alone caused about 50- 80% of total parasitism of Cnaphalocrosis medinalis (Guo and Yang, 1995), similarly a population of Cotesia rubecula collected from near Beijing (China), and released in Massachusetts (USA) in 1988, has established and spread throughout much of New England. It has become a common parasitoid of Pieris rapae in agricultural fields and is also found in meadow habitats. Cotesia glomerata appears to have declined in abundance following establishment of C. rubecula (Van and Nun, 2003).
In South Africa, Cotesia plutellae was found to be active all year round, and accounted for 30-50% parasitism of P. xylostella the Diamond back moth (Waladde et al, 2001). While in east and South Africa the problem of stem borer Chilo partellus was challenged with the introduction of Cotesia flavipes. The parasitoid was firmly established in Ethiopia, with varying density and distribution in various regions of the country (Emana, 2007).
In Pakistan, the trend of biocontrol strategy is developing and efforts have been on track to utilize these natural enemies in IPM programs. Apanteles plutellae gave 57.2% control of Plutella xylostella on turnip in Pakistan (Mushtaqe and Mohyuddin, 1987). Cotesia glomeratus was originally imported from Japan for the control of maize stem borers in 1962 (Shami and Mohyuddin, 1992).The parasitoid is now successfully established here and quite popular for the control of the pest. In 1991, colonies of Cotesia glomerata were exported to Kenya from Pakistan. According to survey made in 2005, it has been recorded to be established effectively against Chilo partellus not only in Kenya but also in 10 other countries in east and southern Africa (Omwega et al, 2006). In Kenya Cotesia chilonis successfully parasitized 4 pests i.e. Chilo partellus, C.orichalcociliellus, Sesamia calamistis and Busseola fusca the most destructive pests of maize and sorghum, (Okech and Overholt, 1996).
Lepidopterous pests are the most destructive and cosmopolitan pests of almost every kind of agricultural crops i.e. wheat, maize, sugarcane, cotton, vegetable and fruit trees, forest crops including apiculture. To protect their crops from lepidopterous pests, historically farmers had been used pesticides. The ill effects of which are well
12 documented. Consequently emphasis is now on IPM. Biological control is an important aspect of IPM, but it would be incomplete without identification of natural enemies of insect pests. Microgastrines are the important natural control agent; attack the entire taxonomic spectrum of the order Lepidoptera (Whitfield et al. 1997) hardly excluding Hepalidae.
In Pakistan, very limited taxonomic work has been done on these usefull insects. A new species, Apanteles quadrates, was described by Anjum and Malik (1978) from Pectinophora gossypiella (Pink bollworm) in Panjab. Iqbal and Rana (1998) studied Apanteles and Glyptapanteles from Faisalabad area of Punjab. Later on a taxonomic study was done by Ahmad (2001) who identified 36 species under 11 genera of Microgatrinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) and presented a check list for the Punjab province of Pakistan.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan no special attention has been given to this important group of beneficial insects, however some preliminary work was done by Inayatullah and Karimullah (1996). They reported 18 subfamilies of Braconidae including Microgastrinae with genera i.e. Apanteles, Dolichogenidea, Cotesia, Glyptapanteles, Hypomicrogaster, Microgaster, and Microplitis from different localities of the province. The presence of these genera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is an indication that the biological and physical environments of the area are suitable for their development. However all the work done in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is up to genus level and very little information is available for the species of microgastrines. Inayatullah (2002) in his work on braconids emphasized the need for studying each subfamily of Braconidae at species level. The present studies are therefore initiated to identify species of Microgastrinae in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The proposed study will provide basic information on microgastines of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The study will be of value to Insect Taxonomists, biocontrol workers, Museum Technician and Ecologists working on the group.
13 Objectives
1. Identification, description, seasonal occurrence and distribution of microgastrine species occurring in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
2. Construction of key for the identification of microgastrine species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
14 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Latreille (1804) reported the first member under the type genus Microgaster, and laid the basis for the subfamily Microgastrinae. Cameron (1891) erected the genus Cotesia with the type species Cotesia flavipes from India. Foerster (1862) established the apomorphic genus Microplitis with the type species Microgaster sordipes Nees von Esenbeck. Ashmead (1900) described 3 new genera i.e. Diolcogaster, parapanteles and Hypomicrogaster and constructed a key for the identification of 19 genera. Viereck (1911) described genus Dolichogenidea as a subgenus of Apanteles. Lyle (1921) was the first to describe 3 species of the genus Microplitis from India. Bhatnagar (1948) described and keyed out 36 species under the genus Apanteles from India.
Wilkinson (1930) revised the Indo-Australian species of Microplitis and included ten species for the region. He constructed a key for the following species i.e. Snellenius maculipennis( Szepligeti) and nomen nudum similis Ashmead (as Microplitis similis) from India; M. basalis (Bingham) and M. perelegans (Bingham) from Australia; S. radicalis (Wilkinson) (as M. radicalis) from China; S. philippinensis (Ashmead) (as M. bimaculatus) from Kuching Borneo; M. pallidipes Szepligeti from Singapore; M. spectabilis (Haliday) from Quetta, Pakistan ( before partition); M. manilae Ashmead and S. philippinensis (Ashmead) from Philippines; M. atamiensis Ashmead and M. spinolae (Nees) (as M. sapporoensis Ashmead) from Japan.
Anjum and Malik (1978) identified a new species, Apanteles quadratus from pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) in Pakistan.
Mason (1981) conducted a comprehensive study on the genera of Microgastrinae and provided morphological, biological and phylogenetic information on 51 genera of Microgastrinae of the world. He divided the group into 5 tribes and provided a key to the world genera in each tribe.
Papp (1986) transfered some species group from Microplitis to a new genus Glabromicroplitis Papp on the bases of reduced sculpturing. Austin and Dangerfield (1993) synonymyzed the genus Glabromicroplitis Papp (type species, Glabromicroplitis mahunkai Papp) with Microplitis and reviewed Australian and New Guinean species of
15 Microplitis and Snellenius along with their biology and host relationships. They also documented 30 species, along with redescription.
Walker (1994) revised the taxonomy of 10 species of Microgastrinae which are parasitoids of cereal stem borers in Africa. Dolichogenidea cameroonensis, D. fusciovora, D. oryzae and D. polaszeki are described as new, Apanteles procerae Risbec is synonymized with Dolichogenidea aethiopica (Cameron). He listed host associations and constructed a key for the species. A summary table of the species mentioned in the text together with their hosts is also provided.
Inayatullah and Karimullah (1996) reported 5 genera of Microgastrinae from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Inanc (1997) determined 42 species belonging to 10 genera of Microgastrinae from Turkey during 1986-93. Diagnostic keys of species according to morphological features were constructed. 14 species were reported as new records for the Turkish fauna, including Microgaster tibialis, Glyptapanteles comprehensiventris, Cotesia callimone and Diolcogaster alvearius.
Iqbal (1998) reported species of genus Apanteles of the subfamily Microgastrinae from Faisalabad locality of Punjab.
Rana (1998) worked on the genus Glyptapanteles of subfamily Microgastrinae and reported the species Glyptapanteles maculitarsus from Faisalabad region of Punjab.
Saeed et al. (1999) conducted taxanomic studies of genus Diolcogaster for the Australian region. Diolcogaster was recorded for the first time from Caledonia and New Zealand and a key to species was presented. The distribution of Australian species, relationships within and among species, size of the world fauna, groups of the genus, biology and host relationships has been elaborated. Two monotypic, non- Australian groups were included in the D. cnnexus-group sensu Nixon. Similarly, monotypic group for D. coenonymphae, from Japan, was included in the D. spretus- group sensu Nixon. Twenty-six species were recognized from both Japan and Australia, out of which 19 species were new to science.
16 Xu et al. (2000) reported two species of Microplitis from China. Among them one species, Microplitis helicoverpae was described as new to science. The other species, Microplitis albotibialis Telenga, was recorded for the first time in China.
Ahmad (2001) reported 36 species under 11 genera of Microgatrinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from Punjab province of Pakistan.
Inanc and Beyarslan (2001) recorded 92 species of Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) belonging to 11 genera from the East Marmara Region of Turkey. 34 species are new records for the Turkish fauna.
Whitfield et al. (2002) reviewed six species of Glyptapanteles Ashmead known to attack noctuid pests in the New World with illustrated identification keys and discussions of their species status and possible relationships. Four of the species have been previously described: G. bourquini (Blanchard), new combination, G. herbertii (Ashmead), G. militaris (Walsh) and G. muesebecki (Blanchard), new combination.
You-Lan-Shao et al. (2002) studied five characters of the external male genitalia of 67 microgastrine species of 21 genera distributed in the Oriental and Palaearctic regions (including 14 genera known from China) and 2 species of Cardiochiles (as outgroup) comparatively. Based on morphological studies, 34 characters including head, thorax, abdomen, female and male genitalia, and biological characters of 21 genera of 5 tribes were selected for cladistic analysis in an attempt to reassess the phylogenetic relationships among the tribes and genera of the Microgastrinae previously described by Mason.
Foerster, et al. (2003) described larval endoparasitoid Microplitis mediator Haliday for the first time in the Neotropical Region, parasitizing the wheat armyworm Mythimna (Pseudaletia) sequax Franclemont.
Janzen et al. (2003) studied the host specificity and hyperparasitism associated with Microplitis species in relation to sphingid hosts. Song & Chen (2008) mentioned the existence of 25 species from China. Fernández-Triana (2010) reported 21 species and expressed the possibility of nearly 60 species based on barcoding data.
17 Kamran (2004) prepared a special report on the tribes of the subfamily Microgastrinae for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fauna and reported 4 tribes (Tribe Fornicini was missing) from the province.
Ahmad (2005) described a new species of the genus Philoplitis from India. Ahmad (2005) reported the genus Wilkinsonellus for the first time from India and described a new species of the genus. Ahmad et al., (2005) described two new species of Apanteles from India and presented a key for their identification.
Fakhruddin (2007) reported 13 subfamilies of Braconidae including Microgatrinae with 4 genera viz. Apanteles, Cotesia, Dolichogenidea and Microplitis from Chitral area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Luo et al. (2007) described Microplitis bicoloratus as new species from China, is a solitary endoparasitoid of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).
Shabana Faiz (2008) reported 7 genera of Microgastrinae i.e. Alloplitis Nixon, Apanteles Foerster, Cotesia Cameran, Diolcogaster Ashmead, Glyptapanteles Ashmead, Dolicogenidea Vierek, Microplitis Forster, from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Song et al. (2008) described a new species of Microplitis from China. These are Microplitis basipallescenfis, M.carinata, M. changbaishana, and M. crassiantenna.
Achterberg et al. (2009) reared 19 braconids from seeds of Dipterocarpacae (mainly Shorea species) in west Malysia. Among these Microgastrinae was represented by Apanteles hemiaurantius, Apentales striatus and one new species Spermatobracon triangulaornatus.
Fernandez-Triana, (2010) provided an annotated checklist of 28 genera and 225 species of Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Canada and Alaska based on the study of 12,000+ specimens by 50% increasing the number of species for the region. The genera Protomicroplitis, Iconella, Distatrix and Pseudapanteles for Canada, and Diolcogaster recorded for the first time from Alaska; all but Iconella and Protomicroplitis represent the northernmost extension of their known distribution. He described eight new species which are: Apanteles huberi, A. jenniferae , A. masmithi, A.
18 roughleyi, A. samarshalli, Distatrix carolinae, Pseudapanteles gouleti, and Venanus heberti.
Gupta (2011) reassigned Glyptapanteles aristolochiae (Wilkinson) and provided notes on parasitoid-host interactions with extended host range of the genus Glyptapanteles includes four families Arctiidae, Noctuidae, Nymphalidae Papilionidae and documented diagnostic details including illustrations of various life stages of the unparasitized host of five braconid parasitoids i.e. Apanteles folia Nixon, Apanteles javensis Rohwer, Apanteles phycodis Viereck and Apanteles machaeralis Wilkinson and Glyptapanteles aristolochiae (Wilkinson) from India. She reported for the first time Spindasis vulcanus (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), as a host of solitary endoparasitoid A. folia and provided Information on parasitoid distribution, brief diagnosis with illustrations, host association, host caterpillar, and caterpillar host plant for easy identification.
Gupta (2012) described Dolichogenidea kunhi Gupta & Kalesh as new to science from Kerala (India) reared from larvae of Thoressa evershedi (Evans) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) and discussed its relationship with closely allied species. She recorded eight species of Microgastrine wasps from five various stages of their host i.e. hesperiids viz. Borbo cinnara (Wallace), Pelopidas mathias (Fabricius), Udaspes folus (Cramer), Thoressa evershedi (Evans), and Caltoris sp. She also recorded Apanteles javensis Rohwer and Cotesia erionotae (Wilkinson) from parasitized larvae of P. mathias and U. folus and provided taxonomic comments, distribution, brief diagnosis of each species, host association, host caterpillars, caterpillar host plants with habitus photograph.
Gupta (2013) revised the genus Microplitis Foerster for Indian fauna and constructed key for eight species including the description of one new speciesi.e. M. murkyi. Six previously described species were elaborated with taxonomical variations and extended distribution, namely: M. ajmerensis Rao & Kurian, M. demolitor Wilkinson, M. prodeniae Rao & Kurian, M. manilae Ashmead, M. indicus Marsh, and M. spodopterae Rao & Kurian. Two species, M. bageshri Sathe and M. dipika (Bhatnagar) are considered incertae sedis. She synonymized Snellenius maculipennis (Szepligeti) with Microplitis and provided a new combination for these two genera. She
19 also provided Information about diagnostic characters of all the included species, taxonomic history, distribution and host relationships of the genus Microplitis.
Gupta (2013a) reared new species of genus Glyptapanteles viz., Glyptapanteles clanisae and Glyptapanteles trilochae from their hosts viz., Clanis phalaris Cramer (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) on the host plant Pongamia pinnata (L.) (Leguminosae) and Trilocha varians (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) on the host plant Ficus racemosa L. (Moraceae) along with hyperparasitoid viz., Eurytoma sp. (Eurytomidae) and Paraphylax sp. (Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae). She also provided key for the identification of these new species and searchout new hosts of the species of genus Glyptapanteles from India.
Gupta (2013b) revised the fauna of Reunion Island for Microgastrinae and recorded 34 species belonging to 13 genera. One genus Dodogaster and 18 species i.e. Apanteles minatchy, A. pashmina, A. romei, Cotesia xavieri, Dolichogenidea ashoka, D. broadi., D. lumba, D. uru, D. villemantae, Distatrix yunae, Dodogaster grangeri, Exoryza safranum, Glyptapanteles chidra, Nyereria ganges, N. mayurus, Parapanteles covino, P. darignac and Wilkinsonellus narangahus were newly described. She constructed a key for all genera and species and provided a new distribution records for 12 species and reassigned the remaining 4 genera: Glyptapanteles antsirabensis (Granger), G. ficus (Granger), G. subandinus (Blanchard) and Venanides curticornis (Granger) from the traditionally defined Apanteles genus to their respective genera.
Gupta (2013c) described a new species of genus Dolichogenidea i.e. Dolichogenidea cinnarae sp.nov. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) which parasitise the caterpillar of Borbo cinnara (Wallace) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) and also reared a gregarious larval parasitoid, Cotesia erionotae (Wilkinson) and solitary pupal parasitoid Charops plautus Gupta & Maheshwary (Ichneumonidae) from the host Udaspes folus (Cramer) on the host plant Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig from peninsular India.
20 III. MATERIALS AND METHODS
The present study is based on the collected material from different ecological zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during 1996-2014. The areas surveyed include: Malakand Division {Chitral (Drosh, Bumborait, Ayun, Madaklusht, and Shishikoh), Swat (Mingora, Malamjaba, Fatehpur, Main Adam and Kalam), Dir (Shiringle, Junki and Kumrat)}; Mardan Division (Mardan and Swabi); Hazara Division (Abbottabad, Mansehra and Galiat), Peshawar Division (Peshawar, Charsadda and Nowshehra); D.I.Khan Division (D.I. Khan and Tank) and Kohat Division (Kohat and Hangu). Fresh collection was also done from different ecological zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The following methods were used for collection. i. Hand Net: Being small in size, microgastrines were easy to collect with the help of hand net. In tall grasses and small bushes, where there was much chance of capturing microgastrines, sweeping metho was employed. The collected material was carefully handled and microgastrines were sorted.
ii. Malaise Trap: These traps were operated in different agro-climatic zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is very effective way, although passive, for collecting microgastrines. Alcohol was changed weekly and the collected material was searched out for microgastrines. iii. Rearing of Hosts: Microgastrines are parasitoids of Lepidoptera, therefore, some lepidopterous larvae were reared in the laboratory for the emergence of parasitoids. The unparasitized larvae were reared to adulthood for host confirmation.
2. PRESERVATION
Ethyl alcohol (70%) was used for preservation of microgastrine wasps to protect them from damage when they became dry. Microgastrine specimens remain preserved in the alcohol, also color of specimens does not change. Before mounting on card point, the specimens were put, for 24 hours, in 97% alcohol.
21 3. MOUNTING
The specimens were mounted on card point because they are very difficult to pin due to their very small size. The insects were glued to the pointed tip of the triangular cards and then the cards were pinned through the base.
Labelling of the specimens was done using collector’s name, collection date, locality and expected host. Wooden boxes were used for keeping the mounted specimens and naphthalene tablets were placed in them to secure the specimen from museum pest attack and damp.
4. IDENTIFICATION
Specimens were identified with the help of available literature. Important morphological characters like wing venation, tergites, propodeum, hypopygium, ovipositor sheath etc. were illustrated. Identification was done with the help of Stereo zoom microscope with maginification upto 350X. Keys to the identification of genera and species were constructed.
The entire identified specimens were kept in ECUAP for record.
22 The following keys were used for the purpose:
Austin and Dangerfield (1992);Gupta (2013), Marsh et al. (1987); Mason (1981); Nixon (1974). Tobias (1975); Tobias (1995); Wharton et al. (1997).
5. DESCRIPTION
Descriptions and diagnostic characters of genera and species are given. The Comstock Needham system of wing vein nomenclature is employed. Terminology for surface sculpturing is that of Harris (1979).
6. ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
Photographs of the important characters and diagnostic features were taken by 5.01 MP digital camera attached to SMZ, Nikon, 745T Stereo zoom microscope. The photographs were further processed by Helicon Focus and Photoshope computer softwares. Illustrations were also drawn using Corel Draw software.
ABBREVIATION USED
ar areola as antennal sockets BtL Basitarsus Length dm dorsellum ECUAP Entomological Collection oh The University of Agriculture Peshawar HC Hind Coxa EH Eye Height EW Eye Width F1L 1st Flagellomere Lenght HW Head Width IOD Inter Ocular Distance KP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa LSc Lateral Scutellum mt metanotum msp mesopleuron ma mandible
23 mp maxillary palp no notaulices OC Ocelli OL Ovipositor Length pn pronotum PP Propodeum ppl propleuron PbSc Posterior band of Scutellum PPW Propodeum Width 2 r-m 2nd rediomedial vein Sc Scutum Scl Scutellum SS Scutellar sulcus St Stigma SW Scutum Width SH Scutum Height tm temples
MORGHOLOGY OF MICROGASTRINAE WITH IMPORTANT TAXONOMIC CHARACTERS
FEMALE
Color: In most microgastrine genera, head, mesosoma and propodeum are generally dark or black, looks like flying ants. T1-T7 and hind legs are variable in color although not an important character in genera but it still provides clues for separating some species.
Body Length: Varies from 2.0-5.2 mm excluding ovipositor and sheath. It is highly variable character, so of little taxonomic value for separating species.
HEAD
Microgastrines have transverse and orthognathus head (Tobias, et al. 1995). Width of head related with width of scutum, setostiy and sculpture provide diagnostic character for separating species.
24 Face: Area between clypeus and antennal sockets. Face width related with its height, rugosity and setosity are diagnostic on genera level but less taxonomic value in species.
Frons: Area between the median ocellus and antennal sockets mostly setose and rugose and has no taxonomic value in this group.
Glossa: Median apical segment of the labium often modified into a tongue like structure. Presence or absence of lobe on glossa and its length are diagnostic for the genus. A few genera like, Pseudopanteles has bilobed and elongated glossa as compared to other genera. This character is of limited taxonomic value for separating species.
Eyes: Paired organs of vision. They have microscopic setae (Interommatidial hairs). Width of eyes related to its height is a diagnostic character but with limited taxonomic value in microgastrines.
Temple: Area between the eye and the dorsal margin of occiput. Width of temple related with width of eyes, its setosity and sculptures are taxonomically important for separation of species.
Vertex: Dorsal surface of the head, bordered anteriorly by the frons, laterally by the compound eyes and posteriorly by the occiput. This structure has no taxonomic value for microgatrines.
Antennae: The length of antennae relative to body length, number, shape and size of flagellomeres are important taxonomic characters. Although 16 numbers of flagellomeres is constant feature in genera and species, but still an important diagnostic character for identification of subfamily Microgastrinae within Braconidae. Length of First flagellomere related to length of last flagellomere provides diagnostic character for separating species. Arrangement of placodes (longitudinal tube like sensory organs) on flagellomeres are mostly in 2 ranks rarely in 3 ranks (Protomicroplitis sp) except female of some species i.e. Cotesia flavipes complex have one rank of placodes. This character is variable among male and female within species but still provides important diagnostic character for separating species.
25 Ocelli: Simple eye composed of one facet. There are three ocelli located on vertex, one median ocellus and a pair of lateral ocelli, forming acute or obtuse triangle that provide useful taxonomic character for separating species. Another important character is the inter-ocelli distance and inter-occular distance.
MESOSOMA (THORAX+ PROPODEUM)
Shape: The length of mesosoma relative to its height is an identifying character between species i.e. dorsovantrally depressed in Cotesia chilonis, C.sesemiae and C. flavipes.
Pronotum: The first part of thorax which connect head with scutum. Sculpture and carinae on pronotum gives diagnostic character in some genera. This character is, therefore, of limited use between species.
Scutum: The largest part of thorax in Microgastrinae. The presence or absence of notauli i.e. Pair of longitudinal posteriorly diverging grooves on the mesoscutum and its sculpturing is a good taxonomic character within genera.
Scutellum: The area between the anterior margin of the scutellar sulcus and the metanotum. The term scutellum is mostly used for scutellar disc i.e. Tongue like structure posterior to scutellar sulcus. Sculpture, puncture and intercultural space gives important clues for species identification. Distinct, smooth and shiny interpuncture spaces in Cotesia ruficrus differentiate it from closely related species C. plutellae.
Scutellar sulcus: Transverse depression of the scutellum, posterior to mesoscutum. Number of carinae on this portion is variable (5-12) between species. This character is important when used with other combination.
Mesopleuron: Lateral sclerite of mesothorax. Rugosity on posterior and anterior portion of mesopleuron and sculpturing of sternaulus (Groove running from near the base of the middle coxa towards the anterior margin of the mesopleuron), complete prepactal carina are diagnostic character within genera and between species.
Metapleuran: Lateral sclerite of metathorax. Usually glabrous and is of limited use taxonomically.
26 Propodeum: The first abdominal segment which is fused with the metathorax and separated from the remainder of the abdomen by a constriction. This part is very important, due to presence of (longitudinal, transverse, costullae), areola (open anteriorly or posteriorly, oval, tetragonal, pentagonal etc) and sculpture of propodeum (smooth to rugose, rugulose or areolate-rugose), thus providing good taxonomic characters for identification of species and genera of Microgatrinae.
Legs: Length of coxa relative to T1 and its color and sculpture provides useful taxonomic characters. Color and length of hind femur and tibia related with sheath also gives important clues for separating species. Length of hind tibial spurs relative to basitarsis varies for some species and of limited use.
Wings: The relative length of pterostigma to vein 1R1, length of radial vain (r) related with stigmal width and its origination varies between species and provides good diagnostic characters for separating closely related species.
Presence or absence of r-m vein (areolet or 2nd submarginal cell) on forewing is an important character that has been used to separate genera; areolet with forewing (Microplitis, Microgaster, Paroplitis, Snellenius, Diolcogaster etc.), and (Apanteles, Cotesia, Dolichogenidia, Glyptapanteles etc) with no areolet.
Shape and fringe of vannal lobe of hind wing is important taxonomic character. On the bases of this character, Apanteles (Concave and sparsely fringed vannal lobe) and Dolichogenidia (Convex and evenly fringed vannal lobe) can be separated. Different shapes of cu-a (Sinuate, straight and concave or convex) on hindwing is another diagnostic character for identification of genera.
METASOMA
Tergum 1: Its shape is highly variable (Parallel, broadening or narrowing posteriorly or anteriorly), presence, absence and shape of longitudinal groove, depression and carinae mostly sculptured and rarely smooth surface of T1 provides good taxonomic characters between species and genera of Microgatrinae.
Tergum 2: This portion of metasoma provides good taxonomic characters for separating microgastrine species. Mostly sculptured (rugose to aceculo-rugose) and
27 rarely smooth. Different Shapes of T2 (Rectangular, triangular, transverse, and trapezoidal) gives identity of different genera. Presence or absence of median field on T2 and its shape provide important taxonomic character for separating species of Diolcogaster and Microplitis (M.demolitor and M.achterbergi have no median field while M.manilae, M.medianus, M.chitraliensis have distinct median field). Color of lateral tergites of T1 and T2 is another diagnostic character.
Tergum 3: Setosity and sculpture of tergum 3 and its size relative to T2 provide diagnostic clues for separating species (Cotesia sp).
Terga 4-5: Usually smooth, glabrous and shiny rarely rugose and setose. The shape and sculpture of these tergites are of limited taxonomic value.
Terga 6-7: These parts are always smooth and sparsely setose have less taxonomic importance.
Hypopygium: Sixth abdominal sternite. This portion of genitalia often extends beyond the apex of metasoma. However, many species have a short hypopygium which ends at the apex of metasoma. Length and setosity of the hypopygium is, therefore a good taxonomic character for the separation of many species. Presence and absence of expandable pleads is another useful character for separating genera. Angle formation of hypopygium (180° in A. agilis and 90° in A. parasae) with gaster is used for separation of species.
Ovipositor + Sheath: Its length relative to hind tibia, setosity and position of sheath are important characters for identification of species and genera. Presence or absence of specialized sensilla on ovipositor is another diagnostic character but of limited use in this group.
28 IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A total of 1200 specimens were examined which fall in twenty three species in eight genera viz. Apanteles, Cotesia, Diolcogaster, Dolichogenidea, Glyptapanteles, Microgaster, Microplitis and Paroplitis were recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The following key was constructed to identify these genera.
Key to the genera of Microgastrinae in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan
1 Fore wing areolet absent (Fig. 17)……………………………………………....2
- Fore wing areolet present (Fig. 77)…………..………………….………………5
2 Hypopygium membranous, ovipositor sheath completely hairy (Fig.15)………3
- Hypopygium sclerotized, ovipositor sheath with hairs concentrated apically (Fig.30)………………………………………………………………………….4
3 Vannal lobe of hind wing concave (Fig.12a)...... Apanteles Foerster
- Vannal lobe of hind wing convex (Fig.12c)...... DolichogenideaVierek
4 T1 broadening posteriorly (Fig. 33)...... Cotesia Cameron
- T1 narrowing posteriorly or parallel (Fig. 10B)...... Glyptapanteles Ashmead
5 Hind coxa shorter than T1; fore wing areolet triangular or quadrangular
(Fig.77)…………...……………………………………………………….…….6
- Hind coxa longer than T1; forewing areolet small and slit-like
(Fig.53) ………….……………………………………………Diolcogaster Ashmead
6 Flagellomeres with only a single row of placodes, ovipositor sheaths about half as long as hind tibia and setose over most of length (Fig.76)….Paroplitis Mason
- Flagellomeres with two ranks of placodes in both sexes, ovipositor sheaths short as hind tibia and with setae concentrated distally (Fig.58)……….……………..7
29 7 T2 usually smooth, distinct median field present or absent, constriction between T2 and T3 not well defined (Fig.64)…………………….…. Microplitis Foerster
T2 usually sculptured without any median field, constriction between T2 and T3 well defined (Fig. 75)……………………………….….….Microgaster Latreille
APANTELES Foerster
1862 Apanteles Foerster, Verhd.Nat. Ver. Der.Pre.Rhe. U.West. 19:225-88.
1898 Urogaster Ashmead, Proc.Ent. Soc. Wash. 4:155-171.
Type: Microgaster obscurus Nees.
Genus Apanteles can be separated from other genera of Microgastrinae through the following characters; fore wing without r-m vein, distally areolet is open (Fig. 17); concave vennal lobe on hind wing having unevenly or sparse fringe of hairs distally (Fig. 12 a); mesonotum posterior-medially consist of punctuation modified into more confluent longitudinal sculpturing; propodeum having various type of areola i.e. hexagonal, pentagonal, oval, and anteriorly open medial areola (Fig. 18); T1 usually having medial sub apical depression and T2 strongly transverse, often having convex or sinuate margin posteriorly; ovipositor, sheath elongated, exerted, and functionable through a desclerotized expandable hypopygium (Fig. 13).
Species of Apanteles is mostly solitary parasitoids of microlepidoptera, with a few known exceptions (Gupta. 2013b). The genus is closely related with Dolichogenidea, but could be distinguished from it by the presence of concave vannal lobe (Fig.1a), narrowing behind tergite 1 and puctures on scutum often confluent and usually aciculate posteriorly (Mason, 1981). Some authors (Yu et al. 2012) consider Dolichogenidea to be a junior synonym of Apanteles.
Mason (1981) correctly pointed out that the paucity of host records reflects the taxonomically uncharacterized composition of the genus. In this survey most of the collecting was done through ground netting and malaise traps. Only a single species A.gallariae was reared from its host i.e. Gallaria melonella (Wax moth) larvae
30 collected from honybee colony. Therefore, most specimens reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lack host information. The species of the genus Apanteles Foerster are very common amongst all the microgastrines with an estimate of roughly 2,000 species reported across the world (Mason 1981 and Whitfield et. al. 2009). In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 5 species i.e. A. calycinae Wilkinson, A. gallariae Wilkinson, A. significance Wilkinson, A.swabiensis sp.nov, A. agilis (Ashmead) have been discovered. These wasps are on the wing from April through November.
The above species can be identified by using the following key
Key to the species of APANTELES from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
1. T1 distinctly narrowing posteriorly (Fig. 9c)………………calycinae Wilkinson
- T1 parallel or slightly to strongly broadening posteriorly (Fig. 18B)……..……2
2. Propodeum with distinct costulae present (Fig. 16), hind femur mostly dark brown (18C)……………………………………………..….galleriae Wilkinson
- Propodeum with costulae absent or hardly distinguishable (Fig. 19 B), hind femur mostly yellowish or apico-dorsal portion blackish………….………….3
3. Scutellum rugose and punctate as scutum (Fig. 19 A)...... significance Walker
- Scutellum not rugose and punctate; scutum rugose and punctate……….……..4
4. Hypopygium thick, stout, strongly developed downwards making almost 45° angle with metasoma (Fig. 21A)……………………………..swabiensis sp. nov
- Hypopygium thin, paper-like, weakly developed, extended backwards, making almost 180° with metasoma (Fig. 14)………………….………agilis (Ashmead) Apanteles agilis (Ashmead) (Fig. 14)
1905 Pseudapanteles agillis Ashmead, Proc.U.S. Nat. Mus.28, 1413: 957-971.
1928 Apanteles agilis Wilkinson, Bull. Ent. Res., 19: I09-146.
31 Descripton of female (n=10)
Diagnosis: Propodeum with complete areola, costulae present; T1 parallel sided; T2 transverse; hypopygium thin, paper-like and delicate making 180° angle with metasoma which passes towards back of metasoma (Fig. 14)
Body Length: 2.6-2.7 mm
Color: Head, thorax, Tl, T2, hind coxa black; except blackish basal half of hind femur the rest of the legs dark brown, ovipositor sheath blackish-brown; palps whitish; wings slightly dusky, stigma brown, venation light brown.
Head: Dorsally almost equal to scutum in width; face slightly punctate to smooth, setose, slightly emarginate centrally, 1.45x as wide as high; eyes 0.5x wider than its height, converging, setose; temples 0.4x as wide as width of eyes, slightly punctate, sparsely setose; ocelli forming an acute triangle, inter-ocellar distance almost equal to ocello-oculler distance; antennae equal to body length, first flagellomere 1.5x longer than last one.
Mesosoma: Length and width of scutum equal dorsally, with large punctation, setose; notauli shallow, carinate-punctate, broadening anteriorly; scutellar sulcus divided into 8-9 deep and broad costulae; scutellum dorsally setose punctated and longer than wide; lateral and posterior band of scutellum broad, smooth and glabrous; metanotum broad medially, deep,with 1 to 2 carinae; dorsellum smooth, deep, surrounded by carinae; propodeum 1.5-2.0x longer than wide, with a complete areola, costulae present, rest of the surface carinate-rugose; lateral pronotum smooth apically, carinate basally; mesopleuron glabrous, shiny, in front of and ventral to sternaulus, sub-areolate; epicnemial furrow broad, shallow, carinate•rugose; hind coxa 2x longer than wide, as long as Tl, smooth, slightly setose; outer hind tibial spur 1.2x longer than inner hind tibial spur and 1.3x shorter than hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3.0-3.2x longer than its width, apically densely setose than basal half; stigma 3.0-3.2x longer than wide; 1-R1 0.85x as long as distance fromstigma to 3Rs; length of vein r nearly equals stigma width, slightly curved before joining areolet
32 vein; open areolet; 1-CU1 almost equal in length to 2-CU1; hind wing 3.5x longer than its width; concave and sparsely hairy vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal half.
Metasoma: T1 1.5x longer than wide, barrel shape, rugulose, shiny, with a spot at apically; T2 0.5x as long as T3 in mid line, smooth, dull, median field not distinct; well defined suture between T2 and T3 present; T3-T7 smooth, with a number of rows of hairs; weakly developed hypopygium, striated, opaque, backwards to metasoma, 1.3x shorter than T1, 0.3x as long as wide; completely hairy ovipositor sheaths, almost equal to hind tibia in length, specialized sensilla absent.
Male
Unknown
Distribution
Philippine, Indonesia, West Java (Ashmead 1905). Pakistan, Punjab (Sialkot and Faisalabad), (Ahmad 2001). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Chitral and Swabi. New record).
Host
Unknown
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Chitral. 3♀. 35° 8.3΄N, 73° 33 .5΄E.5.vi.2011 (Fakhruddin), Swabi. 2♀ 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 29.ix.2002.(Inayatullah), Baragali.2♀.34° 1.3΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 28.viii.1999. (Inayatullah). Peshawar.3♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 10.x.2005. Inayatullah.
Comments
A.agilis can be easily identified by the thin paper like and delicate hypopygium making 180° angle with metasoma which passes towards back of metasoma, ovipositor sheath with long setae.
33 This species is similar to A. parasae Rohwer because of similarity in carinated areola on propodeum, parallel sided T1 and presence of costulae in parasae but differs in having paper-like thin and delicate hypopygium in agilis whereas the hypopygium is stout and directed downward in parasae. A. parasae does not occur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so there should not be any confusion in identification of A. agilis.
Pseudapanteles agilis was erected by Ashmead (1905) without host information. He reported this species from Philippine, Indonesia and West Java. Later Mason (1981) reclassified the species as Apanteles agilis.
This species is widely distributed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, collected from Chitral, Baragali and Swabi areas. These wasps are on wing in the months of April through September.
Apanteles calycinae Wilkinson (Fig. 13)
1928 Apanteles calycinae Wilkinson, Bull. Ent. Res., 19:109-146
Descripton of female (n=10)
Diagnosis: Tergite1 tapering posteriorly, with a tuft of long hairs on lateral sides (Fig. 8c); hypopygium with clearly visible expandable pleads (Fig 13); propodeum without costulae, areola distinct its rest surface carinate-rugose, a short carina in center of areola present.
Length: 2.3-2.5 mm
Colour: Body black; hind femur yellow, hind tibia yellowish with dark apical margin, basitarsis with apical half dark and basal half yellowish coloration. Hypopygium and ovipositor yellowish brown, ovipositor sheath blackish brown; wings transparent with brown stigma, venation yellowish.
Head: Dorsally almost equal to scutum in width; face smooth, setose, 1.2 x as wide as high; eyes as wide as high, setose, oval, slightly converging; temples as wide as width of eyes, smooth; ocelli forming acute triangle, inter-ocellar distance almost equal to -
34 ocello-oculler distance; antennae equal to body length, first flagellomere 1.5x longer than last one.
Mesosoma: Length and width of scutum equal, dorsally setose, punctate; notauli not well impressed, with large punctation; scutellar sulcus divided into 9-10 deep and broad costulae; scutellum dorsally setose punctated and 1.0-1.2x wider than long, glabrous, smooth; lateral and posterior band of scutellum broad, smooth and glabrous; propodeum with areola, without costulae, its rest surface carinate-rugose, a short carina in center of areola present, 1.8x-2x as wide as long; pronotum laterally prominent, emarginated, shiny, wedge-shaped, rest of the surface smooth; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, sparsely punctate, setose apically; epicnemial furrow broad, deep, smooth; precoxal groove broad, carinate; metapleuron with a round, deep hole, remaining area smooth and shiny; metanotum medially broad, deep,with I to 2 carinae to form pits; dorsellum smooth, deep, surrounded by carinae; propodeum with complete areola, costulae present, its rest surface carinate-rugose, 1.5-2.0 x as wide as long; lateral pronotum smooth apically, carinate basally; mesopleuron glabrous, shiny, in front of and ventral to sternaulus, sub-areolate; epicnemial furrow broad, shallow, carinate•rugose; hind coxa 1.4x longer than wide, as long as Tl, glabrous laterally, punctate and grooved dorsally; inner hind tibial 1.1x longer than outer hind tibial spur r and 1.3x shorter than hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 2.7-3.0x longer than its width, apically dense pilose than basal half; stigma 2.5-3.0x longer than width; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 1.2x shorter than 1- R1; r 1.1-1.2x longer than stigmal width; open areolet; 1-CU1 almost equal in length to 2-CU1; hind wing 3.2x longer than its width; concave and sparsely hairy vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal half.
Metasoma: Tl 2.5-2.6 x as long as wide, rugose, tapering in posterior half, with a tuft of long hairs on lateral sides; T2 medially broad shorter than TI in mid line, smooth, median field not distinct; distinct suture between T2 and T3; T4-T7 smooth, having a number of rows of hairs; hypopygium with clearly visible expandable pleads, opaque, weakly developed behind gaster, as long as T1, 2.5x as long as wide; ovipositor sheath long, hairy throughout, 1.4-1.5x as long as hind tibia, specialized sensilla absent.
35
Male (n=3)
Similar to female except blackish color of metasoma.
Distribution
South Africa ( Wilkinson 1928). Punjab (Chakwal, Khanewal and Faisalabad) (Ahmad. 2001). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Miadam Swat, Dargai, Peshawar, Tank. New record).
Host
Unknown
Material Examined
Pakistan: KPK; Miadam. 3♀. 34° 46΄N, 72° 21΄E. 20. viii. 2002. (Khalid). Tank. 1♂. 34° 1.2΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 13.iv.2011. (Israr). Peshawar.1♂. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 15.v.2009. Haseenullah. Malazai.1♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 06.xi. 2012. (Israr). Swat. 3♀. 34° 46΄N, 72° 21΄E. 9. vi. 2001. (Khalid). Shah Alam.1♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 23.vi.20012. Israr. Dargai. 2♀, 1♂. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 01.v.2002. (Inayatullah).
Comments
A. calycinae can be separated from all other species of the genus by the shape of T1 which is tapering posteriorly and with a tuft of hairs laterally (Fig. 9c); propodeum with areola visible at upper half, with a few weak striae on each side and the ovipositor sheath longer than hind tibia (Fig. 9B).
There is no true host record of Apanteles calycinae. Wilkinson (1928) recorded this species from Malvaceous plant i.e. Kydia calycina. Second time from Dipteraceous tree (Shorea robusta) but the exact host is unknown.
This species is well distributed, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, collected from Swat, Dargai, Peshawar and Tank areas of the province, which shows that it is adapted to a
36 wide variety of environmsnt. The species was found to be active during April through September.
Apanteles galleriae Wilkinson (Fig. 15-18)
1932. Apanteles galleriae Wilkinson. Trans. Ento.Soc. London. 80: 301-44.
Descripton of female (n= 30)
Diagnosis
Propodeum with diamond shaped complete areola with costulae (Fig. 16); T1 narrowing posteriorly; T2 short with convex apical margin (Fig. 18); scutellum shiny with shallow punctation; ovipositor sheath hairy throughout (Fig. 15); body generally black (Fig. 17).
Length: 3.2-3.3 mm
Colour: Antennae, lateral tergites of TI dark brown; coxa, trochanter, trochantellus black, distal half of fore femur, tibia, foretarsus yellowish brown; hind femur black, basal half of hind tibia brown; ovipositor yellowish brown; pterostigma with brown spot; rest of body black.
Head: Dorsally 0.7-0.8x wider than scutum; face punctate, setose, 1.45x as wide as high; eyes 0.4 x as wide as high, rounded, emarginated, pilose; temples 0.4x as wide as width of eyes, panctate, setose; ocelli forming acute triangle, inter-ocellar distance almost equal to ocello-oculler distance; antennae 0.75x body length, first flagellomere half to the length of terminal flagellomere.
Mesosoma: Length and width of scutum equal, punctate, setose; notauli slightly impressed, punctation distinct, reachimg posteriorly; scutellar sulcus provided with 11- 12 deep and broad costulae; scutellum dorsally setose, sparsely punctated and 1.0-1.1x wider than long, glabrous, smooth; metanotum carinate medially; dorsellum smooth; posterior band of scutellum smooth, dull; propodeum with complete diamond shape areola, weak costulae, centre of areola smooth, remaining of propodeum carinate- rugose, with strong posterior carina, 1.3-1.5x longer than wide; lateral pronotum
37 punctate; mesopleuron glabrous, shiny, punctate, setose anteriorly and posteriorly; epicnemial furrow broad, shallow, carinate; precoxal groove broad, deep, carinate; metapleuron smooth, shiny; hind coxa 1.5-2.0x longer than wide, as long as T1, rugose, punctate, setose; outer hind tibial spur 1.3x shorter than inner hind tibial spur and half to the length of hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 2.5-2.7 x longer than its width, apically densely pilose than basal half; stigma 1.2x longer than width; distance from stigma to 3-Rs is 1.0-1.2x shorter than 1-R1; length of r is almost equal to stigmal width; open areolet; 1-CU1 almost equal in length to 2-CU1; hind wing 3.5-3.8x longer than its width; concave and sparsely hairy vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal one-third.
Metasoma: Tl 2x longer than wide, sub-strigulate; T2 1.4x shorter than T3 in mid line, smooth, dull, median field not distinct; distinct suture between T2 and T3; T4-T7 smooth, having 3-4 rows of hairs on each; hypopygium smooth, having a row of long hairs at apex, 1.3x shorter than T1, 1.4x longer than wide; ovipositor sheath long, hairy throughout, as long as hind tibia, specialized sensilla absent.
Male (n=17)
Similar to female except smaller body size.
Distribution
Cosmopolitan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Chitral and Peshawar. New record).
Host
Wax moth (Galleria mellonella L)
Material Examined
Pakistan: KPK; Chitral.1♀. 34.°1.3΄N,71° 28.5΄E.5.vi.2013. (Fakhruddin). Peshawar.15♂, 20♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 2.iv.2009. (Inayatullah). Peshawar. 2♂, 4♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 2.xi.2014. (Inayatullah).
Comments
38 Apanteles galleriae can be separated from other species of the genus by its glabrous, shiny and diamond shaped areola on propodeum (Fig. 16) and peculiar shaped T1 and T2 (Fig. 18 A, B).
This is a very widely distributed and common species. It is a well known parasitoid of the greater Wax moth (Galleria mellonella (L.) in honey bee colonies. The species has been introduced into many countries with the transport of honey bees. It is a primary and solitary parasitoid, before the host larvae reach full size, usually before the final instar it emerges from the larvae, spin its cocoon and pupate. Whitfield and Cameron (1993) also reported A.galleriae to be a parasitoid of Vitula edmandsae (Packard), the common wax moth in North American Bombus colonies. These species belong to the same family (Pyralidae), so it is not surprising that A.galleriae can be parasitoids both moth species. V. edmandsae was reported by Frison (1926) to be found occasionally within Apis colonies. In the cases where Vitula is the host, emergence is generally from fully-grown larvae, which is still much smaller than mature Galleria larvae. Janzen (1971) reported larvae of G. mellonella from an arboreal nest of Bombus pullatus Franklin in Costa Rica, so it is possible that A. galleriae could also be found in Neotropical Bombus colonies.
A white silken cocoon spun by A. galleriae, is often firmly attached to some part of the nest substrate or surrounding structure by silk threads. It shows the impression of a gregarious habit, by spinning the cocoons together, if the parasitoid is numerous (Whitfield 2001).
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, It has been reared in 2009 and 2014 in Entomology lab, The University of Agriculture Peshawar from its host (Galleria mellonella (L.), another single female specimen was collected in June from Drosh (Chitral).
This useful parasitoid can be reared and released on mass level to protect honey bee colonies from Wax moth and other members of family Pyralidae.
39 Apanteles swabiensis new species
(Fig. 20-22)
Descripton of holotype female
Diagnosis
Hypopygium large and robustly developed, directed downwards making an angle of 45° with metasoma. Complete areola with costulae on propodeum present (Fig. 22), remaining propodeum with scattered carinae and well developed tranverse carinae; (Fig. 21).
Length: 2.2-2.3 mm
Colour: Head, scutum, scutellum, T4-7 and ovipositor sheath black; antennae brown; eyes whitish; hypopygium yellowish brown; fore and middlelegs orange yellow, apical margin of hind femur and tibia black; posterior margin of T1 reddish brown, T2 and T3 yellowish; palps whitish;; wings slightly dusky, with stigma and venation light-brown.
Head: 1.1x as wide as scutum when viewed dorsally; face 1.25x as wide as high, with numerous small punctation, setose at apical one fourth; eyes 0.58x as wide as high, rounded, with minute sparse setae, not converging, with small sparse silky setae; temples 0.47x as wide as width of eyes, punctate, setose; ocelli forming slightly obtuse triangle, inter-ocellar distance almost equal to ocello-oculler distance; antennae 0.70x as long as body length, first flagellomere half the length of terminal flagellomere.
Mesosoma: Length and width of scutum equal, punctate, setose; notauli slightly impressed, punctation large, reaching posteriorly; scutellar sulcus with 9-11 deep and broad costulae; scutellum setose dorsally, with sparse punctations, width of scutellum is almost equal to its length, glabrous, smooth; metanotum carinated medially; dorsellum smooth; posterior band of scutellum smooth, dull; propodeum 1.9x as wide as long, a complete areola present on propodeum, with indistinct costulae, rest of the propodeum rugose and with scattered carinae and with well developed transverse carinae, setose laterally; pronotum laterally smooth and shiny; msopleuron glabrous, shiny, punctate, setose apically; metapleuron with a broad, shallow pit, shinny and glabrous; hind coxa 2x longer than its width, 1.1x longer than T1, punctate and setose;
40 outer hind tibial spur 1.3x shorter than inner hind tibial spur and half to the length of hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 2.9-3.0x longer than its width, apically densely setose than basal half; stigma 2.5x longer than width; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 1.3x longer than 1- R1; r 1.2x longer than stigmal width; distinctly curved before joining areolet vein, areolet open; 1-CU1 almost equal in length to 2-CU1; hind wing 3.5x longer than than wide; concave vannal lobe, with long hairs at basal one-third.
Metasoma: T1 1.5x as long as wide, barrel shape, sub-strigulate, shiny,with a spot at apical centre; T2 0.5 x as long as T3 in mid line, flat, median field not distinct; suture between T2 and T3 distinct; T3-T7 smooth, each having 2-3 rows of hairs; hypopygium, strongly developed, thick, downwards at 45° with metasoma, as long as T1, 1.4x longer than wide; ovipositor sheaths long, hairy throughout, as long as hind tibia.
Male
Unknown
Distribution
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Swabi. New record).
Host:
Unknown
Material Examined
Holotype: Female, Swabi. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 20.ix.1999. (Inayatullah), (ECUAP).
Etymology
The species is named after the locality from where the holotype was collected.
41 Comments
This species can easily be identified by its diamond shaped and internally carinated areola and well developed transverse carina on propodeum (Fig. 22); hypopygium stout, thick and directed downwards making 45° with the gaster (Fig. 21 A).
Apanteles swabiensis is closely related to Apanteles agilis Ashmead. Both have barrel shaped T1 and short and transverse T2. This new species can be easily distinguished from A. agilis by the stout and thick hypopygium in A. swabiensis, while hypopygium is thin and paper like in A. agilis.
A. swabiensis was collected by sweep net from grasses; therefore no host information is available. Further collection in the area and rearing of lepidopterous larvae may provide information on biological significance of this new species.
This is very rare species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, only a single specimen was collected from Swabi area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the month of September.
Apanteles significance (Wilkinson)
(Fig. 19)
1932 Apanteles significance Wilkinson, Trans. R. Ent. Soc. Lond. 80:301-344
Descripton of female (n=3)
Diagnosis
Tergite1 twice longer than wide (Fig.19C); hypopygium strongly developed, 70° downwards of gaster; scutellum rugoso-punctate as scutum (Fig. 19A); propodeum with complete areola, costulae absent, transverse carinae in centre of areola, rest of the propodeum carinate-rugose (Fig. 9b), ovipositor sheath hairy throughout.
Length: 2.3-2.5 mm
Colour: Tl and T2 black; antennae, T3-T7, hypopygium, ovipositor sheath, hind femur, apical half of hind tibia dark-brown; rest of legs reddish-brown; palps whitish; wings transparent, with stigma and I-RI brown, venation whitish.
42 Head: As wide as scutum in dorsal view; face punctate, setose, with medial emarginating line, 1.4x as wide as high; eyes 0.52x as wide as high, rounded, emarginated, setose, with a dark brown spot in centre; temples 0.4x as wide as width of eyes, punctate, setose; ocelli forming acute triangle, inter-ocellar distance almost equal to ocello-oculler distance; antennae 0.7x as long as body length, first flagellomere half to the length of last one.
Mesosoma: Scutum I.3x longer than wide, setose, Punctate, with a median furrow of large punctation; notauli slightly impressed, punctation large, reaching posteriorly to apices; scutellar sulcus with 8-9 deep and broad costulae; scutellum dorsally setose, heavily punctated like scutum, 0.8-1.0x longer than its width; lateral and posterior band of scutellum broad, smooth and glabrous; metanotum carinate medially; dorsellum smooth, setose; propodeum with complete areola, without costulae, transverse carinae in centre of areola, rest of surface carinate-rugose; 1.3-1.4x as wide as long; pronotum punctate laterally; mesopleuron glabrous, shiny, punctate, setose; epicnemial furrow broad, shallow, carinate; precoxal groove broad, deep, carinate; hind coxa 1.4x longer than its width, 0.7x as long as T1, punctate, setose, rugose; outer hind tibial spur 1.2x shorter than inner hind tibial spur and 0.65x as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3.0-3.2x longer than its width, apically dense setose than basal half; stigma 1.5x longer than wide, opaque; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 0.6x longer than 1-R1; r 1.2x longer than stigmal width; areolet absent; 1-CU1 almost equal in length to 2-CU1; hind wing 3.5-4.0x longer than its width; concave vannal lobe, with long hairs at basal one-third.
Metasoma: First tergite 2x as long as wide, sub-strigulate; T2 1.3-1.4x as long as T3 in mid line, smooth, with no distinct median field; suture between T2 and T3 prominent; T3-T7 smooth, each ornamented with 2-3 rows of hairs; hypopygium, strongly developed, thick, downwards at 70° with metasoma, 0.7x as long as T1, 1.3x longer than wide; ovipositor sheaths long, hairy throughout, as long as hind tibia, specialized sensilla absent.
43 Male (n=2)
Similar to female except small size.
Distribution
Europe (Mason, 1981). Pakistan, Punjab (Faisalabad), Ahmad (2001). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Peshawar and Tank. New record).
Host
Unknown
Material Examined
Pakistan: KPK; Peshawar. 3♀.34°1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 15.vi.2001.(Khalid). Tank. 2♂, 1♀ 34° 1.2΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 5.vi.2002. (Israr)
Comments
This species can easily be identified by the combination of propodeum without well defined costulae (Fig. 19b); tergite 1 parallel at basal one-third and slightly broadening posteriorly; scutellum is strongly rugose-punctate as scutum Fig. (19a).
A. significance can be confused with Apanteles agilis on the bases of shape of tergite 1 and ovipositor sheath, but can be separated through its rugosity and punctation of scutum, which is smooth and shallow in the latter species.
This species was collected through ground neting therefore host is unknown. The species is widely distributed in Europe. In Pakistan, Ahmad has reported it from Faisalabad area of Punjab. A. significance is less abundant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, few specimens were collected from Peshawar area in the month of June.
44 COTESIA Cameron
1891 Cotesia Cameron, Mem. Proc.Manchester Phil. Soc. 4(4) : 182-194.
1911 Stenopleura Viereck, Proc. US. Nat. Mus. 40: 170-196.
Type: Costesia flavipes
Among microgastrine genera, Cotesia is one of the largest genus, composed of more than one hundred species. Members of this genus primarily attack larvae of larger moth and butterfly families, i.e., Noctuidae, Geometridae and Saturniidae.
The following characters will separate genus Cotesia from other microgastrine genera: fore wing lacking r-m vain, areolet is open distally (Fig. 32), propodeum without areola, medial longitudinal carina present or indistinct, roughly sculptured (Fig. 33), T1 and T2 highly sculptured and usually quadrate in form. (Fig. 31), sclerotized and robustly developed hypopygium, ovipositor, sheaths short and hardly exerted (Fig. 23). The genus is easily confused with Parapanteles, but the latter contains areola on propodeum. Cotesia also tallies with Protapantneles by its sclerotized and robustly developed hypopygium., but the anteriorly narrower and subtriangular shaped tergite1 and the less sculptured propodeum in Protapantales will readily separate it from Cotesia.
The genus was erected by Cameron in 1891. Later on Muesbeck (1922) synonymized Cotesia with Apanteles. Nixon (1965) had included the members of the genus as glomeratus- group of Apanteles. Mason (1981) correctely resurrected it as a distinct genus.
Genus cotesia is cosmopolitan. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cotesia is the most speciose and diverse genus. Species of this genus were collected from all the localities throughout the collection period. Eight species were identified viz., C. flavipes, C. glomeratus, C. plutellae, C. melittaearum, C. ruficrus, C. nowsherensis, C. tibialis, and C. lycophron.
45 The following key can be used for the above mentioned species
Key to the species of COTESIA Cameron from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
I. Mesosoma not distinctly flattened; antenna of female slender, as long as body, with two ranks of placodes, flagellar segments longer than wide (Fig.41)…….2
- Mesosoma distinctly flattened; antenna of female short and stout, with one rank of placode, flagellar segments as long as wide (Fig. 26)….. flavipes Cameron.
2. T1 distinctly narrowing anteriorly (Fig. 44)…………………….…………….3
- T1 almost parallel-sided slightly narrowing anteriorly (Fig.31).
……………………………………………………………glomeratus (Linnaeus)
3. 1R1 as long as or slightly longer than stigma (Fig. 48)…………..………….4
- 1R1 2x as long as stigma (Fig. 35)...... lycophron (Nixon)
4. Complete median longitudinal carina on propodeum (Fig. 39) ……...... 5
- Incomplete or without median longitudinal carina …………………………….6
5. Hind femur yellowish with apico-dorsally dark margin, T3 glabrous, smooth, as long as T2 in midline (Fig. 45); hypopygium weakly developed (Fig. 47)...... ruficrus (Haliday)
- Hind femur completely dark brown with no apico-dorsally dark margin, T3 completely hairy, longer than T2 in midline; hypopygium robustly developed (Fig. 36) ……………………………….…………nowsheraensis Ghous.
6. Ovipositor sheaths long, as long as hypopygium, extending beyond abdominal apex (Fig.29)……….…………………………………melittaearum (Wilkinson)
- Ovipositor sheaths short, less than hypopygium, not extending beyond the abdominal apex (Fig. 50 A)………………………….…………………...... 7
7. Scutellum coarsely punctate- rugose, inter-puncture smooth spaces not visible, T2 sparsely setose on most of its surface, with strong medial longitudinal carina (Fig.43) …………………………………….....plutellae (Kurdjumov)
- Scutellum densely punctate, inter-puncture smooth spaces visible, T2 glabrous, without medial longitudinal carina (Fig. 49) ...... tibialis (Curtis)
46 Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Fig. 23-26)
1891 Cotesia flavipes Cameron. Mem. Proc. Manchester Phil. Soc., 4 (4): 185.
1893 Apanteles nonagriae Olliff. Agric. Gaz. New South Wales. 44: 386.
1912 Apanteles (Stenopleura) chilocida Viereck, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 42: 153.
1913 Apanteles (Stenopleura) simplicis Viereck, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 43: 582.
1913 Apanteles (Stenopleura) nonagriae Viereck, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 44: 648.
Descripton of female (n=10)
Diagnosis: Body dorsoventrally suppressed (Fig. 25); scutum, punctuate, smooth, shiny and without notauli; scutellum smooth, shiny and glabrous (Fig. 24); short antennae, flagellmeres as long as wide, distinctly separated and composed of one rank of placodes (Fig. 26).
Length: 2.0-2.2mm.
Colour: Body reddish brown; T3- T4 and antennae light-brown, maxillary and labial palps whitish yellow, wing transparent, with yellowish-brown stigma; legs yellow.
Head: 1.0-1.2x wider than scutum; face heavily punctate, shiny, setose, 1.8-2.0x as wide as high; eyes 0.6x as wide as high, protruding, without setosity; temple 0.62x as wide as width of eyes, smooth, shiny; slightly obtuse triangle formed by ocelli; inter- ocellar distance almost equal to ocello-ocullar distance; antennae 1.4x longer than body length, first flagellomere 2.0x longer than last one.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.2-1.3x as wide as long, sparsely setose, smooth, punctate; notauli absent; scutellar sulcus with 10-11 shallow and broad costullae; scutellum dorsally sculpturless, smooth, shiny and bright, 1.1-1.2x longer than its width; lateral scutellum broad, shiny, bright, slightly carinate; lateral and posterior band of scutellum broad, smooth and glabrous; medial metanotum carinate; dorsellum smooth, bright; propodeum rugulose, median longitudinal carina absent, 1.9-2.0x as wide as long;
47 pronotum laterally smooth, shiny; mesopleuron smooth, bright, shiny, glabrous, epicnemial furrow narrow, smooth, precoxal groove narrow, smooth; metapleuron smooth, bright; hind coxa 2.0x longer than its width, 1.5x longer than Tl, smooth, sparsely setose; outer and inner hind tibial spurs almost equal and 0.4x as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Forewing 3.0-3.2x longer than its width, evenly pilose; stigma 3.0-3.2x longer than width; distance from stigma to 3-Rs is 0.8x longer than 1-R1; Length of r 0.6x width of stigma, slightly curved; areolet open; 1-CU1 0.5x as long as 2-CU1; hind wing 3.0-3.5x longer than wide; slightly convex vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal one- third.
Metasoma: T1 0.8-0.85x longer than wide, broadening posteriorly, surface rugulose, a median groove in apical one-third; T2 0.8-0.9x the length of T3 in mid line, its surface rugulose-punctate, median field not distinct; suture between T2 and T3 developed; T3- T7 bright and glabrous; hypopygium smooth, with sparse hairs, 1.7x longer than T1 and 1.6x as long as wide; ovipositor sheaths with apical hairs, 0.6x as long as hypopygium.
Male (n=19)
Similar to female except antennae longer and placodes divided into two ranks while in female placodes are in one rank. Color of T3 and T4 darker in male than female.
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK.Tank. 2♂. 34° 1.2΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 4.x.2002. (Salahuddin). Swabi. 6♀, 10♂. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 9.x.1999. (Inayatullah). Chitral. 1♂.35° 8.3΄N, 73° 33 .5΄E. 6.x.2012. (Fakhruddin). D.I. Khan. 6♂. 34° 1.4s΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 23.iii.2002. (Riaz). Mardan. 4♀, 1♂. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 9.x.1999. (Inayatullah).
Distribution
This is a very common and widely distributed species. Records of it occurrence are available from East Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Indo-Australian area, Far East Asia, Inter Tropical America, Reunion (Kfir et al, 2002). In Pakistan it has already been reported from Punjab (Chakwal) (Ahmad, 2001). In Khyber Pakhtunkh it was found in Tank, Chitral, Swabi and D.I.Khan, Mardan.
48 Host
Chilo infuscatellus (Sugarcane borer) and Chilo partellus (Maize stem borer)
Comments
This species is well known due to its dorso-ventrally depressed mesosoma which is nearly 2x longer than high. Stout antennae of female, with placodes in one rank and male with 2 ranks of placodes (Fig.26 ), polished hind coxa, smooth and shiny scutellum (Fig. 24) and the glabrous abdominal tergites.
Cotesia flavipes was described by Cameron (1891) from India basically Indian strain. Australian species Cotesia nonagriae Ollif is rediscribed as a distinct species and removed from synonymy with C.flavipes by Kate Muirhead (2009) based on molecular, morphological and biological differences.
Confusions occurred among the cotesia flavipes complex i.e. C.flavipes, C.sesamae and C. chilonis due to their very close morphological similarities. The species of C.flavipes complex are gregarious endoparasitoid of graminacious stem borers and widely used around the world in biological control programs. The species were grouped as “C. flavipes Complex” because of the most successful biological control ability of C.flavipes against Sugarcane borers among the three species (Watanabe 1965, Kate Muirhead 2009). Due to discontinuous distribution in Southeast Asia, Mohyuddin (1971, 1978) first suggested the possibility of cryptic species adapted to different host and host plants.
Cotesia flavipes was introduced into Pakistan in 1962 for release in Sugarcane, Rice and Maize fields. The parasitoid became well established in Maize crops against Chilo partellus (Alam et al 1972; Kate Muirhead 2009), but was found less abundant in Sugarcane and Rice crops. Then Sugarcane adopted strains were introduced from Indonesia, Thailand and Barbados which got well establishment in Sugarcane crop (Mohyuddin et al 1981; Kate Muirhead 2009).
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 21 specimens out of 23 were collected from Maize crop and only 2 specimens were collected from Sugarcane crop (SCRI), which shows well establishment of C. flavipes against Maize stem borers.
49 Cotesia flavipes is a highly variable species. Specimens collected from swabi were generally dark brown and specimens from DIK were generally black, may be they are related to C.flavipes complex or because of host variation or environmental effect; however it requires further studies on molecular basis.
From both plain and hilly areas the species were collected in the month of October, only a single male specimen was collected from DIK in the month of March.
Suger cane and Maiz are important cash crops of Pakistan which provide raw materials for sugar and oil industries. To protect these crops from destructive pests (borers), C.flavipes can be reared on mass scale and released in the field for better production.
Cotesia glomeratus (L.)
(Fig. 30-33)
1758 Ichneumon glomeratus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. I0, 1:568.
I834 Microgasrer glomeratus Haliday, Ent. Mag., 2:262.
1885 Apanteles glomeratus Marshall.Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 176.
1981 Cotesia glomeratus Mason. Mem. Ent. Soc. Canada., I I5 : 110.
Descripton of female (n=18)
Diagnosis: Cotesia glomeratus can be easily identified by the parallel sided tergite 1 (Fig. 31); yellowish hind legs; antennae composed of 2 ranks of placodes; distinct median longitudinal carina on propodeum and the short hypopygium and short ovipositor sheath (Fig. 33).
Length: 2.7 -3.0 mm.
Colour: Head, scutum, scutellum and propodeum black; antennae dark brown; maxillary palps whitishish; T3 blackish brown; T4 mixture of yellow and brown coloration, legs yellow orange, apex of hind femur blackish, tarsi brown; wings hyaline, with stigma and venation light-brown.
50 Head: Width of head 0.3-0.35x wider than scutum when viewed dorsally; face punctate, pilose, median longitudinal carina present, I.2x as wide as high; eyes 0.6x as wide as high, finely setose; temples 0.4 x as wide as width of eyes, sparsely setose, punctate; ocelli forming an acute triangle, inter-ocellar distance almost equal to ocello- oculler distance; antennae 0.3x shorter than body length, first flagellomere 0.4x as long as last one.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.2-1.4x as wide as long, heavily punctuate, pilose; notauli not impressed; scutellar sulcus deep, slightly broad, ornamented with 10-11 costulae; scutellum dorsally I.1-1.2x longer than its width, punctate and setose; lateral scutellum strongly carinate; lateral and posterior band of scutellum flat and smooth; medial metanotum carinate; dorsellum smooth, dull; propodeum rugose, median longitudinal and marginal carinae present, I.1- 1.2x as wide as long; lateral pronotum slightly striate, dull; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, with large punctation apically and laterally; precoxal groove broad, smooth; metapleuron smooth and shiny; hind coxa 1.5x longer than its width, 1.0-1.1x longer than T1, smooth, sparsely pilose; outer and inner hind tibial spurs almost equal and 0.5x longer than hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3x longer than its width, apically dense pilose than basal half; stigma 1.2-1.3x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 0.7x longer than 1-R1; r 1.1x longer than stigmal width; areolet open; 1-CU1 0.8x longer than 2-CU1; hind wing 3-4x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal one-third.
Metasoma: T1 1.2-1.3x longer than wide, aciculate-rugose; T2 0.8-1.0x longer than T3 in mid line, its surface rugose, median field not present; suture between T2 and T3 impressed; T3-T7 shiny, smooth and having 2-3 rows of hairs; hypopygium smooth with sparse hairs, 1.3x longer than T1 and 2.5x as long as wide; ovipositor sheaths having tuft of hairs at apex, 0.3-0.5x as longer than hypopygium, specialized sensilla absent.
Male (n=80)
Same as female
Material Examined
51 Pakistan. KPK. Chitral. 1♂.35° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 6.x.2012. (Fakhruddin), D.I. Khan. 3♀ 3♂.34° 1.4΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 28.viii.2001. (Inayatullah), Swabi. 1♂.34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 25.v.2002, (Salahuddin).Peshawar (Malakandair). 1♀.34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 8.viii.2001. (Khalid). Peshawar (Tarnab). 75♂ 14♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 5.v.2011. (Amna).
Distribution
Palearctic, India, Algeria, New Zealand, introduced into North America (Gupta, 2013). Pakistan, Punjab (Chakwal and Faisalabad) (Ahmad, 2001), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Chitral, Swabi, Peshawar and D.I. Khan. New Record for KPK).
Host
Pieris brassicae (Cabbage Butterfly) and Helicoverpa armigera (Tomato fruit worm)
Comments
This is the most well known species in KPK as well as the rest of the world. For correct identification, it is highly stressed to collect materials from its specific host i.e. Pieris brassicae because it has very close similarities with other species of genus Cotesia. The most distinguishing character of C. glomeratus is its somewhat parallel sided T1 (Fig. 31), yellow hind legs with dark color apical margin of hind femur.
C. glomeratus is the most common species in KPK; the reason could be the availability of its hosts and gregarious behavior. In the present study it was reared from cabbage butterfly Pieris brassicae and lemon butterbly Papilio demolius. In the Palearctic region C. glomeratus spends its pupal stage within cocoon of pieris brassicae where its passes winter as a pupa. It shows high specificity with its host (Nixon, 1965).
In Pakistan; Cotesia glomeratus was originally imported from Japan for the control of maize stem borers in 1962 (Shami and Mohyuddin, 1992).The parasitoid is now successfully established here and quite popular for the control of the pest. In 1991, colonies of Cotesia glomeratus were exported to Kenya from Pakistan. According to
52 survey made in 2005, it has been recorded to be established effectively against Chilo partellus not only in Kenya but also in 10 other countries in east and southern Africa (Omwega et al, 2006). Cotesia glomeratus also parasitize Tomato fruit worm (Helicoverpa armigera). In Peshawar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Inayatullah (2002) recorded 5.5% parasitism by C. glomeratus on Tomato crop against Helicoverpa armigera.
C. glomeratus is a gregarious endoparasitoids of lepidopterous larvae, a large number of specimens were reared from a single host i.e. Pieris brassicae in Tarnab Research Institude of Peshawar.
Tthis species is a good natural enemy of destructive pests i.e. Helicoverpa armigera (Tommato fruit worm), Chilo partellus (Maize stem borer), Pieris brassicae (Cabbage worm), of important Agriculture crops. Being gregarious nature and abundantly occur, it will be easy to be reared on large scale from their respective hosts and can be used in IPM programme for management of the pests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In Pakistan, Ahmad (2001) reported it from Chakwal and Faisalabad areas of Punjab while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa specimens were collected from both hilly and plain areas. These wasps are active in the months from May through October.
Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov)
(Fig. 40-43)
1912 Apanteles plutellae Kurdjumov, Rev.Russed' Entom., 12:226-227.
1981 Cotesia plutellae Mason. Mem. Ent. Soc. Canada., 115: 113.
Descripton of female (n=19)
Diagnosis: Cotesia plutellae can be identified by the combination of: entire surface of T3 almost setose (Fig. 40). Scutellum without smooth inter-puncture spaces and entirely coarsely rugose-punctate (Fig. 42). Metasoma usually yellowish laterally. Hind coxa densely rugose. Propodeum rugose, without median longitudinal carina.
53 Length: 2.5- 2.7 mm.
Colour: Head, thorax, Tl , T2 and hind coxa black; antennae, T4, T7, hypopygium, ovipositor sheaths and tarsi dark brown; palps whitish-yellow; T3 and legs yellowish- orange, hind femur with dark apical margin; wings brownish, with stigma and venation light-brown.
Head: 1.0-1.2x wider than scutum when viewed dorsally; face setose, punctate, as wide as high; eyes 0.4x as wide as high, sparsely setose; temples 0.5x as wide as width of eyes, smooth, sparsely setose; ocelli forming a slightly obtuse triangle, inter-ocellar distance 1.3-1.5x to ocello-oculler distance; antennae 1.2x shorter than body length, first flagellomere 0.5x as long as last one.
Mesosoma: Scutum equal to its length, setose, punctate, notauli not impressed; scutellar sulcus deep, slightly broad, divided into 9-11 costulae; scutellum dorsally almost equal its width, punctate and setose; lateral scutellum carinate and broad; lateral and posterior band of scutellum flat and smooth; medial metanotum carinate; dorsellum smooth; propodeum without medial longitudinal carina, dorsally carinate-rugose, marginal carinae present; pronotum laterally smooth, dull; mesopleuron glabrous, shiny in centre, punctate, setose apically; epicnemial furrow broad, shallow, carinate; metapleuron smooth, shiny; outer and inner hind tibial spurs almost equal and 0.35x longer than hind basitarsus; hind coxa 1.7x as long as wide, 1.2x as long as T1, rugose; hind tibial spurs equal and 0.35x as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 2.5-3.0x longer than its width, sparsely pilose before stigma, apically dense pilose than basal half; stigma 1.5-2.0x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 1.2x shorter than 1-R1; length of r is equal to width of stigma, with 2Rs forming an acute angle, slightly curved to meet the open areolet vein; areolet open; 1-CU1 1.0-1.1x shorter than 2-CU1; hind wing 3.5x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal one-third.
Metasoma: T1 1.2x longer than wide, strigulate-rugose; T2 1.0-1.1x shorter than T3 in mid line, its surface substrigulate, median field not present; distinct suture between T2 and T3; T3-T7 shiny, smooth with hairs on entire surface; hypopygium smooth, downward, slightly setose, equal to T1 and 1.2-1.3x as long as wide; ovipositor sheaths,
54 having sparse setae on apical margin, 0.5-0.6x as long as hypopygium, without specialized sensilla.
Male (n=13)
Similar to female
Distribution
Palearctic, Oriental, Australasian, Ethiopian region, Benin and South Africa. (Gupta. 2013); Pakistan, Punjab (Chakwal, Khanewal, Multan and Sialkot)9Ahmad, 2001); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Peshawar, Chitral, Swabi and D.I.Khan. New Record).
Host
More than 30 lepidopterous species (Gupta, 2013). Host range include the major pests of tomato cotton, chickpea and tobacco, Helicoverpa armigera and pest of cabbage Plutella xylostella (Diamond back moth).
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Peshawar. 4♂. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 15.vii.2003. (Inayatullah). Peshawar. 3♂. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 17.ix.2003. (Kamran). Swabi. 6♀ . 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 29.ix.2002. (Inayatullah). Chitral. 5♀ . 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 29.ix.2012. (Fakhruddin).Chitral. 2♀ . 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 29.ix.2002. (Fakhruddin). D.I. Khan. 6♂. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 29.ix.2002. (Tariq).
Comments
This species is superficially similar to C.ruficrus (Haliday) on the base of metasoma color and punctation on scutum but can be separated on scutellar inter- puncture spaces which are well defined and smooth in C. ruficrus but coarser in C. plutellae (Fig. 42). T3 with setae on whole dorsal surface is another character of C.plutellae that clearly separates it from C. ruficrus which has only a row of setae restricted on apical margin of T3 (Fig. 45).
55 Shaw (2003) has considered Cotesia plutellae as a junior synonym of C. vestalis but Rincon et al. (2006) confirmed it as a distinct species on the base of DNA barcoding.
Cotesia plutelae is worlwide important parasitoid of Diamond back moth (P. xylostella), which was found to be active all year round, and showed 30-50% parasitism on P. xylostella in South Africa. While in east and South Africa the problem of stem borer Chilo partellus was challenged with the introduction of Cotesia flavipes (Waladde et al, 2001). In Ethiopia, with varying density and distribution, the parasitoid was firmly established in various regions of the country (Emana, 2007).
In Pakistan, Coteisa plutellae gave 57.2% control of Xylostella plutella on turnip in Pakistan (Mushtaqe and Mohyuddin, 1987).
C. plutellae is the most diverse species after C. flavipes, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, collected from different climatic zones. Specimens reported from hilly areas i.e. Chitral have T3 with bright yellow coloration and specimens from plain areas i.e. Swabi, Peshawar and DIK have T3 with brownish yellow coloration.
According to published literature, Cotesia plutelae attack more than 30 lepidopterous pests worldwide. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it required further collection and rearing of lepidopterous larvae to explore other hosts of C.plutelae for the area.
Cotesia nowsheraensis Ghous.
(Fig. 36-39 )
Descripton of female (n=1)
Diagnosis: Propodeum with well defined medial longitudinal carina (Fig. 39); hypopygium very short and truncate (Fig. 36); Scutellum with well defined shallow puctation (Fig. 37); median longitudinanl carina on tergite1 present; tergite 3 with sparse satae dorsally (Fig. 38 B).
Colour: Head, thorax, T1 and T2 black; T1-7 black with apico-lateral margin brown: antennae, ovipositor sheaths, tarsi brown; legs, hypopygium yellowish-brown; wings transparent, with stigma and venation whitish-yellow.
56 Length: 2.4 mm.
Head: In dorsal view as wide as scutum; face smooth, sparsely setose, as wide as high; eyes, silky setose, protrude; temples 0.6x wider than width of eyes, smooth, sparsely setose; ocelli forming an acute triangle, inter-ocellar distance equal to ocello-oculler distance; antennae equal to body length, first flagellomere 1.5x longer than last one.
Mesosoma: Scutum I.3x as wide as long, heavily punctate, setose, notauli absent with slightly zigzag carina at posterior half; scutellar sulcus broad, deep, ornamented with 7- 9 costulae; scutellum dorsally 1.3x longer than its width, with well defined shallow puctation; lateral scutellum carinate; lateral and posterior band of scutellum broad and smooth; medial metanotum carinate; dorsellum deep, smooth; propodeum carinate and rugose, with distinct longitudinal carina, marginal carinae present, broad, 1.5x longer than wide; pronotum laterally punctate; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, anteriorly punctate; epicnemial furrow broad, deep, carinate; hind coxa 2x longer than its width, 1.3x longer than T1, puctate and setose; outer and inner hind tibial spurs almost equal and 1.3x shorter than hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3.0x longer than its width, uniformly pilose; stigma 2.0-2.5x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 1.3x shorter than 1-R1; length of r is equal to width of stigma, making an obtuse angle with 2-Rs; areolet open; 1-CU1 0.8x as long as 2-CU1; hind wing 3.5x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal one-fourth.
Metasoma: T1 1.5x longer than wide, strigulate-rugose, median longitudinal carina present; T2 sub-strigulate as long as T3 in mid line; distinct suture between T2 and T3; T3-T7 smooth, shiny, with sparse hairs on each; hypopygium smooth, sparsely setose, strongly truncate; ovipositor sheaths with sparse setae on apex, specialized sensilla absent.
Male
Unknown
57 Distribution
Pakistan, Punjab; Gujranwala (Ghous, 1998), Faisalabad (Ahmad, 2001); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Peshawar. New Record).
Host
Unknown
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Peshawar. 1♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 10.v.2011.
Comments
C. nowsheraensis can be identified on the basis of well defined medial longitudinal carina on propodeum (Fig. 39); very short and truncate hypopygium (Fig. 36). The species can be confused with C.ruficrus by median longitudinal and marginal carinae on propodeum and well defined inter puncture spaces, but can be separated by its short and truncate hypopygium while C. ruficrus contain distinctly long hypopygium. C. nowsheraensis also tally with C. tibialis due to its short and truncate hypopygium which can be distinguished from tibialis through median longitudinal carina on tergite1 and sparsely setose tergite 3.
C. nowsheraensis was reported by Ghous (1998) for the first time from Gujranwala district of Punjab, without host record.
This species is very rare in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Only single specimen was collected from Peshawar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in the month of May.
Cotesia lycophron (Nixon)
(Fig. 34-35)
1974 Apanteles lycophron Nixon, Bull. Ent. Res., 64:502.
1981 Cotesia lycophron Mason, Mem. Ent. Soc. Canada., 115 :110.
58 Descripton of female (n=20)
Diagnosis: Hypopygium and sheath are very short. Hypopygium is roundly truncate at apex in profile view (Fig.34). Hind femur apico-dorsally with blackish colopration. Hind tibia dark yellow. Propodeum as in plutellae and malittaearum.
Length: 2.2-2.5 mm.
Colour: Body blackish; eyes whitish; antennae and palps dark brown; hypopygium blackish brown; wings transparent, with stigma and venation yellowish-brown; legs yellowish, apico-dorsal margin of hind femur black, hind coxa black, tarsi dark-brown.
Head: 0.9-1.0x wider than scutum when viewed dorsally; face setose, punctate, 1.1x as wide as high; eyes 0.7x wide than its height, setose, oval; temples 0.4 x as wide as width of eyes, smooth, shiny, slightly setose; ocelli forming a slightly obtuse triangle; inter-ocellar distance equals ocello-oculler- distance; antennae 0.8-1.0x as long as body length, first flagellomere 1.5x longer than last one.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.8-2.0x longer than its width, strongly punctate, setose; notauli not impressed; scutellar sulcus broad, deep, divided by 8-9 costulae; scutellum dorsally I.2-1.3x longer than its width, strongly punctate and setose; lateral scutellum rugose; lateral and posterior band of scutellum flat and smooth; medial metanotum with median longitudinal carina and a few transverse carinae; dorsellum deep, smooth, having two lateral marginal carinae; propodeum carinate-rugose, median longitudinal and marginal carinae present, 1.3-1.5x as wide as long; pronotum laterally smooth; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, punctate, setose anteriorly; hind coxa 1.5x longer than its width, equal to T1, areolate-rugose; outer and inner hind tibial spurs almost equal in length and 0.4x as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3.2x longer than its width, evenly pilose; stigma 1.5x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 0.8x longer than 1-R1; length of r is equal to width of stigma, with 2Rs forming an acute angle, slightly curved to meet the open areolet vein; areolet open; 1-CU1 is equal to 2-CU1; hind wing 3x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal one-third.
59 Metasoma: T1 1.5x longer than wide, striate-rugose; T2 1.3x shorter than T3 in mid line, median field not present; distinct suture between T2 and T3; T3-T7 shiny, smooth, each having single row of hairs; hypopygium smooth, slightly setose, 1.2x longer than T1 and 1.7x as long as wide; ovipositor sheaths 1.6x shorter than hypopygium, without specialized sensilla.
Male
Unknown
Distribution
France and America, (Nixon, 1965); Pakistan, Punjab (Multan, Muree and Sialkot), Ahmad (2001); KPK (Peshawar, Swat. New Record).
Host
Malitaea didyma (Esper) (Nymphalidae), Nixon (1965)
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Peshawar. 7♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 24.vi.2012. (Touheed), Peshawar. 4♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 15.v.2012. (Fakhruddin),. Peshawar. 3♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 24.vi.2012. (Toheed). Swat. 6♀. 34° 46΄N, 72° 21΄E. 8. vi. 2013. (Toheed).
Comments
The short hypopygium in lycophron readily separates it from other species of the genus Cotesia. C. lycophron is closely related to C. plutellae and C. malitaearum, all with rugose-punctate propodeum and yellowish hind legs, but differs from both by the short hypopygium and length of I-RI, which is two times longer than the stigmal length in C. lycophron (Fig. 35).
C. lycophron is a gragarious parasitoid of species of Nymphalidae (Lepidoptera). Nixon (1974) reported, lycophron first time from France under the genus Apanteles (glomeratus group), and presented its detail decription. Later Apanteles was resurrected by Mason (1981) as valid name and place lycophron under Cotesia. Ahmad (2001) reported it from Punjab province of Pakistan.
60 In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, specimens of this species were collected from Peshawar and Swat areas in the months of May and June.
Cotesia ruficrus (Haliday)
(Fig. 44-47)
1834 Microgaster ruficrus Haliday. Ent. Mag., 2: 253.
1900 Apanteles antipoda Ashmead. Proc. Lion. Soc. N. S. W., 25:355.
1904 Apanteles manilae Ashmead. J. New York.Ent. Soc., 12: 19.
19 I I Apanteles sydneyensis Cameron. Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W., 36: 342.
1 913 Apanteles narangae Viereck. Proc. U. S. Natn. Mus., 44: 642.
1929 Apanteles ruficrus Wilkinson, Bull. Ent. Res., 20: 108.
1981 Cotesia ruficrus (Haliday). Mem. Ent. Soc. Canada., 115: 113.
Descripton of female (n=25)
Diagnosis: Scutellum densely punctate, with polished inter-puncture spaces. Hind coxa densely rugose. T3 smooth, glabrous with a single apical row of hairs (Fig. 45). Metasoma usually laterally bright yellowish.
Length: 2.3 - 2.5 mm.
Colour: Head black; antennae, ovipositor sheaths and tarsi dark brown; wings transparent, with stigma and venation brown; legs reddish brown; palps yellowish- white.
Head: Width of head equal to scutum when viewed dorsally; face setose, as wide as high; eyes 0.7x wide than its height, rounded, pilose; temples 0.5x as wide as width of eyes, smooth, shiny, setose; ocelli forming an obtuse triangle; inter-ocellar distance is equal to ocello- oculler distance; antennae equal to body length, first flagellomere half to the length of last flagellomere.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.2-1.3x as wide as long, strongly punctate, setose; notauli not impressed; scutellar sulcus broad, deep, divided by 10-11 costulae; scutellum dorsally
61 I.0-1.2x longer than its width, punctate and setose; lateral scutellum carinate; lateral and posterior band of scutellum broad and smooth; medial metanotum deep, broad and carinate; dorsellum emarginated, punctate; propodeum carinate and rugose, median longitudinal and marginal carinae present, 1.3-1.5x as wide as long; lateral pronotum punctate; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, punctuate, setose apically; hind coxa 1.3x longer than its width, 1.2x longer than T1, punctate; outer and inner hind tibial spurs almost equal and 0.35x as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3.0x longer than its width, sparsely setose at basal half, dense at apical one; stigma 1.5x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 1.3x shorter than 1-R1; length of r is equal to width of stigma, with 2Rs forming an acute angle; areolet open; 1-CU1is equal to 2-CU1; hind wing 3x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal one-third.
Metasoma: T1 1.5x longer than wide, striate- rugose; T2 1.1-1.2x shorter than T3 in mid line, punctate-rugose, median field not present; distinct suture between T2 and T3; T3-T7 shiny, smooth, each having sparse hairs; hypopygium smooth, slightly setose, backwards to gaster, equal to T1, 2.0 x longer than wide; ovipositor sheaths 0.3x as long as hypopygium, without specialized sensilla.
Male (n=11)
Similar to female except smaller size.
Distribution
Cosmopolitan (Gupta, 2013); Pakistan, Punjab (Faisalabad, Mianwali, Multan, Okara, Sialkot), (Ahmad, 2001); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Kumrat, Peshawar, Swabi and Mingora (Swat). (New record for KPK).
Host
About 100 Lepidopteron host species (Gupta, 2013).
62 Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Kumrat. 7♂. 34° 1.9΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 25. vii. 2007. (Usman, Kamran). Peshawar. 4♂. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 5. iv. 2012. (Fakhruddin). Peshawar. 3♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 10. v. 2012. (Fakhruddin). Swabi. 6♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 27. iv. 2002. (Asad), Peshawar. 7♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 12. vii. 2012. (Touheed). Swat. 8♀. 34° 46΄N, 72° 21΄E. 8. vi. 2013. (Touheed Iqbal).
Comments
C. ruficrus can be distinguished from other species of Cotesia by sculpture on mesoscutum where the interspaces between the pits are distint and shiny. Also the 3rd tergite is smooth and glabrous. The species closely related to C. plutellae on the basis of rugose coxa and almost similar sculpture on propodeum in both species. C. ruficrus can be separated from plutellae by the well defined interspaces between pits on mesoscutum. Both species can also be separated by the number and arrangement of setae on T3 (smooth and glabrous in C. ruficrus and setose in C. plutellae) (Fig. 42).
Published literature reveals that this species has a broad spectrum of lepidopteron pests particularly Arctiidae, Brachodidae, Dilobidae, Gelechiidae, Geometridae, Hesperiidae, Lasiocampidae, Lycaenidae, Lymantriidae, Noctuidae, Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Plutellidae, Pyralidae and Tortricidae (Gupta, 2013).
C. ruficrus is wordwidely distributed i.e. Florida, Australia, Cook Islands, Hawaii, New Zealand and Reunion (Gupta, 2013). This species was collected from different districts of Punjab (Ahmad, 2001). In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this is a common and widely distributed species, collected from both hilly and plain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, viz., Chitral, Kumrat, Swat, Swabi and Peshawar. These wasps are active from April through July. As its distribution and host diversity show, rearing and release of C. ruficrus on mass level can provide better result in IPM programs directed towards managing lepidopterous pests of different valuable crops in the area.
Cotesia melittaearum (Wilkinson)
(Fig. 27-29)
1937 Apanteles melittaearum Wilkinson, Proc. Roy. Ent. Soc. Lond. 6: 65.
63 1981 Cotesia melittaearum Mason, Mem. Ent. Soc. Canada. 115: 110.
Descripton of female (n=23)
Diagnosis: Long hypopygium and ovipositor sheath extending beyond the abdominal apex (Fig. 29); Tergite 3 with combinatioin of yellow and brown coloration and longer than Tergite 2 in midline (Fig. 27).
Length: 2.4 - 2.6 mm.
Colour: T1, T2 and hind coxa black; T3 with yellowish blotch on apical margin, antennae, T4, T7, ovipositor sheaths and tarsi dark brown; maxillary, labial palps, hind femur and tibia yellow having blackish apical margin; hypopygium yellowish; wings transparent, with stigma and venation brownish.
Head: In dorsal view 1.1-1.2x broader than scutum; face punctate, sparsely setose as wide as high; eyes 0.6x as wide as high, setose, oval; temples as wide as width of eyes, smooth, sparsely setose; ocelli forming a slightly obtuse triangle; inter-ocellar distance is 1.2x to ocello-oculler distance; antennae equal to body length, first flagellomere 1.5x shorter than last one.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.5x as long as wide, setose, punctate; notauli slightly impressed; scutellar sulcus broad, deep, divided by 9-10 costulae; scutellum dorsally I.2-1.3x longer than its width, punctate and setose; lateral scutellum carinate; lateral and posterior band of scutellum broad and smooth; medial metanotum deep, broad and carinate; dorsellum punctate; propodeum carinate and rugose, median longitudinal carina absent and marginal carina present, 1.3-1.5x as wide as long; pronotum laterally punctate, dull; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, punctuate, setose apically; hind coxa 1.5x longer than its width, 1.3x longer than T1, punctate and setose; outer and inner hind tibial spurs almost equal and 0.3-0.4x as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3.5-4x longer than its width, uniformly pilose; stigma 1.5-1.6x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 1.3x shorter than 1-R1; length of r is 1.0-1.2x than width of stigma, with 2Rs forming an acute angle; areolet open; 1-CU1is equal to 2-CU1; hind wing 3x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal one-third.
64 Metasoma: T1 1.5-2.0x longer than wide, strigate- rugose, median longitudinal carina present; T2 sub-strigulate, longer than T3 in midline, median field absent; distinct suture between T2 and T3; T3-T7 smooth, shiny, with single row of hairs on each; hypopygium smooth, sparsely setose, 1.1-1.25 x as long as T1, 0.9-1 .0 x as long as wide; ovipositor sheaths with sparse setae on apex, specialized sensilla absent.
Male
Unknown
Distribution
Europe, America, Australia (Nixon, 1974). Pakistan, Punjab (Faisalabad, Pasroor, Multan and Okara) (Ahmad, 2001). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Kumrat, Peshawar, Swabi. New Record).
Host
Euphydeus aurinia (Rottenberg), malitaea cinxia (L.), M.iberica, M. leucippe of family Nymphalidae (Nixon, 1974).
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Kumrat. 6♀.34° 1.3΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 25.vii.2007. (Usman, Kamran), Peshawar. 7♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 5.v.2011. (Fakhruddin), Peshawar. 2♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 5.v.2011. (Touheed),Swabi. 8♀.34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 10.vi.2002. (Inayatullah).
Comments
C. malittaearum can easily be identified by its large and robustly developed hypopygium which is extending beyond the abdominal apex.
This species is superficially similar to C.ruficrus but can be separated on the bases of median longitudinal carina on propodeum; T3, which is distinctly longer than T2 and hypopygium robustly developed and extending beyond the abdominal apex (Fig. 29).
65 C. malittaearum is gragarius parasitoid of members of family Nymphalidae i.e. Euphydeus aurinia (Rottenberg), Malitaea cinxia (L.), M. iberica, M. leucippe (Nixon, 1974)
This is widely distributed species in the world, reported from Europe, America, Australia (Nixon, 1974). In Pakistan, Ahmad (2001) collected it from Faisalabad, Pasroor, Multan and Okara districts of Punjab. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this species is abundant and frequently collected from both plain and hilly areas, viz., Kumrat, Swabi and Peshawar. These wasps are on wing during the months of April through August.
Cotesia tibialis (Curtis)
(Fig. 48-50 )
1830 Microgaster tibialis Curtis, Brit. Ent. Lond., 7: 321.
1830 Microgaster gracilis Curtis, Brit. Ent. Lond., 7: 321.
1830 Microgaster a1ra1or Curtis, Brit. Ent. Lond., 7: 321.
1917 Apanteles simulans Lyle, Entomol..50: 185.
1974 Apanteles tibialis Nixon, Bull. Ent. Res., 64: 496-497.
1981 Cotesia tibialis Mason, Mem. Ent. Soc. Canada, 115: 110.
Descripton of female (n=1)
Diagnosis: Hind femur yellowish; hypopygium short and truncate; 1R1 nearly equal to stigma length; hind coxa apically black.
Colour: Head, thorax, T1 black: antennae, T3–T7, ovipositor sheaths, tarsi brown; maxillary, labial palps, legs, hypopygium yellowish-brown; wings transparent, with stigma and venation whitish-yellow; apical half of hind coxa black.
Length: 2.4 mm.
Head: In dorsal view as wide as scutum; face smooth, sparsely stose, as wide as high; eyes 0.5 x as wide as high, setose, protrude; temples 0.6 x wider than width of eyes, smooth, sparsely pilose; ocelli forming an acute triangle, inter-ocellar distance equal to
66 ocello-oculler distance; antennae equal to body length, first flagellomere 2x longer than last one.
Mesosoma: Scutum I.5x as long as wide, punctate-reticulate, setose, borders having black stripe; notauli not impressed; scutellar sulcus broad, deep, divided by 7-9 costulae; scutellum dorsally 1.3x longer than its width, reticulate-punctate; lateral scutellum carinate; lateral and posterior band of scutellum broad and smooth; medial metanotum carinate; dorsellum deep, smooth; propodeum carinate and rugose, without longitudinal carina, marginal carinae present, broad, with deep pit in apical half, 1.5 x longer than wide; pronotum laterally punctate; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, anteriorly punctate; epicnemial furrow broad, deep, carinate; hind coxa 1.5x longer than its width, 1.2x longer than T1, punctate and setose; outer and inner hind tibial spurs almost equal and 0.5x longer than hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3.0x longer than its width, uniformly pilose; stigma 2.0x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3-Rs is 1.2x shorter than 1-R1; length of r is equal to width of stigma, making an obtuse angle with 2-Rs; areolet open; 1-CU1 0.8x as long as 2-CU1; hind wing 3.5x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal one-fourth.
Metasoma: T1 0.8-1.0x longer than wide, strigulate-rugose; T2 sub-strigulate, as long as in mid line, with median field absent; distinct suture between T2 and T3; T3-T7 smooth, shiny, with single row of hairs on each; hypopygium smooth, sparsely setose, 1.0-1.2x as long as T1, 1.5-1.6x as long as wide; ovipositor sheaths with sparse setae on apex, specialized sensilla absent.
Male
Unknown
Distribution
Europe, Japan (Nixon 1974). Pakistan, Punjab (Multan, Chakwal) Ahmad (2001); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Peshawar. New Record).
Host
Unknown
67 Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Peshawar. 1♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 10.v.2011.
Comments
C. tibialis can be distinguished from other species of the genus Cotesia by the short and truncate hypopygium,
Nixon (1974) discussed in detail about the late summer and early summer forms of C. tibialis i.e. Late summer form reared from special cocoon masses called congestus (Nees), with hind femur entirely black and early summer forms with hind femur almost entirely yellow or reddish yellow coloration. According to Nixon late summer forms are easy to identify but the case will be complicated in early summer forms because of their similarities with closely related members of C. ruficrus and C.offela.
This species has been reported from Europe and Japan (Nixon, 1974). In Pakistan Ahmad (2001) reported it from Multan and Chakwal districts of Punjab. This species is very rare in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Only two specimens with yellow hind femur, collected from Peshawar, in the month of May.
C. tibialis is an important parasitoid of Lepidoptera feeding on grasses and other low vegetation i.e. Maniola jurtina and Pyronia tithonus (L.) (Satyridae), Anarta myrtilli (Noctuidae) (Nixon 1965).
Diolcogaster Ashmead
1900 Diolcogaster Ashmead. Proc. U.S.nam. Mus., 23:1-220
Genus Diolcogaster is highly variable in both form and color pattern, but is generally recognizable by the following combination of characters; fore wing with 2nd sub marginal (r–m present) cell present; the cell may be of different forms, i.e. Small, triangular and quadrangular to slit-like (Fig. 53); mesoscutum without notauli, smooth to puncto-reticulate; scutellum mostly smooth wit h weak punctations; propodeum without areola, always have complete and distinct medial longitudinal carina, always with costulae or lacking it, but have never lateral carina (Fig. 52); hind wing having vannal lobe mostly straight to faintly convex and rarely concave, basally having row of
68 thick and long hairs, sometime sparse hairs or without it; hind coxa large, two times longer thanT1(Fig. 52); hind tibial spurs not equal, outer spur always shorter than inner one; T1 broadening posteriorly, rarely parallel-sided, always having medial groove on anterior half and usually for almost entire length of T1; T2 broadening posteriorly, but mostly wider than long and rectangular, usually equal to or shorter than T3, having median field well-defined;T3 sometimes also have median field; hypopygium short and uniformly sclerotized; ovipositor small, mostly concealed within hypopygium; ovipositor sheaths entirely hairy or having sparse hairs anteriorly.
Genus Diolcogaster was treated as Protomicroplitis by Muesbeck (1922) and Nixon (1965) but Mason described it a distinct genus. This is a medium-sized genus with about 70 known species worldwide, mostly concentrated in the tropics and subtropics. Members of this genus are mostly gregarious parasitoids of macrolepidoptera belonging to family Noctuidae, Pyralidae, Arctiidae, Lasiocampidae, Limacodidae, Lymantriidae, Notodontidae, Geometridae, Plutellidae, Thaumetopoeidae and Tenthredinidae, (Saeed et al. 1999 and Jie Zeng, et al, 2011).
This genus is less diverse In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Only two specimens were collected from Junki area, identified as D. spretus. Detailed description of the species is as below.
Diolcogaster spretus (Marshall)
(Fig. 51-53)
1885 Microgaster spretus Marshall. Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1-280.
1965 Protomicroplitis spretus Nixon Bull. Brit. Mus. (N.H.) Ent. Suppl., 2:1-284.
1981 Diolcogaster spretus Mason. Mem. Ent. Soc. Canada., 15: 1-147.
Descripton of female (n=2)
Diagnosis: Large areolet on forewing (Fig. 53); strong medial longitudinal carina on propodeum, tergite1 widening posteriorly, with distinct median longitudinal groove, its surface punctate-reticulate (Fig. 52); T2 smooth, sub-rectangular, median field well- defined, goblet-shaped, smooth, shiny with deep lateral grooves (Fig. 51).
69 Length: 3.4 mm
Colour: Body generally golden brown; head, thorax and propodeum blackish; antennae dark brown; wings light brown with venation and stigma dark brown; T3-T7 yelowish.
Head: In dorsal view 1.1-1.2x broader than scutum, smooth, sparsely setose; face height and width equal, finely punctate, setose; eyes 0.5 x as wide as high, lightly pilose; temples 0.5x wider than width of eyes, smooth, setose; ocelli forming an obtuse triangle; inter-ocellar distance 1.4x to ocello-oculler distance; antennae 0.9x as long as body, first flagellomere 1.4x longer than last one.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.7x as wide as long, finely punctate, pilose; notauli absent; scutellar sulcus deep, divided by 9 costulae; scutellum dorsally 1.3x longer than its width, shiny, sparsely punctate, having a few hairs posteriorly; lateral scutellum crenulate; lateral and posterior band of scutellum smooth; metanotum medialy broad, its anterior half smooth, shiny, carinate posteriorly; dorsellum smooth; propodeum with strong medial longitudinal carina, its surface punctate, setose, 0.5x as wide as long; lateral pronotum smooth, shiny, glabrous, with anteroventral furrow weakly crenulated; mesopleuron punctate reticulate, slightly setose; epicnemial furrow narrow, punctate; precoxal groove smooth, glabrous, shiny; metapleuron smooth, shiny; hind coxa 3.0x longer than its width, 2.0x longer than Tl, punctate and setose; outer hind tibial spur 1.3x shorter than inner hind tibial spur and 0.4x as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 2.7x longer than its width, densely pilose at apical half and sparsely pilose at basally; stigma 1.2x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 0.5x longer than 1-R1; 1-Rs 1.7x shorter than 1Rs + M; r 0.5x as long as width of stigma, straight, making an obtuse angle with 2-RS; 1-CU1 equal to 2-CU1 in length; hind wing 3x longer than wide; slightly convex vannal lobe, hairy; 1R1 two times longer than 1 r -m.
Metasoma: T1 1.8x as wide as long, widening posteriorly, median longitudinal groove well-defined, its surface punctate-reticulate, posterior band carinate; T2 smooth, sub- rectangular, 0.8x longer than T3 in mid line, well-defined median field, goblet-shaped, smooth shiny with lateral grooves deep; with distinct suture between T2 and T3, carinate; smooth T3-T7 each having a single row of hairs; hypopygium 1.2 x longer
70 than T1, having long hairs on poteriorly; ovipositor sheath with long apical hairs, 0.3 x as long as hypopygium, specialized sensilla absent.
Male
Unknown
Host
Dioryctria palumbella and Euzophera consociella (Jie Zeng, et al, 2011).
Distribution
United Kingdom, Hungary, Moldova, Czechoslovakia, China (Jie Zeng, et al,2011). Pakistan; Punjab (Sialkot) (Ahmad, 2001). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; (Junki (Kohistan) and Peshawar. New record).
Material Examined
Pakistan.KPK. Junki. 4♀. 34° 1.9΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 25.vii.2007. (Usman, Kamran).
Comments
This species can be identified by the shape of T2 which is divided into three fields by the curved grooves where middle field posteriorly narrowing and antennae are very short related to other species (Fig.51).
D. spretus is a gragarius parasitoid of macrolepidopterous pests i.e. Dioryctria palumbella and Euzophera consociella.
Published literature show that, D. spretus is mostly distributed in European countries i.e. United Kingdom, Hungary etc. Also found in China (Jie Zeng, et al,2011). In Pakistan Ahmad (2001) has been reported it from Sialkot area of Punjab. This is very rare species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In this survey, two specimens have been collected from the Junki (Kohistan) area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, identified as M. spretus.
71 Dolichogenidea Viereck
1911 Dolichogenidea Viereck, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 40: 176-196.
The following diagnostic characters can be used for the separation of specimens of Dolichogenidea among the genera of microgastrines: fore wing with areolet open (r–m absent), hind wing having convex vannal lobe, evenly hairy and rarely slightly flattened (Fig. 12c), mesoscutum typically shining with coarse, distinctly separated punctures, or sometimes punctation nearly absent; propodeal areola highly variable, i.e., oval, hexagonal, pentagonal, tetragonal and sometimes poorly defined; T1 longer than wide, usually parallel-sided or barrel-shaped, but sometimes slightly widening or narrowing apically, always ha ve longitudinal depression medio-apically; T2 wider than long, usually shorter than T3, having a convex or sinuate margin posteriorly, hypopygium moderate to large, sharply folded medially and generally consist of a series of expandable pleads, ovipositor sheath long a n d hairy throughout (F ig . 11B).
There are about 1000 species of the genus worldwide (Mason, 1981). Genus Dilchogenidea was considered as a subgenus of Apanteles by Viereck (1911), Muesbeck (1922) and Nixon (1965). Later on Mason described it as a valid genus.
The hosts of Dolichogenidea are most often microlepidoptera, with few exceptions (Gupta, 2013b). Dolichogenidea is a very large and widespread genus easily confused with Apanteles from which it can be separated by the evenly fringed convex hind wing vannal lobe (Fig. 12c), well defined and distinctly separated punctures on the posterior portion of the mesonotum and T1 broadening behind to parallel.
This genus is cosmopolitan. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa only a single species identified as D. lactea has been found, which was collected from Haripur, Swabi and Peshawar areas of the province.
72 Dolichogenidea lactea (Nees)
(Fig. 10 A-D)
1834 Microgaster lactea Nees. Hym. Icbn. affin. Mon.1: 187.
1981 Dolichogenidea lactea Mason, Mem.Ent.Soc. Canada.115:147.
Descripton of female (n=16)
Diagnosis: Fore wing without areolet; scutellum smooth, slightly punctuate; propodeum with tetragonal shaped areola with distinct costulae (Fig. 11D); tergite1 broadening posteriorly; hypopygium strongly developed, directed downwards and glabrous; ovipositor sheath hairy throughout (Fig. 11B).
Length: 2.0-2.2 mm.
Colour: Head, scutum, scutellum,T1 and T2 black; T3-T7 blackish brown; antennae, hypopygium, ovipositor sheaths dark-brown; palps whitish; hind coxa black, hind femur orange yellow; wings transparent, with stigma yellow and venation brownish.
Head: as broad as scutum when viewed dorsally; face punctate, setose, medially emarginate, as wide as high; eyes half as wide as high, roundish, setose; temples 0.7x as wide as width of eyes, punctate, setose, shiny; slightly obtuse triangle formed by ocelli; inter-ocellar distance equal to ocellar-ocullo distance; antennae equal to body length, first flagellomere as long as the last one.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.3-1.4x as wide as long, basal one-third slightly punctate, remaining heavily punctate, setose; notauli not impressed; scutellar sulcus moderately broad, deep, divided by 7-8 longitudinal carinae; scutellum 1.0-1.1x wider than long, smooth, slightly punctate, setose, with dense setosity at tip; lateral scutellum much narrow, grooved, carinate; lateral and posterior band of scutellum broad, smooth, dull; medial metanotum flat, punctate to slightly carinate; dorsellum smooth, shiny; propodeum having distinct pentagonal areola, costulae present, its rest of surface smooth. shiny, 1.5-1.8x wider than long; pronotum laterally slightly punctate to smooth; mesopleuron, bright, shiny, slightly punctate at apex; epicnemial furrow narrow, shallow, slightly carinate; precoxal groove broad, smooth; metapleuron
73 glabrous, brightly shiny; hind coxa 1.4x-1.5x as long as wide, equal to T1 in length, smooth, slightly setose; hind tibial spurs of equal length and 0.2x as long hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3.6x longer than its width, in basal part less setose before stigma, densely setose apically; stigma 2.5-3.0x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 1.1-1.2x shorter than 1-R1; r 0.5x longer than width of stigma, straight and obtuse angle formed with 2-Rs, slightly curved to join the open areolet vein; areolet open; 1- CU1 1.0-1.1x longer than 2-CU1; hind wing 3.00x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, with sparse hairs at basal one-third.
Metasoma: First tergite 1.6x longer than wide, posteriorly slightly broadening, strigulate; T2 glabrous, longer than T3 in mid line; subrectangular; suture between T2 and T3 well defined; T3-T7 smooth, each having a single row of hairs; hypopygium robustly developed, downward, glabrous except single row of setae on midline, longer than T1, 1.5x longer than wide; ovipositor sheaths hairy throughout, 1.0-1.1x longer than hind tibia, without specialized sensilla.
Male (n=4)
As female
Distribution
Europe; Pakistan, Punjab (Khanewal, Multan) (Ahmad, 2001); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Peshawar, Swabi and Haripur, New record)
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Haripur. 4♂, 7♀. 34° 1.8΄N, 72 28°.5΄E. 15.vii.2003. (Qamar Zaib). Peshawar. 3♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 5.v.2011. (Touheed),Swabi. 6♀.34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 10.vi.2002. (Inayatullah).
Comments
D. lactea can be separated by its tetragonal shaped propodeum with distinct costulae (Fig. 11D); tergite 2 strongly transverse; hypopygium direcrted downwards
74 with expandable pleads; ovipositer sheath evenly hairy and as long as hind tibia (Fig.11B).
This species should not be confused with Dolichogenidea sicaria (Marshall), because the latter species having ovipositer sheath shorter than hind tibia while the former ovipositor sheath as long as hind tibia.
Dolichoganidia lactea is world widely distributed. In Pakistan, Ahmad (2001) has reported it from Khanewal and Multan areas of Punjab, without host record. This species is less abundant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Few specimens were collected through ground netting host is therefore unknown in the araea. D. lactea has been collected from Peshawar, Swabi and Haripur areas of Kyber Pakhtunkhwa in the months April through July.
Glyptapanteles Ashmead
1904 Glyptapanteles Ashmead, Proc.U.S. Nat. Mus.28:127-57.
The following characters will readily distinguish Glyptapanteles from other microgastrine genera: fore wing with areolet open (r-m absent), vannal lobe on hind wing present, convex, with or without a fringe of hairs; propodeum without even a trace of areola, rarely ha ving mid-longitudinal carina, mostly smooth but often distinctly sculptured on all or part of its surface and sometimes with faint striations diverging anteriorly from metasomal foramen; T1 narrowing apically, T2 broadening posteriorly and often nearly triangular (Fig. 10B), hypopygium evenly sclerotized, without a mid-longitudinal crease, ovipositor sheath short, barely exerted and rarely longer than half the length of the hind tibia, mostly concealed by hypopygium.
Glyptapanteles is a large cosmopolitan genus of several hundred species, with most diversity occurring in tropics. Species of this genus have been reared from a large variety of macrolepidoptera (Gupta & Pereira 2012).
Muesebeck (1920) synonymized the genus with Apanteles. Nixon (1965) classified the specimens of the genus as vitripennis-, octonarius-, pallipes-, siderion-,
75 Demeter-, fraternus-, and triangulator- group of Apanteles. Mason (1981) transferred the specimens into a distinct genus i.e. Glyptapanteles.
Glyptapanteles is widely distributed in the Oriental region. But not well distributed in Khyber Pakhtunkkhwa, only a single species G.meculitarsis has been recorded from DIK, Kalkot and Swabi areas of KP, which is described as the following.
Glyptapanteles maculitarsis (Cameron)
(Fig. 9 A, B)
1904 Apanteles maculitarsis Cameron. Rec. Alb. Mus. 1: 125-176.
1981 Glyptapanteles maculitarsis Mason, Mem. Ent. Soc.Canada. 115: 147.
Descripton of female (n=12)
Diagnosis: Tergite 1 glabrous, shiny and narrowing posteriorly (Fig. 10 B), propodeum rugose, with tuft of hairs at two apical rounded emarginations (Fig. 10 A), without medial longitudinal carina, marginal carina present; areolet on fore wing absent.
Length: 2.3-2.5 mm
Colour: Head, thorax and hind coxa black; antennae, T3-T7, hypopygium and ovipositor sheaths dark brown; T1 reddish with dark round area; palps yellowish white; legs yellowish-brown; wings hyaline, with stigma and venation brownish.
Head: In dorsal view as broad as scutum; face having median longitudinal carina at apical one-fourth, rugose, punctate; eyes 0.6 x as wide as high, rounded, setose; temples 0.6-0.7x wider than width of eyes, punctate, setose; ocelli forming a slightly obtuse triangle; inter-ocellar distance 0.7x to ocello-oculler distance; antennae equal to body length, first flagellomere 1.5x to the last one.
Mesosoma: scutum 1.3-1.5x as wide as long, setose, punctate; notauli slightly impressed, with large punctation; scutellar sulcus broad, deep, provided with 10-11 costulae; scutellum as wide as long, densely punctate, setose; lateral scutellum carinated and broad; lateral and posterior band of scutellum broad and smooth; medial
76 metanotum broad, smooth; dorsellum smooth; posterior band of scutellum smooth, dull; propodeum rugose, ornamented with two rounded emarginations apically with tuft of hairs, marginal carina present, median longitudinal carina absent, 2.5x wider than long; mesopleuron punctate, apically with setae; epicnemial furrow broad, shallow, carinate; precoxal groove broad, smooth; metapleuron glabrous; hind coxa 2.0x as long as wide, 1.1x as long as T1, robust, smooth to rugose; hind tibial spurs of equal length, half as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Areolet open; 1-CU1 0.3x as long as 2-CU1; hind wing 3.5x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, having sparse fringe at basal one-third; 1R1 2.0-2.5x longer than 1 r-m.
Metasoma: First tergite 2.0-2.2x longer than wide, glabrous, shiny, without sculpturing, narrowing posteriorly; length of T2 equals T3 in mid line, a reddish-brown median field present; suture between T2 and T3 distinct; T4 opaque, T5- T7 smooth, each having single to two rows of hairs; hypopygium smooth, sparsely setose, 1.2x longer than T1, 1.2x longer than wide; ovipositor sheath smooth, having sparse setae at apex, 0.3x as long as hypopygium, specialized sensilla present.
Male (n=3)
Similar to female except small size
Distribution
South Africa (Grhamstown) (Cameron, 1904); Punjab (Lahore, Faisalabad and T.T. Singh) (Ahmad, 2001); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (D.I.Khan, Swabi and Kalkot. New Record).
Host
Noctuids and Arctiids (Gupta and Pereira, 2012)
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. D.I. Khan. 5♀ 2♂. 31°6.5΄N, 70° 49.3΄E. 28.viii.2001. (Inayatullah). Swabi. 4♀ 1♂.34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 19.v.2002. (Inayatullah). Kalkot. 3♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 24.vii.2007. (Kamran)
77 Comments
This species is morphologically similar to G. africana (Cameroon), both have similar shape of propodeum and T1, but can be distinguished by the distinctly angled r at the junction and the yellow femur and stout ovipositor sheaths in G. maculitarsis. Also species G. africana does not occur in Pakistan, therefore the identification of maculitarsis is easy.
G. maculitarsis was described by Cameron in 1904 for the first time from South Africa under genus Apanteles. Mason (1981) correctly placed it under Glyptapanteles.
Published data from different regions of the world show that Noctuids and Arctiids are the most preferred hosts for Glyptapanteles species (Gupta & Pereira, 2012). Gupta & Pereira (2012) have provided a list of Indian species with their associated hosts, which show that Papilionidae, Nymphalidae, Arctiidae Noctuidae, Nymphalidae, Bombycidae, Hesperiidae, Saturnidae, Pieridae, Riodinidae, Crambidae, Elaschidae, Limacodidae, Lycaenidae and Tortricidae are parasitized by the Glyptapateles species.
Ahmad (2001) reported it from Lahore, Faisalabad and T.T. Singh areas of Punjab. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this species occurs in D.I. Khan, Swabi and Kalkot areas in the months of May through August. Specimens were collected through hand net; therefore its host is unknown in Pakistan. Rearing of lepidopterous larvae is required on large scale to know its host and biological significance in the area.
Microgaster Latreille
1804 Microgaster Latreille. ‘N.D’ Histoire Naturelle. 24:122-200.
The following combination of features can be used for the recognition of genus Microgaster: fore wing second radio-medial vein present and forming a large quadrangular or sub triangular areolet; propodeum having more or less distinct median carina and strongly rugose all over; first metasomal tergite short, slightly broadening posteriorly and covering almost the entire dorsal surface of T1, which is generally strongly rugose; T2 without any delimited central area or median field, rectangular,
78 rugose dorsally (Fig. 75); ovipositor sheath hairy throughout and ovipositor gradually tapered and manipulatable via a large and medially folded hypopygium (Fig. 74).
The species of Microgaster are mostly Holarctic region with few in the Indo- Australian Region (Mason 1981). In the present investigations we found only two specimens from Mardan and Peshawar districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belonging to M. deprimator.
Microgaster deprimator Fabricius
(Fig. 74, 75)
1981 Microgaster deprimator Mason Mem. Ent. Soc. Canada., 115: 110.
Descripton of female (n= 2)
Diagnosis: Fore wing with triangular shaped areolet; tergite1 wider apically, occupying almost entire dorsal surface, T2 rectangular, rugulose, median field absent (Fig. 75); T3 rugose, having two rows of hairs; hypopygium, setose and shorter than hind tibia; ovipositor sheaths hairy throughout (Fig. 74); propodeum with distinct median longitudinal carina, its surface strongly rugose;
Length: 2.5-2.8mm
Colour: T3-T7 brown; hypopygium, ovipositor sheaths dark brown, fore and hind legs yellowish brown; remaining body black; hind wings hyaline, having dark brown stigma and venation.
Head: head half as broad as scutum; face punctate, setose, 1.4x as wide as high; eyes 0.5x as wide as high, sparsely setose; temples punctate, finely setose; 0.6-0.7x as wide as eyes; ocelli forming an obtuse triangle; inter-ocellar distance 0.6x ocello-oculler distance; antennae equal to body length, first flagellomere 2.0x longer than last one.
Mesosoma: Width of scutum 1.2-1.5x to length, setose, punctate; notauli less impressed, with fine punctation; scutellar sulcus deep, broad and provided with 6-7 costullae; scutellum dorsally, finely punctate, setose, having equal width and length, lateral scutellum crenulate; lateral band of scutellum smooth, shiny; posterior band of
79 scutellum crenulated; medial metanotum smooth; dorsellum smooth; propodeum 1.4- 1.5 x as wide as long, with distinct median longitudinal carina, its surface strongly rogose all over; pronotum laterally broad, roughly crenulated; mesopleuron glabrous, shiny, setose posteriorly, punctate anteriorly; hind coxa smooth, setose, 1.2-1.3x longer than wide and 0.5-0.6x as long as T1; hind tibial spurs equal and 0.3x as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 2.5x longer than wide, densely and evenly pilose; stigma 2.0- 2.2x longer than its width; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 1.5x shorter than 1-R1; r 0.7-0.8x as wide as stigma, straight and obtuse angle formed with 2-Rs, slightly curved to join the open areolet vein; areolet open; 1-CU1 1.2x longer than 2-CU1; hind wing 3.00x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, having sparse hairs at basal one-third.
Mesosoma: First tergite 1.5-2.0x longer than wide, broadening apically, occupying almost entire dorsal surface, T2 rectangular, rugulose, smooth, without median field, shorter than T3 in mid line; suture present between T2 and T3 distinctly impressed; T3- 7 rugose, having two rows of hairs; hypopygium 0.4-1.0x longer than hind tibia, setose; ovipositor sheaths hairy throughout, specialized sensilla absent.
Male
Unknown
Distribution
Holarctic, Indo-Australian (Mason, 1981). Pakistan, (Swabi. New record for Pakistan)
Material Examined
Pakistan.KPK.Swabi. 2♀.34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 27.iv.2002, (Inayatullah).
Host
Acronicta alni L, A.psi L, Xylena exoleta L, Autographa gamma L. (Noctiudae); Euproctis similis Fuessly (Lymentridae) (Tobias, 1995).
80 Comments
Microgaster deprimator can be identified by its short, broad, rugulose TI and rectangular T2 (Fig. 74).
Mostly microlepidopteran larvae are hosts of Microgaster deprimator, all species of genus Microgaster are solitary parasitoid except subcompleta Nees (Mason, 1981). This is a widely distributed species in the world, but less abundant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Only two specimens were collected from Swabi in the months of April.
Microplitis Foerster
1862 Microplitis Foerster, Ver. Nat.Verh. Press. Rhein., 19:225-228.
1906 Dapsilotoma Cameron, J. Born. Nat. Hist. Soc., 17:89-107.
1979 Glabromicroplitis Papp. Folia Entomol. Hungarica., 32:175-187
Type. Microgaster sordipes Nees,
Foerster established the genus Microplitis in 1862 with the type species Microgaster ordipes Nees von Esenbeck. Microplitis is distinguished from other microgastrines by the following characters: fore wing with second radio-medial (r-m) vein present making a well defined areolet (Fig. 56), propodeum roughly sculptured, with distinct or faint medial carina, first metasomal tergite shape variable, often sculptured with anterio-medial depression, suture between T2 and T3 very weak or absent (Fig. 55B), if defined then T2 usually shorter than T3, having well-defined median field on T2 (Fig. 60B); hypopygium generally well sclerotized and sometimes elongate medially, ovipositor often slightly down-curved, very short, sheaths rarely protruding beyond the apex of hypopygium (Fig. 58) and apically having a tuft of fused setae.
Members of this genus can be frequently collected from both plain and hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A total of 102 specimens have been collected and examined which revealed that five species: M. achterbergi Rana, M. mainilae Ahmead, M. medianus Ruthe, M. demolitor Wilkinson and M. chitralensis sp.nov are occurring in KP. One species, M. chitralensis, is described as new to science while four species are new record for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
81 Key to the species of genus Microplitis from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
1 T1 black to blackish brown, rugose apically or posteriorly, parallel-sided (narrow at apex) or widest preapicaly or medially, with apical convex swelling (Fig. 68)……………………………………………………………………...... 2
- T1 yellow orange, smooth, glabrous, rounded apically, without apical convex swelling (Fig. 55)……………………………………………achterbergi Rana
2 Propodeum with transverse carinae absent or unclear; median carinae clearly indicated (68) …………………………………………………………….…… 3
- Propodeum with transverse carinae present and clear (Fig. 62) median carinae distinct …….………………………………………….………………………..4
3 Wings strongly infuscate, stigma dark brown, antennae blackish, hind tibia medially whitish, basally and apically blackish brown, median furrow on T1 broad and not complete, T2 with shield like blackish median field indicated by unclear oblique grooves (Fig. 68)…………………….manilae Ashmead
- Wings hyaline, stigma blackish, antennae dark brown, hind tibia completely yellow orange, median furrow on T1 complete and narrow, T2 with dark brown triangular median field without oblique grooves (Fig. 72) ………………………………………………………………..…medianus ruthe
4 Hind coxa yellow orange, T1 dark brown with laterotergites yellowish, T2 and T3 yellow-range, T2 without distinct median field (Fig.64).……
……………………………………………………………...demolitor Wilkinson
- Hind coxa black, T1 blackish with laterotergites brown, T2 and T3 with mixture of yellow and black patches, T2 with distinct median field (Fig. 60) ……………………………………………………………….chitralensis sp.nov
82 Microplitis chitralensis new species
(Fig. 58-61)
Description of holotype female
Diagnosis: Natouli indistinct; propodeum having well defined transverse and medial longitudinal carina; T1 narrowing posteriorly, with medial groove; T2 having distinct median field; T3 with mixture of yellow and blackish coloration (Fig. 60). Hind femur whitish medially.
Length: 3.2 mm
Colour: Head and mesosoma blackish, antennae, hypopygium, ovipositor sheaths dark brown; lateral tergites of T1 and T2 dark brown, T3 with combination of yellow, brown and black coloration; hind coxa, basal portion of trochanter, hind femur black, apico- dorsal portion of hind tibia, hind tarsus blackish brown; basal two-thirds of hind tibia yellowish; hind wings hyaline, stigma dark brown and venation brownish.
Head: Head width 0.2x as broad as scutum when viewed dorsally; face smooth, pilose, 1.2x wide than high; eyes 1.2x as high as wide, sparsely setose; temples punctate, finely pilose, 0.7x as wide as eyes; ocelli forming a slightly obtuse triangle; inter-ocellar distance 0.6x ocello- oculler distance; antennae 1.1x longer than body, last flagellomere 0.6-0.7x shorter than first.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.6x as wide as long, finely punctate and sparsely setose, notouli distinct, broad, coarser, having reticulate-punctate area at posterior meeting point; medial furrow slightly impressed; scutellar sulcus deep, broad and ornamented with 6- 7 costulae; dorsal scutellum, finely punctate, setose, 1.3x as long as wide; lateral scutellum crenulated; lateral band of scutellum smooth, shiny; posterior band of scutellum crenulated; medial metanotum smooth; dorsellum smooth, with lateral emarginated edges; propodeum with strong median longitudinal and transverse carinae, its surface carinate-rugose, coarsely setose, 1.2x as broad as long; pronotum laterally broad, roughly crenulated; mesopleuron glabrous, shiny, setose posteriorly, punctate anteriorly; metapleuron crenulated and glabrous; hind coxa smooth, setose, 1.5x longer
83 than wide and 0.7x as long as T1; hind tibial spurs equal and 0.3x as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3.2x longer than wide, densely and evenly setose; length of r 0.3x to width of stigma; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 0.5x as long as 1-R1; r 0.3x as long as width of stigma, making an obtuse angle with 2Rs; areolet of medium size; 1-CU1 0.8x as long as 2-CU1; hind wing 3.2x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, without hairs; 1R1 1.2x longer than 1 r-m.
Mesosoma: T1 two times longer than wide, parallel-sided up to middle regularly narrowing apically, with median longitudinal groove well-defined in basal two-thirds, T2 punctate to glabrous, 0.5x as long as T3 in mid line, with median field sub- triangular, indicated by dark coloration; distinct suture present between T2 and T3; T3 smooth, sparsely setose; hypopygium length half to T1, smooth and setose; ovipositor sheaths few apical hairs, without specialized sensilla.
Male
Unknown
Distribution
All the specimens were collected from Chitral.
Host
Unknown
Material Examined
Holotype: Female, Chitral. 4♀. 34° 1.5΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 28.viii. 2011 (Fakhruddin) (ECUAP).
Paratypes: Three females, same data as Holotype.
84 Etymology
The species is named after the area from where the holotype was collected.
Comments
The distinct transverse carinae on propodeum; color of T3 and well defined median field on T2 make it new and distinct species from other species of the genus (Fig. 60). M.chitralensis has some morphological similarities with M. demolitor on the bases of distinct transverse and median longitudinal carina on propodeum, but can be separated on the bases of distinct median field on T2 which is absent in the later species. It should not be confused with M. manillae which has indistinct transverse carina contrast to distinct transverse carina in the former species.
This species is very rare; few specimens were found in Chitral (1700-2000m) area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the months of August and October. Distribution data shows that M. chitralensis occur in hilly areas, it may attacks forest pests but it requires extensive collection and identification from both plain and hilly areas in large scale to get information about its host preference and biological significance.
Microplitis demolitor Wilkinson
(Fig. 62-65)
1930 Microplitis demolitor Wilkinson, Bull. Ento. Res. 21: 23-27.
Descripton of female (n=7)
Diagnosis: T1 glabrous and shiny without apical convex swellin; T2 without well defined median field (Fig. 64); fore- and hindlegs yellow orange (Fig. 65); propodeum with strong median longitudinal and raised transverse carina (Fig. 62); notauli not well impressed; hypopygium stose; ovipositor sheath with apical hairs.
Length: 3.2-3.5 mm
Colour: Head and mesosoma blackish; tegulae yellowsih; T1 dark brown, T2 and T3 yellow-orange brown, T4–T7 black, laterotergites yellowish; Fore and mid legs yellow
85 orange, hind femur yellow orange with apico-dorsal portion blackish brown; hind tibia with extreme base pale testaceous; basitarsus black.
Head: Width of head 1.2x broader than scutum when viewed dorsally; face finely punctate, pilose, as wide as high; eyes 0.6x as wide as high, finely pilose; temples wide as width of eyes, punctate, finely pilose; ocelli forming a slightly obtuse triangle; inter- ocellar distance equals ocullo-ocellar distance; antennae equal to body length, first flagellar segment twice the length of terminal flagellomere.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.4-1.5x as wide as long, finely punctuate and pilose; notauli not impressed; scutellar sulcus deep and broad, divided into 6-7 costulae; scutellum dorsally triangular,1.2-1 .3x wider than long, without dense setosity; lateral scutellum strongly crenulated; lateral band of scutellum, shiny, medial metanotum broad, deep,crenulate; dorsellum smooth, sparsely punctate; posterior band of scutellum smooth; propodeum areolate-rugose, medial longitudinal carina distinct and strong, distinct raised transverse carinae, 2.4-2.5 x as wide as long; pronotum laterally smooth; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, pilose anteriorly; hind coxa 1.2-1.3x longer than wide and equal to T1, glabrous; hind tibial spurs equal and 0.3x longer than hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 3.0-3.2x longer than wide, densely setose; stigma 2.5-2.6x longer than its width, with anterior one-third transparent; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 0.6x longer than 1-R1; r 0.5x longer than width of stigma, with 2-Rs formed an obtuse angle; sub-triangular and medium size areolet present; 1-CU1 0.3-0.5x as long as 2- CU1; hind wing 3.5x longer than wide; convex vannal lobe, having a fring of long setae; 1R1 0.4x as long 1r-m.
Metasoma: Tl 1.5-2.0x longer than wide, shiny, glabrous; T2 without median field, smooth, with a row of small hairs at apex, 0.3-0.4x longer than T3 in mid line; having distinct suture between T1 and T2; T3-T7 smooth, having rows of hairs; hypopygium 0.5x longer than T1, setose and longer than wide; ovipositor sheaths having apical hairs, without specialized sensilla.
Male (n=4)
Similar to female.
86 Distribution
India, Australia (Gupta, 2013a). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Swabi, Peshawar. New Record).
Host
Published host record show that this species has preference for parasitizing
Noctuid larvae. It has been reared from Helicoverpa armigera in Khyber Pakhtunkha. Other reported hosts are Helicoverpa zea, Helicoverpa punctigera, Heliothis virescens, Chrysodeixis includens, Spodoptera frugiperda, Spodoptera littoralis and Spodoptera litura (Gupta,2013a).
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Peshawar. 4♂.34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 05.v.2012. (Fakhruddin), Junki. 7♀. 34° 1.9΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 25.vii.2007. (Usman, Kamran).
Comments
This species is some supercial similarities with pallidipes Szepligeti, a south- east Asian species, on the bases of yellow orange legs. The latter was redescribed by Wilkinson (1930) based on a single male specimen. However it should be difficult to take any decision regarding pallidipes as female description and type specimen is missing and the redescribed male lacks standard of the elaborate descriptions of other species (Gupta. 2013a). M. demolitor can be separated from pallidipes having less distinct notauli.
M. demolitor is a successfull parasitoid of members of family Noctuidae viz., Helicoverpa armigera, H. punctigera, Laelia obsolete and Spodoptera litura. This species is distributed in Indo-Australian region. It was reared from its host (Helicoverpa armigera) in Peshawar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was also collected through hand net from Peshawar and Junki (Kohistan) areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the month of May to July.
87 Microplitis manilae Ashmead
(Fig. 66-69)
1904 Microplitis manilae Ashmead, J. N. Y. Ent. Soc. 12:20.
Descripton of female (n=22)
Diagnosis: Notauli faintly indicated; propodeum with strong median longitudinal carina; T1 parallel sided, apically slightly narrowing, having apical convex swelling; T2 having well defined median field; wings strongly infuscated.
Length: 2.5-2.8 mm
Colour: Head and mesosoma blackish; laterotergite of TI and T2 yellowish brown, T2 with brown black median field; antennae brownish; labial and maxillary palps yellowish-brown; legs and hind coxa dark brown, with hind tibia medially whitish, rest dark brown; wings infuscate, venation brown and stigma blackish- brown.
Head: In dorsal view as wide as scutum; face punctate, pilose, as wide as high; eyes 0.6-0.7x wider than its height, pilose; temples as wide as width of eyes, punctate, with sparse pilosity; ocelli making slightly obtuse triangle; inter-ocellar distance 1.0-1.1x to inter-ocullo-ocellar distance; antennae 1.1-1.2x longer than body length, having last flagellomere 0.6-0.7x longer than first.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.4-l.5x broader than long, finely punctuate, sparsely pilose; notauli well-defined, crenulated-punctuate, broad, coarser, with reticulate-punctate area at posterior meeting point; medial furrow less impressed; scutellar sulcus broad, deep, divided by 6-7 costulae; scutellum dorsally 1.0-1.2x wider than long, punctate anteriorly, pilose posteriorly; lateral scutellum crenulated, with lateral band smooth, shiny; medial metanotum broad, deep, smooth; dorsellum carinate; posterior band of scutellum glabrous, smooth; propodeum having distinct median longitudinal carina, surrounded by srong and coarse rugosity, without marginal carina, 1.2-1.5x wider than long; pronotum laterally broad, smooth; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, pilose anteriorly; epicnemial furrow broad, shallow, carinate; precoxal groove crenulated, glabrous; metapleuron punctate-reticulate; hind coxa 1.3x longer than wide and 0.6x longer than T1, finely setose; hind tibial spurs equal and 0.3x longer than hind basitarsus.
88 Wings: Forewing 2.2-2.5x longer than wide, densely pilose; stigma 2.4-2.6x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 4-Rs is 0.7x longer than 1-R1; r equal to width of stigma and formed an obtuse angle with 2RS: sub-triangular and medium size areolet present; 1-CU1 0.4x longer than 2-CU1; hind wing 3.0-3.2x longer than wide; with convex vannal lobe, having a few hairs at base; 1R1 0.2-0.3x as long as 1r-m.
Metasoma: First tergite 2.2-2.3x longer than wide, rugulose, parallel-sided slight narrowed at apex; having a small round swelling at apex, at basal half having broad groove; T2 shiny, with median field oval-shaped, 0.6-0.7x longer than T3 in mid line; distinct suture present between T2 and T3; T3-T7 smooth, each having single to two rows of hairs anteriorly; hypopygium 0.5-0.7x longer than T1, smooth, sparsely pilose; ovipositor sheaths without apical hairs, 0.6x as long as hypopygium, specialized sensilla absent.
Male (n=16)
Similar to female
Distribution
India, Philippines, Australia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam (Gupta, 2013); Pakistan, Punjab (Khanewal, Multan, Okara, Sialkot), Ahmad (2001); (Baragali, Kalkot, Tank, Peshawar, Chitral and Swabi.New record for KPK).
Host
Spodoptera exempta Walker, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith & Abott), Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) and Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Gupta, 2013a).
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Kumrat. 4♂.34° 1.4΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 25.vii.2007. (Kamran), Chitral. 7♀.34° 1.2΄N, 73° 28.5΄E.5.iv.2013. (Fakhruddin), Chitral. 2♀. 34° 1.2΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 6.viii.2002. (Inayatullah). Swabi. 4♂.34° 1.3΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 17.iv.2003. (Inayatullah).
89 Baragali. 5♂.34° 1.3΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 9.vii.2000. (Khalid), Kalkot. 8♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 25.vii.2007. (Kamran) . Tank. 3♂. 34° 1.2΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 21.xi.2011. (Israr).
Comments
This species can easily be identified and separated from closely related species Microplitis szepligeti on the bases of absence of marginal carina on propodeum, T2 with blackish brown median field, defined by unclear oblique grooves and hind tibial spurs.
According to Gupta (2013a) Spodopera spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Maruca vitrata Fab. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) are attacked by Microplitis manila. She observed 80-90% parasitism in the field.
Type locality of M. manilae is Manila i.e. capital of Philippine (Wilkinson, 1929). This species widely distributed, reported from India, Philippines, Australia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam (Gupta, 2013). In Pakistan, This species was reported by Ahmad (2001) from Khanewal, Multan, Okara, Sialkot districts of Punjab. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa it is the most abundant and frequently collected species from all areas sampled, viz., Baragali, Kalkot, Tank, Peshawar, Chitral and Swabi. It is a as new record for the area. The species is on the wing from April through November.
90 Microplitis medianus Ruthe
(Fig. 70-73)
1860 Microplitis medianus Ruthe, Berl. Entomol. Zeit. 4: 105-160.
Descripton of female (n=6)
Diagnosis: Propodeum with less distinct transverse carina (Fig. 71); T1 narrowing posteriorly, without distinct apical convex swelling, T2 with well defined triangular median field (Fig. 72); hind femur and tibia yellow orange; antennae longer than body, with two ranks of placodes.
Length: 2.8-3.0mm.
Colour: Head and thorax dark to blackish brown; antennae brown, lateral tergites of T1 yellowish; hind femur yellow orange, hind tibia whitish yellow, last segment of hind tarsus blackish; wings light brown, stigma and venation brownish.
Head: Equal to width of scutum when viewed dorsally; face punctate reticulate, 1.1- 1.2x wider than long; eyes 0.4x wider than high, sparsely setose; temples as wide as width of eyes, punctate, setose; nearly obtuse triangle formed by ocelli; inter-ocellar distance 0.7-0.8x ocullo-ocellar distance; antennae 0.9-1.1x longer than body length, having last flagellomere 0.6-0.7x shorter than first.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.3-1.4x as wide as long, rugose, setose; notauli not impressed; scutellar sulcus broad, deep, divided by 6-7 costulae; scutellum dorsally 1.2-1.3x wider than long, sparsely setose and punctate; scutellum lateral, carinate and broad; lateral and posterior band of scutellum smooth and shiny; medial metanotum, deep and narrow; dorsellum carinate; propodeum having median longitudinal and marginal carinae, its surface coarsely reticulate- rugose, 1.5-1.7x wider than long; lateral pronotum broad, roughly crenulated; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, punctate, pilose apically; hind coxa 1.3-1.4x longer than wide and 0.8x longer than Tl, punctate apically, smooth medially, setose; hind tibial spurs equal and 0.2-0.3x as long as hind basitarsus.
91 Wings: Fore wing 2.5-3.0x longer than wide, slightly setose; stigma 2.0-2.5x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 0.5x longer than 1-R1; r 0.4x as long as width of stigma; sub-triangular and medium size areolet present; 1-CU1 0.4x longer than 2- CU1; hind wing 2.5-2.8x longer than wide; vannal lobe convex, having a row of hairs; 1R1 0.2x as long as1r-m.
Metasoma: T1 2.0-2.3x longer than wide, punctate, posteriorly narrowing, having broad groove in basal one third, apical convex not distinct; T2 smooth, with median somewhat triangular; distinct suture present between T2 and T3; T2 –T3 opaque; T4-T7 having 2 rows of hairs; hypopygium 0.8-0.9x as long as than T1, smooth, setose; ovipositor sheaths without apical setae, 0.3-0.5x as long as hypopygium, specialized sensilla absent.
Male (n=3)
As female except the following characters; Tergite 2+3, yellowish to blackish• brown, suture between them not distinct, metasoma blackish-brown to black; T1 with medial groove shallow.
Distribution
Albania, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Hangary, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mangolia, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, Yugoslavia,(Yu, 2012). In Pakistan Ahmad (2001) has already recorded this species from Punjab Rawalpindi and Faisalabad areas of Punjab province. The species is first time recorded from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Peshawar and Swabi.
Host
Unknown
Material Examined
Pakistan: KPK; Tal. 3♂.34° 46΄N, 72° 21΄E. 26.vii.2007. (Usman, Kamran). Peshawar. 2♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 13.v.2012. (Fakhruddin). Peshawar. 1♀. 34°
92 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 11.v.2003. (Unknown). Swabi. 2♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 27.iv.2002. (Asad). Peshawar. 1♀. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 30.iv.2005. (Inayatullah).
Comments
M. medianus is superficially close to M. manilae in general appearance. Both have less distinct transverse carina on propodeum, but differs from M. manilae on the basis of unclear apical convex swelling on propodeum and color of hind femur which is orange yellow in M. medianus. This species also tally with M. demolitor due to its orange yellow hind leg but can be separated by well defined median field on T2, which is absent in M. demlolitor.
M. medianus is first reported by Wilkinson (1930) from Australia. He has not provided host record for the species.
This is a widely distributed species reported from Australia, Albania, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Hangary, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mangolia, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, Yugoslavia (Yu, 2012).
In Pakistan it was reported from Punjab (Rawalpindi and Faisalabad) by Ahmad (2001).This species is abundant in the plain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa i.e. Peshawar, Swabi and Tal. These wasps are in flight through April to August.
Microplitis achterbergi Rana
(Fig. 54-57)
Descripton of female (n=2)
Diagnosis: Body generally bright yellow; propodeum rugose, with indistinct median longitudinal and transverse carinae (Fig. 54); T1 unculptured and rounded at apex, median field on T2 is absent (Fig. 54); hind legs are yellow orange; distally one- third of stigma yellowish (Fig. 56).
Length: 2.1-2.3 mm.
Colour: Head and thorax blackish; antennae, tarsal claws, hind basitarsus and tarsus, hypopygium, ovipositor sheaths and last 3 abdominal segments blackish brown; wings
93 hyaline, with venations and apical two-third of stigma, dark brown, rest one-third of stigma with yellowish spot; palps yellow; rest of body parts bright yellow.
Head: Dorsally 1.1x broader than scutum; face finely punctate, pilose, as wide as high; eyes 0.6x as wide as high, finely pilose; temples as wide as width of eyes, punctate, finely pilose; ocelli forming a slightly obtuse triangle; inter-ocellar distance equal to inter-ocullo-ocellar distance; antennae equal to body length, having last flagellomere 0.6x longer than first.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.5-1.6x as wide as long, setose and finely punctate; notauli not impressed; scutellar sulcus deep and broad, divided by 6-9 costulae; scutellum dorsally triangular, 1.2-1.4x wider than long, pilose densely; scutellum laterally strongly crenulated, lateral and posterior band of scutellum, shiny and smooth; medial metanotum broad, deep, crenulate; dorsellum smooth, sparsely punctate; posterior band of scutellum smooth; propodeum areolate-rugose, medial longitudinal carina weak, 2.5- 2.6 x as wide as long; pronotum laterally smooth; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, pilose anteriorly; metapleuron glabrous, shiny; hind coxa 1.1-1.3x longer than wide and longer than T1, glabrous; hind tibial spurs short, equal,0.3x as long as hind basitarsus.
Wings: Fore wing 2.5-3.0x longer than wide, pilose densely; stigma 2.9-3.0x longer than wide, having anterior one-third transparent; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 0.6x longer than 1-R1; r 0.5x longer than width of stigma; sub-triangular and medium size areolet present; 1-CU1 0.4x as long as 2-CU1; hind wing 3.5x longer than wide; with convex vannal lobe, having a row of long hairs; 1R1 0.4x as long as 1r-m.
Metasoma: Tl 1.9-2.0x longer than wide, glabrous, shiny; T2 smooth, with a row of small hairs at apex, its median field not well-defined, 0.4-0.5x longer than T3 in mid line; distinct suture present between T1 and T2; T3-T7 smooth, having rows of hairs; hypopygium 0.6x longer than T1, setose and longer than wide; ovipositor sheaths having apical hairs, without specialized sensilla.
Male (n=4)
As for female.
94 Distribution
Punjab (Multan, Shakargarh, Faisalabad). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Swabi, Peshawar, Kalkot, DIK and Kalam (Swat). (New Record).
Host
Unknown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Material Examined
Pakistan. KPK. Peshawar. 1♂.34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 15.v.2011. (Fakhruddin); Peshawar. 1♂.34°1.3΄N,71°28.5΄E.25.x.2004. (Inayatullah); Swabi. 1♂. 34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 16.vi.2002. (Inayatullah); Peshawar. 1♀.34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 16.xi.2011. (Inayatullah); Swabi. 1♀. 1.34° 1.3΄N, 71° 28.5΄E. 20.viii.2003. (Inayatullah); Kalkot. 1♂. 34° 1.3΄N, 73° 28.5΄E. 24.vii.2007. (Usman, Kamran).
Comments
This species can be easily identified on the bases of T1 which is unsculptured, parallel and rounded at apex, T2 without distinct median field (Fig. 55).
M. achterbergi can be confused with M.demolitor on the bases of yellow orange color of legs but it has weak indication of carina on propodeum contrast to the distinct median longitudinal carina and transverse carina present in the latter. The species is close to M. indicus an Indian species but differs from it on the bases of unsculptured T1 and yellow color of metasoma.
Rana (1998) has reported M. achterbergi first time from Multan, Shakargarh and Faisalabad areas of Punjab (Pakistana) without any host record. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa it was collected from Kalkot, Swabi and Peshawar areas in the month of April to October. To know its expected hosts and tritrophic interaction, collection and rearing of lepidopterous larvae is required on mass level.
95 Paroplitis Mason
1981 Paroplitis Mason. Mem. Ent. Soc. Canada, I I5 : 110.
The name of this genus was mentioned by Mason (1981) to accomudate three Holarctic species which superficially tally with specimens of Microplitis, although they are not closely related with the later genus, (Fernández-triana et al. 2013).
The following combination of characters can be used for the separation of genus Paroplitis: r-m vein present on fore wing making a large quadrangular or triangular areolet (Fig. 77); propodeum with a median carina that often becomes faint posteriorly with indications of more or less strong transverse carina (Fig. 78); T1 two times longer than wide, little broadening apically or parallel sided, mostly polished or weakly sculptured, a pair of weakly divergent grooves present on T2 delimiting a smooth sub- rectangular area, but grooves absent in some species; ovipositor sheath hairy throughout and about equal to hind tibia in length (Fig. 76); ovipositor apically tapering and weakly decurved; hypopygium sclerotized and sharply folded medially.
Paroplitis is considered as a Holarctic Genus, occasionally reaching the northern limits of the Oriental region (Fernández-triana et al. 2013).
The genus is not diverse containing only five species worldwide. In this survey a single specimen of Paroplitis wesmaeli was discovere in Baragali (2,350 m) area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The discovery of genus Paroplitis is a new record for microgastrines fauna of Pakistan.
Paroplitis wesmaeli Ruthe
(Fig. 76-78)
1860 Paroplitis wesmaeli Ruthe
Descripton of female (n=1)
Diagnosis: Propodeum parallel sided, heavily punctuate, without transverse carina (Fig. 78), median longitudinal carina visible anteriorly; scutum without notauli; ovipositor sheath longer than hind tibia, setose throughout (Fig. 76); forewing having triangular areolet (Fig. 77).
96 Length: 5.0 mm
Colour: Body generally blackish; T1 laterotergite yellowish-brown, antennae brownish; labial and maxillary palps yellowish; hind coxa black, hind femur entirely blackish, hind tibia half dark-brown; wings hyaline, stigma dark-brown venation brownish.
Head: Dorsally 1.0-1.2x broader than scutum; face sparsely punctuate and setose, wider than high; eyes 0.5-0.6x as wide as high; temples as wide as width of eyes, punctate, sparsely setose; ocelli making slightly obtuse triangle; inter-ocellar distance 0.6-0.7x to inter-ocullo-ocellar distance; antennae 0.5-0.6x to body length and last flagellomere 0.6x longer than first.
Mesosoma: Scutum 1.3- l.4x as wide as long, finely punctate, evenly setose; notauli not present; scutellar sulcus broad, deep, divided by 10-11 costullae; scutellum dorsally 1.2-1.3x wider than long, punctate, shiny and glabrous; scutellum laterally crenulated, lateral and posterior band smooth, shiny; medial metanotum deep, broad and smooth; dorsellum carinate; propodeum longer than wide more punctate, hairy with distinctly visible anterior median longitudinal carina, without transverse carina; pronotum laterally broad, smooth; mesopleuron smooth, shiny, pilose anteriorly; epicnemial furrow broad, shallow, carinate; precoxal groove crenulated, glabrous; metapleuron smooth and glabrous; hind coxa 1.5x longer than its width, 0.5x as long as T1, setose finely; hind tibial spurs equal and 0.4x longer than hind basitarsus.
Wings: Forewing 2.0-2.5x longer than its width, pilose densely; stigma 1.0-1.2x longer than wide; distance from stigma to 3Rs is 0.8x longer than 1-R1; r 0.5-0.8x longer than width of stigma; sub-triangular and medium size areolet present; 1-CU1 0.5x longer than 2-CU1; hind wing 3.5x longer than wide; with convex vannal lobe, having hairs evenly distributed; 1R1 0.3x as long 1r-m.
Metasoma: T1 1.5-1.6x longer than its width, sparsely aciculo-punctate, widening apically; T2 more rectangular, rugose-punctate, with median field absent, 0.6-0.7x as long as T3 in mid line; distinct suture present between T2 and T3; T3-T7 smooth, having single to two rows of hairs; hypopygium 0.6-0.7x as long as T1, smooth, sparsely setose; ovipositor sheaths hairy, 0.6x longer than hind tibia, without sensilla.
97 Male
Unknown
Distribution
Azerbaijan, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, North America, Vietnam and Northern Philippines (Fernández-triana et al. 2013). Pakistan (Baragali. New record).
Host
Scoparia basistrigalis (Carambidae), Bryotropha umbrosella (Zeller) (Gellichiidae), Hypotia cortcalis (Pyrallidae) and Xestia collina (Noctuidae), (Yu et al. 2012).
Material Examined
Pakistan.KPK.Baragali.1♀.34°3.38΄N,73°28.5΄E.9.vii.2000.(Inayatullah).
Comments
P. wesmaeli can be separated from other species of the genus by the sculpture on its propodeum which is rugose, parallel sided, without transverse carina (Fig. 78), small areolet on fore wing; ovipositor sheath equal to hind tibia (Fig. 76). This is the largest species in size among all microgastrines from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Yu et al. 2012 mentioned four families of Lepidoptera as hosts of Paroplitis wesmaeli. i.e. Scoparia basistrigalis (Carambidae), Bryotropha umbrosella (Zeller) (Gellichidae), Hypotia cortcalis (Pyrellidae) and Xestia collina (Noctuidae).
Paroplitis wesmaeli is a widely distributed and well known species of all known species of Paroplitis. It has been reported from near the boundary between the Palaearctic and the Oriental regions i.e. Europe, North America, Vietnam and Northern Philippines at moderately high altitude (1700-2400m).
This species is very rare in the area surveyed, only a single large female specimen measuring 5.00mm was collected from Baragalli area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the month of July at altitude (2000-2450m) (Fernández-triana et al. 2013).
98 V. SUMMARY
Microgastrinae is one of the speciose subfamily of Braconidae with worldwide distribution. These wasps can be recognized by the 16 flagellar segments with placodes and distally reduced wing venation. About 2000 species in 55 genera are known throughout the world. Microgastrines are larval parasitoids of Lepidoptera and help in reducing pest population.
Due to their importance as natural enemies of pests, the present study was initiated with the objectives to conduct taxonomic studies and to present diagnostic and morphological notes on microgastrines and record their distribution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For these objectives, areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were surveyed and intensively sampled for microgastrines. Hand nets and malaise traps were used for collection. Some microgastrines were reared from their hosts. Specimens thus collected were sorted out and prepared for taxonomic study.
A total of 1200 specimens collected during 1996 through 2014 were examined, which revealed that twenty-three species under eight genera are occurring in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These genera include; Apanteles Foerster, Cotesia Cameron, Dolichogenidia Vierek, Diolcogaster Ashmead, Glyptapanteles Ashmead, Microplitis Foerster, Microgaster Latreille, and Paroplitis Wesmaeli. Out of these, genus Paroplitis Wesmaeli is recorded as first report from Pakistan. Similarly, out of 23 species 19 are new records for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 4 species are reported for the first time from Pakistan and 2 species are described as new to science. Keys to the microgastrine genera and species have been proposed for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Genus Apanteles Foerster is frequently encountered genus, collected from both hilly and plain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Apanteles is represented by five species: A. agilis (Ashmead), A. calycinae Wilkinson, A. gallariae Wilkinson, A. significance Walker, and A. swabiensis sp. nov.
A. agilis (Ashmead) is a common species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In this survey the species was collected from Chitral, Baragali and Swabi areas of KP. The species is on wing in the months of April through September
99 Apanteles calycinae Wilkinson is a widely distributed species collected from Swat (Miadam), Dargai, Peshawar and Tank areas of KP. The species is active from April through November.
Apanteles gallariae Wilkinson is a very common species found in both hilly and plain area of KP. In the present studies it was collected from Peshawar and Chitral areas of KP .The species was reared from Gallaria mellonella larvae in lab.
Apanteles sawabensis is described as new on the basis of large and robustly developed hypopygium directed downwards making an angle of 45° with metasoma, complete areola with costulae and well developed tranverse carinae on propodeum. This new species was collected from Swabi area in September.
A. significance Walker is a rare species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, few specimens were collected from Peshawar area in the month of June.
Genus Cotesia Cameron is the most diverse genus. It was collected from all the selected localities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, throughout the collection period. Eight species were identified: C. flavipes Cameron, C. glomeratus (Linnaeus), C. plutellae (Kurdjumov), C. melittaearum (Wilkinson), C. ruficrus (Haliday), C. nowsherensis Ahmad C. tibialis (Curtis), and C. lycophron (Nixon).
C. flavipes Cameron is very abundant species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The species was collected from, Peshawar, Mardan, Chitral, Swabi and DIK areas of KP. The species is on wing from March through October.
C. glomeratus (Linnaeus) is very common species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The species was recorded from Chitral, Swabi, Tank, Mardan and D.I.Khan areas of KP. It flies from May through October.
C. plutellae (Kurdjumov) is well-known species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was collected from different climatic zones of KP. In this survey it was collected from Peshawar, Chitral, Swabi and D.I.Khan areas of KP. The species easily found in the month of August through November.
100 C. lycophron (Nixon) is also a common species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Specimens of this species were collected from Peshawar and Swat areas in the months of May and June.
C. ruficrus (Haliday) is a common and widely distributed species, collected from different climatic zones including Chitral, Kumrat, Swat, Swabi and Peshawar of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The species is active from April through July.
C. mellittaearum (Wilkinson) is abundant and frequently collected species from both plain and hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Kumrat, Swabi and Peshawar. The species is on wing during the months of April through August.
C. tibialis (Curtis) is very rare species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The species was collected only from Peshawar in the month of May.
Genus Diolcogaster Ashmead is not well-distributed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Only a single species D. spretus (Marshall) was found from the Junki (Kohistan) and Peshawar areas of KP.
Genus Dolichogenidea Viereck is less common in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A single representative D. lactea (Nees) was collected for the first time from Peshawar, Swabi and Haripur areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The species is active in the months of April through July.
Species of Glyptapanteles Ashmead is very rare genus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Only a single species G. maculitarsis (Cameron) has been recorded from D.I. Khan, Swabi and Kalkot areas in the months of May through August. G. maculitarsis is recorded for the first time from KP.
Genus Microgaster Latreille is another rare genus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa represented by a single species, M. deprimator Fabricius. It was collected from Swabi area of KP for the first time. The species was found in the month of April.
Microplitis Foerster is a diverse genus in KP. The genus is represented by five species: M. achterbergi Rana, M. manilae Ahmead, M. medianus Ruthe, M. demolitor Wilkinson and M. chitralensis sp.nov.
101 M. achterbergi Rana is widely distributed species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In this study it was collected from Kalkot, Swabi and Peshawar areas of KP. The species flies from April through October.
M. demolitor Wilkinson is very common species in KP. The species was reared from its host (Helicoverpa armigera) in Peshawar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was collected from Peshawar and Junki (Kohistan) areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the month of May through July.
M. chitralensis sp.nov is a rare species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This new species was described on the basis of well defined median and transverse carinae on propodeum, shield shaped median field on tergite 2 and hind tibia medially whitish. The species was collected in August from Chitral.
M. manilae Ahmead is the most abundant and frequently collected species was reported from Baragali, Kalkot, Tank, Peshawar, Chitral and Swabi as new record for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The parasitoid is active from April through October.
M. medianus Ruthe is abundant in the plain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In this survey the species was collected from Peshawar, Swabi and Tal areas of KP. Available data show that the species is on the wing from April through August.
Genus Paroplitis Mason was recorded for the first time from the area represented by P. wesmaeli. It was collected in Baragali area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the month of July.
All the voucher specimens are deposited in the Entomological Collection of The University of Agriculture, Peshawar.
102 VI. CONCLUTION AND RECOMMENDATION
Microgastrines are auseful group of parasitoids abundantly occuring in all sampled areas. About 1200 specimens of microgastrines were examined which fall in to 23 species belonging to 8 genera. These include; Apanteles Foerster: A. agilis (Ashmead), A. calycinae Wilkinson, A. gallariae Wilkinson, A. significance Walker, and A. swabiensis sp. nov; Cotesia Cameron: C. flavipes Cameron, C. glomeratus (Linnaeus), C. plutellae (Kurdjumov), C. melittaearum (Wilkinson), C. ruficrus (Haliday), C. nowsherensis Ghous, C. tibialis (Curtis), and C. lycophron (Nixon); Dolichogenidea Viereck: D. lactea (Nees); Glyptapanteles Ashmead: G. maculitarsis (Cameron); Microgaster Latreille: M. deprimator Fabricius; Microplitis Foerster: M. achterbergi Rana, M. manilae Ahmead, M. medianus Ruthe, M. demolitor Wilkinson and M. chitralensis sp. nov; Paroplitis Mason: P. wesmaeli (Ruthe). Two species A. swabiensis sp. nov and M. chitralensis sp.nov are described as new to science. A. calycinae Wilkinson, A. significance Walker, C. flavipes Cameron, C. plutellae (Kurdjumov), C. melittaearum (Wilkinson), C. ruficrus (Haliday), C. nowsherensis Ghous, C. tibialis (Curtis), and C. lycophron (Nixon), D. lactea (Nees), G. maculitarsis (Cameron), , M. achterbergi Rana, M. manilae Ahmead, M. medianus Ruthe, are recorded for the first time from KP, while P. wesmaeli (Ruthe), M. deprimator Fabricius are first reports for Pakistan.
Based on the available data it is recommended that:
1. More samplings should be done in the area for collection of more species and enhancing the available collection.
2. Lepidopterous larvae should be reared in lab. for host records of microgastrines.
3. Rearing techniques should be perfected for mass production of these parasitoids.
4. Field experiments should be conducted for testing field efficiency of some selected parasitoids.
103 CHECK LIST OF MICROGASTRINAE OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA
Genus Apanteles Foerster
1. Apanteles agilis (Ashmead)
2. Apanteles calycinae Wilkinson
3. Apanteles gallariae Wilkinson
4. Apanteles swabiensis sp.nov.
5. Apanteles significance Walker
Genus Cotesia Cameron
6. Cotesia flavipes Cameron
7. Cotesia glomeratus (Linnaeus)
8. Cotesia lycophron (Nixon)
9. Cotesia melittaearum (Wilkinson)
10. Cotesia nowsheraensis Ghous
11. Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov)
12. Cotesia ruficrus (Haliday)
13. Cotesia tibialis (Curtis)
Genus Diolcogaster Ashmead
14. Diolcogaster spretus (Marshall)
Genus Dolichogenidea Viereck
15. Dolichogenidea lactea (Nees)
Genus Glyptapateles Ashmead
16. Glyptapateles maculitarsis (Cameron)
104 Genus Microplitis Foerster
17. Microplitis achterbergi (Cameron)
18. Microplitis chitralensis sp.nov
19. Microplitis demolitor Wilkinson
20. Microplitis manilae Ahmead
21. Microplitis medianus Ruthe
Genus Microgaster Latreille
22. Microgaster deprimator Fabricius
Genus Paroplitis Wesmaeli
23. Paroplitis wesmaeli Ruthe
105 LITERATURE CITED
Achterberg, C. Van., T. Hosaka, Y.F. N. and I. Ghani. 2009. The braconid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) associated with seeds of Dipterocarpacae in Malaysia. J. Nat. Hist. 1(12): 635-686.
Ahmad, M. 2001. Taxonomic studies on Microgastrinae (Braconidae: Hymenoptera) of the Punjab. Ph.D. Thesis. Deptt. Agri. Ent. The, Univ. Agric. Faisalabad, Pak. 143pp. (Unpublished).
Ahmad, M. 2005. A new Philoplitis species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from India. Zoo. Print. J. 20 (1): 17-36.
Ahmad, Z. 2005. Discovery of the genus Wilkinsonellus Mason (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from India. Zoo. Print. J. 20 (3): 1804.
Alam, M. M., M. N, Beg., M. A, Ghani. 1972. Introduction of Apanteles species against graminacous borers into Pakistan. Commonwealth, Biological control. instate.Tech. Bull. 15:1-10.
Anjum, Q and K. F. Malik. 1978. A new species of the genus Apanteles (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Parasite of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella, from Pakistan. Pak. J. Zool. 10 (2): 273-277.
Ashmead, W. H. 1900. Notes on some New Zealand and Australian parasitic Hymenoptera, with description of new genera and new species. Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. 25: 327-360.
Ashmead, W. H. 1905. Addition to the recorded Hymenoptera fauna of the Philippine islands. With descriptions of new species. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 28 (1413): 957- 971.
Austin, A. D and P. C. Dangerfield. 1992. Synopsis of Australian Microgatrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with a key to genera and description of new taxa. Invert.Taxon. 6: 1-76.
106 Austin, A. D and P.C, Dangerfield. 1993. Systematics of Australian and New Guinean Microplitis Foerster and Snellenius Westwood (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae), with a review of their biology and host relationships. Invert.Taxon. 7: 1097-166.
Beckage. 1994. http://en.wikipedia. Org/wiki/Cotesia_congregata. (Accessed 14 October 2014).
Bhatnagar, S. P. 1948. Studies on Apanteles Foerster (Vipionidae: Parasitic Hymenoptera) from India. Ind. J. Ent. 10 (2): 133-203.
Cameron, P. 1891. Hymenopterological Notices. I. On some Hymenoptera parasitic in Indian injurious insects. Mem. Proc. Manch. Lit. Phil. Soc. 4: 182-94.
Cameron, P. 1906. On the Hymenopterous parasites of the mealie stalk borer (Sesamia fusca, Hampson). Trans. S. Afric. Phil. Soc. 16: 334-336.
Cameron, P. 1911. On a collection of parasitic Hymenoptera (chiefly bred) made by Mr. W.W. Froggatt, F.L.S., in New South Wales, with descriptions of new genera and species. Part 1. Proc.Linn. Soc. N. S.W. 36: 333-346.
Curtis, J. 1830. Brit. Entomol. Lond. 7: 321pp.
Emana, 2007. Comparative studies of the influence of relative humidity and temperature on the longevity and fecundity of the parasitoid, Cotesia flavipes, J. Insect Soc. 7: 2pp.
Fakhruddin, 2007. Identification and distribution of genera of Braconidae of District Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. M. Sc. Thesis, Deptt. Ent. Univ. Agric. Pesh. Pakistan. 115 pp. (Unpublished).
Fallis, A.M. 1942. The life cycle of Apanteles carpatus (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasite of the Webbing clothes moth Tuineola bisseialla Hum. Canadian J. Research, Sec. D. Zool. Sc. 20: 13-19.
Fernandez, J. 2010. Eight new species and an annotated checklist of Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Canada and Alaska. Z. Keys. 63: 1-53.
107 Fernandez, J., D. F, Ward., S, Cardinal and C. V, Achterberg. 2013. A review of Paroplitis (Braconidae: Microgastrinae), and description of a new genus from New Zealand, Shireplitis with convergent morphological traits. Zootaxa. 3722 (4): 549-568.
Foerster, A. 1862. Synopsis der Familien und Gattungen der Braconiden. Verhandlungen des Naturhistorischen Vereins der Preussischen Rheinlande und Westfal.19: 225-288.
Foerster, A and K, Ugusta. 2003. Biology of Microplitis mediator Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Parasitizing the Wheat Armyworm Mythimna (Pseudaletia) sequax Franclemont (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Neotropical Entomol. 32 (1):81-84 (2003).
Frison, T. H. 1926. Contribution to the knowledge of the interrelationships of the bumble bees of Illinois with their animate environment. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 19: 203-235.
Fuchs, T.W., F. R, Huffman and J.W. Smith. 1979. Introduction and establishment of Apanteles flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Texas. Entomol. 24: 109-114.
Ghous, Q. 1998. Systematics of the genus Cotesia (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) in Punjab Pakistan. M.Sc. Thesis. Univ. Agric. Faisalabad, Pak. 95pp. (Unpublished)
Guo, S and Z. Yang. 1995. Observation on control of parasitic natural enemy against Cnaphalocrosis medinalis. Plant Prot. 21(5): 21-23.
Gupta, A., B, Pereira and Paresh. 2011. Illustrated notes on some reared parasitic wasps Braconidae: Microgastrinae) with new host and distribution records from India along with reassignment of Glyptapanteles aristolochiae (Wilkinson). News Entomol. 122(5): 451-468.
Gupta, A and B, Pereira. 2012. A new species of Glyptapanteles (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) a larval parasitoid of Elymnias hypermnestra
108 (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Lymphalidae) along with some new host records of parasitoids from Peninsular India. Zootaxa. 3227: 54- 63.
Gupta, A. 2013. Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of Reunion Island: a catalogue of the local species, including 18 new taxa and a key to species. Zootaxa. 3616 (6): 501–547.
Gupta, A. 2013a. Revision of the Indian Microplitis Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae), with description of one new species. Zootaxa. 3620 (3): 429–452.
Gupta, A. 2013b. Three new species of reared parasitic wasps (Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from India. Zootaxa. 3701 (3): 365-380.
Gupta, A., Swapnil., A, Lokhande and A, Soman. (2013) parasitoids of Hesperiidae from peninsular India with description of a new species of Dolichogenidea (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitic on caterpillar of Borbo cinnara (Wallace) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). Zootaxa. 3701(2): 277-290.
Gupta, A. and S. Kalesh. 2012. Reared parasitic wasps attacking hesperiids from Western Ghats (Kerala, India) with description of a new species of Dolichogenidea (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) as a larval parasitoid of Thoressa evershedi (Evans) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). Zootaxa. 3413: 29–43.
Haliday, A. H.1834. An essay on classification of parasitic Hymenoptera. Ent. Mag. 2- 262.
Haliday, A. H.1834. An essay on classification of parasitic Hymenoptera. Ent. Mag. 2- 253.
Harris, R. A. 1979. A glossary of surface sculpturing. Occasional Papers in Entomology, No. 28. State of California, Deptt. Food and Agriculture. Sc. 31pp.
Inanc, F. 2000. A study on Microgastinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) species in Gokceada and Bozlaada. Deptt. Bio. Fac. Arts and Sci. Trakya. Uni. 215: 287- 296.
109 Inayatullah, M and Karimullah 1996. A preliminary key to the sub-families of Braconidae (Hymenoptera) of the NWFP, Pakistan. Sarhad J. Agric. 12 (6): 667-677.
Inayatullah. M. 2002. Identification and field evaluation of biological control agents of the family Braconidae against important crop pests in the NWFP. Final technical report covering NWFP. Agric. Univ. Pesh. Pak.109 pp.
Iqbal, Z. 1998. Systematic of the Genera Apanteles Foerster and Dolichogenidea Viereck (Microgastrine: Braconidae: Hymenoptera) in Punjab. M.Sc. (Hons.) Thesis Deptt. Ento. Uni. Agric. Faisalabad, Pak. 110 pp. (Un-published).
Irshad, M. (Ed.). 2008. Biological control of insects and weeds in Pakistan. D. G. Administration. HEC. Islamabad, Pak. 319pp.
Janzen, D. H. 1971. The ecological signifcance of an arboreal nest of Bombus pullatus in Costa Rica. J. Kans. Entomol. Soc. 44: 210-216.
Janzen, D. H., A. K, Walker., J. B, Whitfield., G, Delvare and I.D, Gauld. 2003. Host- specific and hyperparasitoids of three new Costa Rican species of Microplitis Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae), parasitoids of sphingid caterpillars. J. Hym. Res. 12: 42–76.
Jie Zeng, Jun-hua He, Xue-xin Chen. 2011. The genus Diolcogaster Ashmead, 1900 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from China. ZooKeys. 127: 49–87.
Kamran, A. 2004. Special report on the tribes Microgastrinae. NWFP. Agric. Univ. Pesh. Pak. 35pp.
Kfir, R., W. A, Overholt., Z.R, Khan and A, Polaszek. 2002. Biology and management of economically important lepidopteron cereal stem borers in Africa. Annual Rev. Entomol. 47: 701–731.
Kech, S. H. O and W.A. Overholt. 1996. Comparative biology of Cotesia chilonis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on selected African gramineous stem borers. Bioc. Sc. Tech. 6(40): 595-602.
110 Kurdjumov, N. V. 1912. Hymenopterans-parasites nouveaux ou peu connus. Revue Russe d'Entomol. 12: 223-240.
Latreille, P. A. 1804. Histoire naturelle, generale et particuliere des crustaces et des insects. Ocuvrage faisant suite aux oevres de leclere de Buffon er partie du cours complet d’ Histoire naturelle redige P. C. S. Sonnini-Paris, Dufort, vol. 24.
Linnaeus, C. (Ed.) 1758. Systama Naturae, ed. 10: I- 823pp.
Luo, K. J. T. Trumble and Y. Pang. 2007. Developmant of Microplitis bicoloratus on Spodoptera litura and implication for biocontrol. Biocontrol. 52 (3): 309-321.
Lyle, G. T. 1917. Contribution to our knowledge of the Brit. Brac. Entomol. 50:193- 201.
Lyle, G. T. 1921. On the new species of Indian Braconida. Bull. Ent. Res. 12: 129-132.
Marsh, P. M., S. R. Shaw and R.A, Wharton. 1987. An identification manual for the North American genera of the family Braconidae (Hymenoptera). Ento. Soc. Washington. D.C. No. 13.
Marshal, T. A. 1885. Monograph of British Braconidae. I. Trans. R. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1- 280 pp.
Mason. 1981. The polyphyletic nature of Apanteles Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). A phylogeny and Reclassification of Microgastrinae. Mem. Ento. Soc. Canada. No. 115. 113 pp.
Mohyuddin, A. I. 1971. Comparative biology and ecology of Apanteles flavipes (Cam) and A. sisamiae (Cam), as parasites of graminaceous borers. Bull. Entomol. Res. 6:33-39.
Mohyuddin, A. l. 1978. The scope of biocontrol of sugarcane borers in Pakistan. In: Qureshi MA (Ed), Proceeding of the Pakistan Society of sugar technologists, Seminar on Plant Protection (Sugarcane). Pak. Soc.Sugar technologist. 9-39 pp.
111 Mohyuddin, Al., C, Inayatullah and E. G, King. 1981. Host Selection and strain occurrence in Apanteles flavipes (Cameron)( Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and its bearing on biocontrol of graminecous stem borers (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Bulletin of Entomol.l Res. 71: 575-581.
Muesbeck, C. F. W. 1920. A revision of North American species of ichneumonflies belonging to the genus Apanteles. Proc.US. Natio. Mus. 58: 483-576.
Muesbeck, C. F. W. 1922. A revision of North American species of ichneumon flies belonging to the subfamilies Neoneurinae and Microgastrinae. Proc.US. Natio. Mus. 61: 1-76.
Muirhead, K. 2009. Phylogenetics of the Cotesia flavipes species complex towards the effective control of stem borers pests in Australia. PhD Thesis. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Univ. Adelaide, Aust.149 pp.
Mushtaque, M and A. I, Mohyuddin. 1987. Apanteles plutellae Kurdjumov (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). An effective parasite of diamond-back moth in Pakistan.Pak. J. Zool. 19 (40): 3341-348.
Nees, V. E and Esenbeck, C.G.D. 1834. Hymenoptorum Ichneumonibus affinium monographiae. Genera Europea et spp. Illust. 1-187 pp.
Nixon, G.E. J. 1965. A reclassification of the tribe Microgastrini (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Brit. Mus. Nat. Hist. Lond. UK. 284 pp.
Nixon, G.E. J. 1974. A revision of North-Western European species of the laevigatus group of Apanteles Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Bull. Ent. Res. 61: 701-743.
Nixon, G. E. J. 1974. A revision of North-Western European species of the glomeratus group of Apanteles Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Bull. Ent. Res. 64: 453-524.
112 Nirmala, D and R, Desh. 1996. Extent of parasitization of Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) on maize by Apanteles spp. In mid hill zone of Himachal Pradesh (India). J.Ent. Res. 20 (2): 171-172.
Inanc, F. 1997. The Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) fauna of the Thrace region of Turkey. Turk J. Zool. 21 (2): 135-165.
Okech, S. H. O and W. A, Overholt. 1996. Comparative biology of Cotesia chilonis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on selected African gramineous stem borers. Bio. Sci. Tech. 6 (40): 595-602.
Olliff, A. S. 1893. Report on a visit to the Clarence River District for the purpose of ascertaining the nature and extent of insect ravages in the sugar-cane crop. Agric. Gaz. New S.W. 4: 373-386.
Omwega, C.O., E, Muchugu., W. A, Overholt and F, Schulthess. 2006. Release and establishment of Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) an exotic parasitoid of Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in east and southern Africa. Annales e la Societe Entomologique de France. 4 (3-4): 511-517.
Papp, J. 1979. Braconidae (Hymenoptera) from Tunisia. Folia. Entomol. Hung. 32: 175-87.
Papp, J. 1986. First survey of the Glabromicroplitis Papp species of the Holarctic region, with taxonomic remarks of three Microgaster Latreille species (Hyrnenoptera, Braconidae: Microgastrinae). Annales. Hist. nat. Musei. Nat. Hung. 78: 249–53.
Rana A. H. 1998. Systematics of the Genera Diolcogaster, Glyptapantales, Microplitis and Snellenius in Punjab. M.Sc. Thesis Deptt. Of Ento. Agri. Uni. Faisalabad, Punjab, Pak. 115pp.
Rincon, C., D, Bordat., B, Lohr and S, Dupas. 2006. Reproductive isolation and differentiation between five populations of Cotesia plutellae (Hymenoptera:
113 Braconidae), parasitoid of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Bio- Control. 36: 171–182.
Ruthe, J. F. 1860. Dentsche Braconiden. Erstes stuck. Berl. Entomol. Zeit. 4: 105-160.
Saeed, A., A. D. Austin and P. C. Dangerfield. 1999. Systematic and host relationship of Australian Diolcogaster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae). Inve. Taxon. 13 (1): 117-178.
Shabana, F. 2008. Identification and distribution of the genera of subfamily Microgastrinae of District Skurdu and Kohistan with revisory study of the fauna of NWFP, Pakistan. M.Sc. Thesis, Deptt. Zool. Univ. Pesh. Pak. 115 pp. (Unpublished).
Shaw, M. R. 2003. Revised synonymy in the genus Cotesia (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae). The identity of Microgaster vestalis Haliday as a senior synonym of Apanteles plutellae Kurdjumov. Entomologist's Gazette.54: 187-189.
Shami, S and A. I, Mohyuddin. 1992. Studies on host plant preference of Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and important parasitoid of graminaceous stalk borers. Pak. J. Zool. 24 (4): 313-316.
Shenhmar, M and K. S, Brar. 1996. Efficacy of two strains of cotesia flavipes Cameron for the control of sugarcane borers.Ind. Sugar. 45 (11): 877-879.
Song, D and J, Chen. 2008. Five new species of the genus Microplitis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from China. Florida, Entomol. 91: 283–293.
Tobias, V. I. 1975. A review of the Braconidae (Hymenoptera) of the USSR. New Delhi, Amerind Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. 164 pp.
Tobias, V. I., S. A, Belokobylskii and A. G, Koteko. 1995. Hymenoptera: Subfamily Microgastrinae. In: Keys to the insects of the European part of the USSR, Mandevdev. Acad. Sci. USSR. 3 (4): 605-817.
114 Usha, C., O. P, Bhalla and K. C, Sharma. 1997. Biology and seasonality of the diamond-back moth Plutella xylostella (L) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) and its parasitoids on cabbage and cauliflower, Pest. Manag. Hort. Ecosys. 3 (1): 7- 12.
Van, driesche. R. G.and C, Nunn. 2003. Establishment of a Chinese strain of the Cotesia rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in the Northeastern. US. Florida Entomol. 85 (2): 386-388.
Viereck, H. L. 1911. Description of six new genera and thirty-one new species of Ichneumon-flies. Proc. US. Nat. Mus. 40: 173-196.
Viereck, H. L. 1912. Description of five new genera and twenty-six new species of Ichneumon-flies. Proc.US. Nat. Mus. 42: 139-153.
Viereck, H. L. 1913. Descriptions of six new genera and twelve new species of Ichneumon-flies. Proc.US. Nat. Mus. 44. 639-648.
Waladde, S. M., M. F, Leutle and M. H, Villet. 2001, Parasitism of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae): Field and laboratory observations. S. Afr. J. Plant Soil. S. Afr. Tydskr. Plant Grond. 18 (1): 32-37.
Walker, 1994. Species of Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitizing Lepidopterous cereal stem borers in Africa. Bull. Entomol. Res. 84 (3): 421- 434.
Walker, A. K., I. J, Kitching and A.D, Austin. 1990. A reassessment of the phylogenetic relationships within the Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Cladistics. 6: 291-306.
Watanabe, C. 1965. Notes on the Apanteles flavipes complex (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Mushi. 38: 111-116.
Wedad, E. K and E. M, Hegazi. 2007. Does superparasitism improve host suitability for parasitoid development? A case study in the Microplitis rufiventris-Spodoptera littoralis system. Springer Netherlands. J. Bio-control. 53(3): 427-438.
115 Wharton, R. A., P. M. Marsh and M. J. Sharkey (Eds.). 1997. Manual of the New world genera of the family Braconidae (Hymenoptera). Int. Soc. Hymenopterists, Washigton, D.C. 439 pp.
Whitfield, J. B., R.A, Wharton., P. M, Marsh and M.J, Sharkey. 1997. Manual of the New world genera of the family Braconidae (Hymenoptera). Int. soc. Hymenopterists, Washington, D.C. 364 pp.
Whitfield, J. B., S. A, Cameron., S. R, Ramirez., K, Roesch., S, Messinger., O. M, Taylor and D, Cole. 2001. Review of the Apanteles Species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) attacking Lepidoptera in Bombus (Fervidobombus) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies in the New World, with description of new species from South America. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 94 (6): 851-857.
Whitfield, J. B., A, Benzing and F, Ponce. 2002. Review of the Glyptapanteles species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) attacking Noctuids on field crops in the Neotropical Region, with the description of Two new species from the Ecuadorian Andes. J. Hymenoptera Res. 11 (1): 152-165.
Whitfield, J. B., J. J, Rodriguez a n d P. K, Masonick. 2009. Reared Microgastrine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Yanayacu biological station and environs (Napo Province, Ecuador): diversity and host specialization. J. Insect Sc. 9: 1-22.
Wilkinson, D. S. 1928. A revision of the Indo-Australian species of the genus Apanteles Forster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Bull. Entomol. Res.19: 79-146.
Wilkinson, D. S. 1929. A revision of the Indo-Australian and Ethiopian species of the genus Microgaster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Trans. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 80: 301-344.
Wilkinson, D. S. 1930. A revision of the Indo-Australian species of the genus Microplitis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Bull. Entomol. Res. 21: 23–27.
Wilkinson, D. S. 1932. A revision of the Ethiopian species of the genus Apanteles (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Trans. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 80: 301-344.
116 Wilkinson, D. S. 1937. On two new Palearctic species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Proc. R. Ent. Soc. Lond. 6: 65-72.
Xu, W., J. He, W.A, Xu and J.H, He. 2000. A new species and a new record of Microplitis Foerster from China (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae). Acta. Entomol. Sin. 43 (2): 193-197.
You-Lan-Shao, Xiao-Zhi-Shu, Bo-Lian-Yang, Zhou-Zhi-Hong. 2002. On the external male genitalia and phylogenetic relationships of the tribal taxa of Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Acta-Entomol. Sin. 45(6): 794- 804.
Yu, D. S., C. V, Achterberg and K, Horstmann. 2012. Taxapad 2012. Available from: www.taxapad.com (Accessed 16 October 2013).
117
MAP OF KHYBERPAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN
HILLY AREAS PLAIN AREAS MALAKAND DIVISION PESHAWAR DIVISION 1. Chitral 1. Peshawar 2. Swat 2. Charsadda 3. Dir 3. Mowshera 4. Kohista MARDAN DIVISION HAZARA DIVISION 1. Mardan 1.Abbottabad 2. Swabi 2. Haripur D.I. KHAN DIVISION 3. Mansehra 1. DIK 2. Tank KOHAT DIVISION 1. Kohat 2. Hangu
118
FIGURES
119
120 Fig. 1,Cotesia flavipes Cameron. Habitus, lateral view.
121
cl S S oc mt c op fr p p as pn tm
sp l fa m pp c3 c1 c2 lp ma mp
Fig. 2,Diolcogaster spretus. Head and mesosoma, lateral view.
122 F1
oo Io
S.W no
s S.H
sc sc l
t m dm
t c ar PPW
Fig. 3, A-B: Apanteles gallariae. Head, dorsal view, illustrating IOD, OOD and F1L measurement; B, Mesosoma, dorsal view, illustrating SW, SH and PPW measurement.
123 HW
EW
Frons EH
A
ITD D To
EW
T2 T3
C
L O
F
B FL TsL
T TL
t B
tL B
Fig. 4,Apanteles gallariae. A, Head, frontal view; Microplitis manilae. B, Leg, lateral view, illustrating , OL, CL, FL, TL, BtL and TsL measurement.
124 T1L T1
T2L T2
T3L T3
T4
Fig. 5,Cotesia flavipes. Metasoma, illustrating T1, T2 and T3 measurement.
125 1-R1
ma Stig s
3R
s R r
2 Rs R 1 + Sc R s + s r C M R - + m 1 1 M
M+CU 2-M 1- u s+M C c 2 R let U 1 - areo 2-CU1 m 1A 3 +2A c -C u U - a 1 2-1A
Sc + R
M+CU R
1R1 -m
1r r
2
r Rs
c 1 3
M - u m
- a 2Rs 2M
3M
Fig. 6,Microgaster deprimator. Fore and hind wing,illustrating different veins.
126 a al gm gin Sti ar M 1s l t s na u argi bm bm a su rg 3rd in al basal 1st discal d discal rginal 2n 2nd subma sub-basal a nal 2nd subdiscal
1st subdiscal basal
sub-b Marginal asal 2 nd s 1st ubm submargin arg al inal an 3rd submarginal al
discal
Fig. 7,Microgaster deprimator. Fore and hind wing , illustrating different cells.
127 1-R1 St. L L
L ma S) s tig s+ R s (4R 3
Fig. 8,Microgaster deprimator. Fore wing , illustrating measurement used.
128
129 A
B
C
Fig. 9, A-C: Apenteles calycinae. A, Hind femur; B, Ovipositor sheath; C, Propodeum.
130 A
B
Fig. 10, A-B: Glyptapanteles maculitarsis. A, Propodeum; B, T1 and T2 .
131
132 A
B
1-R1 stigma
C
D
Fig. 11, A-D: Dolichogenidea lactea. A, hind tibia; B, ovipositor sheath; C, 1-R1 and stigma; D, propodeum .
133 A B C
Fig. 12, A-B: Apanteles spp. A, hind wing, arrow pointing to concave and sparsely fringed vennal lobe; B, hind wing, arrow pointing to slightly straight fringed vennal lobe. C: Dolichogenidea spp. hind wing, arrow pointing to convex and evenly fringed vennal lobe.
134
Figure. 13. Apanteles calycinae. Ovipositor sheath, arrow pointing to the desclerotized hypopygium with expandable pleats.
135 Figure. 14. Apanteles agilis. lateral view, arrow pointing to the paper like thin hypopygium.
A
B
C
Figure. 15. Apanteles gallariae, arrow pointing to the ovipositor sheath.
Figure. 16. Propodeum of Apanteles gallariae, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the distinct costulae.
Figure. 17. Habitus of Apanteles gallariae, lateral view, arrow pointing to the wing without areolet.
Figure. 18. Metasoma of Apanteles gallariae dorsal view, arrow pointing to the areola on propodeum; (B) pointing to the T1; (C) pointing to the hind femur.
136 A
Figure. 19. Apanteles significance. Mesosoma, T1 and T2; arrow (A) pointing to the rugose scutellum, arrow (B) pointing to the indistinct costulae on propodeum, arrow (C) pointing to the tergite 1.
137
B
A
A
B
A
B
Figure. 20. Metasosma of, Apanteles swabiensis dorsal view, arrows (A-B) pointing to the T1 and T2.
Figure. 21. Apanteles swabiensis, arrow (A) pointing to the hypopygium making angle with the gaster; (B) pointing to the hind tibia with apical blackish margin.
Figure. 22. Propodeum of Apanteles swabiensis, dorsal view, arrow (A) pointing to the distinct costulae; (B) pointing to the diamond areola.
138
Figure. 23. Cotesia flavipes, postero-lateral view, arrow pointing to the hypopygium.
Figure. 24. Mesosoma of Cotesia flavipes, arrow pointing to the unsulptured and glabrous scutellum
Figure. 25. Habitus of Cotesia flavipes, arrow pointing to the dorsoventrally depressed mesosoma.
Figure. 26. Head of Cotesia flavipes, arrow pointing to the distinctly separated flagellomeres.
139 A
B
Figure. 27. Metasoma of Cotesia melittaerum, arrow (B) pointing to the distinctly larger T3 than T2.
Figure. 28. Habitus of Cotesia melittaerum, lateral view.
Figure. 29. Metasoma of Cotesia melittaerum, dorso- lateral view, arrow pointing to the hypopygium.
140
Figure. 30. Metasoma of Cotesia glomeratus, postero-lateral view, arrow pointing to the sheath.
Figure. 31. Metasoma of Cotesia glomeratus, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the parallel T1.
Figure. 32. Wing of Cotesia glomeratus, arrow pointing to the open areolet.
Figure. 33. Metasoma of Cotesia glomeratus, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the propodeum.
141
Figure. 34. Metasoma of Cotesia lycophron, lateral view, arrow pointing to the short hypopygium.
Figure. 35. Fore wing of Cotesia lycophron, arrow pointing to the IRI.
142 A
B
Figure. 36. Metasoma of Cotesia nowsheraensis, lateral view, arrow pointing to the short truncate hypopygium..
Figure. 37. Scutellum of Cotesia nowsheraensis, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the shallow punctures.
Figure. 38. Metasoma of Cotesia nowsheraensis, dorsal view, arrow (A) pointing to the T2 with median carina; (B) pointing to the setoseT3.
Figure. 39. Propodeum of Cotesia nowsheraensis, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the median longitudinal carina.
143
Figure. 40. Metasoma of Cotesia plutellae, dorsal-lateral view, arrow pointing to the hind leg.
Figure. 41. Antennae of Cotesia plutellae, arrow pointing to the flagellomeres.
Figure. 42. Scutellum of Cotesia plutellae, arrow pointing to the indistinct intersculptural spaces.
Figure. 43. Metasoma of Cotesia plutellae, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the T2.
144
Figure. 44. Habitus of Cotesia ruficrus, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the hind leg.
Figure. 45. Metasoma of Cotesia ruficrus, arrow pointing to the T2, which glabrous and smooth.
Figure. 46. Antennae of Cotesia ruficrus, arrow pointing to the flagellomeres.
Figure. 47. Metasoma of Cotesia ruficrus, dorso-lateral view, arrow pointing to the hypopygium ovipositor sheath.
145
Figure. 48. Wing of Cotesia tibialis, arrow pointing to the open areolet.
Figure. 49. Metasoma of Cotesia tibialis, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the tergite3.
Figure. 50. Metasoma of Cotesia tibialis, arrow pointing to the hypopygium and sheath.
146
Figure. 51. T1 and T2 of Diolcogaster spretus, dorsall view, arrow pointing……..
Figure. 52. Metasoma of Diolcogaster spretus, arrow pointing to the long coxa.
Figure. 53. Wing of Diolcogaster spretus, arrow pointing to the closed areolet.
147 B A
Figure. 54. Propodeum of Microplitis achterbergi, dorsal view, arrow pointing to indistinct longitudinanl and transverse carina.
Figure. 55. Metasoma of Microplitis achterbergi, dorsal view, arrow (A-B) pointing T1-T2.
Figure. 56. Metasoma of Microplitis achterbergi, arrow pointing to the fore wing areolet and stigma.
Figure. 57. Scutum of Microplitis achterbergi, arrow pointing to the indistinct natouli.
148 B
A
Figure. 58. Metasoma of Microplitis chitraliensis, lateral view, arrow pointing to the hypopygium.
Figure. 59. Metasoma of Microplitis chitraliensis, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the notauli.
Figure. 60. Metasoma of Microplitis chitraliensis, arrow (A) pointing to the transverse carina and (B) to the median field on T2.
Figure. 61. Habitus of Microplitis chitraliensis, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the hind leg.
149 A B
Figure. 62. Propodeum of Microplitis demolitor, arrow pointing to the distinct transverse carina.
Figure. 63. Scutum of Microplitis demolitor, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the indistinct natouli.
Figure. 64. T1 and T2 of Microplitis demolitor, dorsal view, arrow (B) pointing to the indistinct median field.
Figure. 65. Mesosoma and Metasoma of Microplitis demolitor, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the areolet on fore wing.
150 A
B
Figure. 66. Metasoma of Microplitis manilae, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the triangular areolet.
Figure. 67. Head and Mesosoma of Microplitis manilae, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the notouli.
Figure. 68. Propodeum, T1 and T2 of Microplitis manilae, arrow (A) pointing to the apical convex swelling on T1; arrow (B) pointing to the unclear oblique grooves.
Figure. 69. Metasoma of Microplitis manilae, lateral view, arrow pointing to the hind tibia.
151 A
B Figure. 70. Habitus of Microplitis madianus, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the hind tibia.
Figure. 71. Propodeum of Microplitis madianus, arrow pointing to the median longitudinal carina
Figure. 72. T1 and T2 of Microplitis madianus, dorsal view, arrow (B) pointing to the median field.
Figure. 73. Mesosoma of Microplitis madianus, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the indistinct notauli.
152
A
B
Figure. 74. Metasoma of Microgaster deprimator, dorso- lateral view, arrow pointing to the ovipositor.
Figure. 75. Metasoma of Microgaster deprimator, dorsal view, arrow (A) pointing to the T1 and (B) to the T2.
153 A
B
C
Figure. 76. Metasoma of Paroplitis wesmaeli, dorsal view, arrow pointing to the ovipositor sheath.
Figure. 77. Wing of Paroplitis wesmaeli, arrow pointing to the closed areolet
Figure. 78. Metasoma of Paroplitis wesmaeli, arrow (A) pointing to the T1; (B) to the T2; (C) to the T3.
154