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Title: Revision of New World Chaenusa Haliday sensu lato (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae), with new species, synonymies, hosts, and distribution records

Author
item Kula, Robert
item ZOLNEROWICH, GREGORY - KANSAS STATE UNV

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/28/2007
Publication Date: 1/7/2008
Citation: Kula, R.R., Zolnerowich, G. 2008. Revision of New World Chaenusa Haliday sensu lato (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae), with new species, synonymies, hosts, and distribution records. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 110: 1-60.

Interpretive Summary: Parasitic wasps attack agricultural pests that cause billions of dollars of damage to crops annually. The parasitic wasps treated in this paper attack rice pests but also attack beneficial insects used for biological control of aquatic weeds. Increased knowledge of these wasps can help determine their impact as beneficial or pest insects. This paper provides information on the identification, biology, and taxonomy of 13 species in the Western Hemisphere. Six species new to science are described, six species are redescribed, and the taxonomic status of 13 species is updated and discussed. Additionally, new host and/or distribution records are given for four species, and an identification key for all species is provided. The results of this study will be useful to researchers working on biological control of rice pests and aquatic weeds.

Technical Abstract: The New World species of Chaenusa Haliday sensu lato are revised. A diagnosis is provided for Chaenusa s.l. Four new species from North America, Chaenusa trumani, Chaenusa virgili, Chaenusa whartoni, and Chaenusa woolleyi, and two new species from South America, Chaenusa hirsutissima and Chaenusa ireneae, are described. Chaenusa americana (Riegel), new combination and Chaenusa saxicola (Riegel), new combination are transferred from Chorebidea Viereck to Chaenusa s.l. Chaenusa bergi (Riegel), revised combination is returned to Chaenusa s.l. from Chorebidella Riegel. Chorebidea bessae Riegel is a new synonym of Cha. americana, and Chorebidea mcclurei Riegel is a new synonym of Cha. saxicola. Chaenusa anticostae Riegel and Chaenusa illinae Riegel are new synonyms of Chaenusa quadriceps (Ashmead). Chaenusa americana, Cha. bergi, Chaenusa californica Riegel, Cha. quadriceps, Chaenusa rossi Riegel, and Cha. saxicola are redescribed. Host utilization and spatiotemporal distribution data are provided for 12 of 13 New World species, including new host and distribution records. The status of several holotypes is discussed, and a key to the New World species of Chaenusa s.l. is provided.