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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #298892
Title: Afrotropical Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera)

Author
item VAN NOORTS, S. - Iziko Museums Of Cape Town
item Buffington, Matthew
item FORSHAGE, M. - Stockholm Environmental Institute

Submitted to: ZooKeys
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/3/2013
Publication Date: 4/1/2015
Citation: Van Noorts, S., Buffington, M.L., Forshage, M. 2015. Afrotropical Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera). ZooKeys. 493:1-176.

Interpretive Summary: Parasitic wasps are important biological control organisms especially for the control of invasive, exotic species that are pests in agriculture and forestry. This paper investigates a group of wasps native to Africa and Madagascar that parasitize wood boring beetle larvae and fly maggots. The paper provides a better understanding about the evolution of this group and provides species identities and distributions that are essential to well-developed biological control projects. Fifty-three genera are reviewed and keyed, species lists for each genus are given, as well as distribution and biological data. On-line, interactive keys to 53 genera are made available. Digital color images of all of the Afrotropical genera are provided in the paper as well as on-line. Biological control researchers, ecologists and tropical agricultural researchers will find this paper useful.

Technical Abstract: The Afrotropical Cynipoidea are represented by 53 genera in 4 families: Cynipidae, Figitidae, Liopteridae and Ibaliidae, the latter represented by a single introduced species. Eight new genus-level synonymies, one genus resurrected from synonymy, 56 new combinations, two combinations reinstated, and one new replacement name are presented. We provide identification keys to the families, subfamilies and genera of cynipoid wasps occurring in the Afrotropical region (Africa south of the Sahara, including Madagascar and southern Arabian Pensinsula). Online interactive Lucid Phoenix and Lucid matrix keys are available at: http://www.waspweb.org/Cynipoidea/Keys/index.htm. An overview of the biology and checklists of species for each genus are provided. This paper constitutes the first contributory chapter to the book on Afrotropical Hymenoptera.