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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #394308
Research Project: Systematics of Beetles, Flies, Moths and Wasps with an Emphasis on Agricultural Pests, Invasive Species, Biological Control Agents, and Food Security

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Description of a Neotropical gall inducer on Araceae: Arastichus, gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and two new species

Author
item ZHANG, MILES - University Of Florida
item Gates, Michael
item HANSON, PAUL - Universidad De Costa Rica
item JANSEN-GONZALES, SERGIO - Universidad De Costa Rica

Submitted to: Journal of Hymenoptera Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/29/2022
Publication Date: 8/31/2022
Citation: Zhang, M.Y., Gates, M.W., Hanson, P.E., Jansen-Gonzales, S. 2022. Description of a Neotropical gall inducer on Araceae: Arastichus, gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and two new species. Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 92:145-172. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.92.85967.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.92.85967

Interpretive Summary: Gall-forming insects of cultivated plants or their relatives are considered as pest insects, which can be accidentally transported to new regions given their cryptic lifestyle. These insects cause millions of dollars in losses via direct damage and cost of control. We report here on a new genus containing two new species attacking seeds of tropical aroid plants. This information will be useful to entomologists, ecologists, foresters, and those studying tropical ecosystems.

Technical Abstract: A new genus of Neotropical gall inducing tetrastichine eulophid on Araceae is described and confirmed using Ultraconserved Elements (UCE) phylogenomic data. Arastichus Gates, Hanson, Jansen-González & Zhang gen. nov., includes two new species and one species transferred from Aprostocetus Westwood: A. capipunctata Gates, Hanson, Jansen-González & Zhang sp.nov., A. gallicola (Ferrière), comb. nov., and A. gibernau, Gates, Hanson, Jansen-González & Zhang sp.nov.