A key to the Mymaridae (Hymenoptera) egg parasitoids of proconiine sharpshooters (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in the Nearctic region, with description of two new species of GonatocerusAuthorTriapitsyn, Serguei V.textZootaxa20061203138journal article5080310.5281/zenodo.172335076b5447-7740-4af0-aef5-e34d9724424f11755326172335Gonatocerus fasciatusGirault, 1911
(
Figs 17
,
18
)
Gonatocerus fasciatus
Girault 1911: 265
–266.
Gonatocerus fasciatus
Girault
: Huber 1988:
57–58 (redescription,
diagnosis, distribution, host
associations); Triapitsyn
et al.
1998: 242;
Triapitsyn
et al.
2003:
75–76 (biology, distribution,
host associations).
Type
locality
Arlington, Arlington Co., Virginia,
USA
.
Material examinedUSA
. CALIFORNIA, Siskiyou Co., Hwy. 3,
4.7 km
SW of Yreka,
41°40’39’’N
,
122°43’23’’W
,
1.v.2005
, R.A. Rakitov [
1 female
,
1 male
,
UCRC
]. DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA
, Washington, Rock Creek Park,
38°55’23’’N
,
77°02’55’’W
,
25.v.2004
, E.F. Drake [
2 females
,
1 male
,
UCRC
]. FLORIDA: Jefferson Co., Monticello,
1.xi.2001
, R. Mizell, III [
1 female
,
UCRC
].
GEORGIA
: Houston Co., near Centerville,
32°38’03.3’’N
,
83°43’06.4’’W
,
131 m
,
21.vi.2004
, S.V. Triapitsyn, T. Cottrell [
1 female
,
UCRC
]. Peach Co., Byron,
22.vi.2004
, S.V. Triapitsyn (emerged
24–30.vi.2004
at UCR quarantine from eggs of
H. coagulata
and
O. orbona
on leaves of crape myrtle, magnolia, etc.) [numerous females and males,
UCRC
]. ILLINOIS, Hardin Co., Elizabethtown,
5.viii.1932
, H.L. Dozier [
2 females
,
USNM
]. KENTUCKY, Breckenridge Co., Axtel,
30.v–2.vi.2003
, A. Ray, M. Buffington [
2 females
,
UCRC
]. MARYLAND: Frederick Co., Thurmont,
39°37’28’’N
,
77°26’17’’W
, 100’,
28.v.2004
, E.F. Drake [
1 male
,
UCRC
]. Wicomico Co., Parsonsburg,
11–20.viii.2000
, S. & M. Gondal [
4 females
,
UCRC
]. MISSISSIPPI, Washington Co., nr. Stoneville, Delta Exp. Forest,
33°29’N
,
90°55’W
,
20.iv–3.v.1999
, N.M. Schiff [
1 female
,
UCDC
].
NORTH
CAROLINA, Carteret Co., Morehead City,
20–27.viii.2000
, M. Wuenschel [
2 females
,
UCRC
].
OHIO
, Clermont Co., Williamsburg,
39°05’N
,
84°02’W
,
11–17.v.1997
, D.E. Russell [
1 female
,
UCDC
]. PENNSYLVANIA, Montgomery Co., Lansdale,
30.vi–5.vii.2001
, R. Kaufhold [
1 female
,
UCRC
].
TEXAS
, numerous specimens of both sexes collected in various years during AprilJune in Bosque, Brazos, Polk, and Tyler Counties [
TAMU
].
Diagnosis
Body length 560–1320 (Triapitsyn
et al.
2003). The main distinguishing features of this species are as follows (mostly after
Huber 1988
). Head and mesosoma brown to dark brown, gaster mostly yellow or pinkish (often in live or freshly preserved specimens) with brown bands on terga. Longitudinal sensilla present only on F5–F8 of the female antenna. Submedial carinae on the propodeum incomplete, not reaching the dorsellum. Forewing (
Fig. 17
) with a faint uniform brown tinge beyond venation and a distinct brown fascia between the stigmal vein and the wing’s posterior margin; cubital row of microtrichia complete, extending to base of marginal vein. Habitus of the female is shown in
Fig. 18
.
DistributionUSA
(northern California [new record], District of
Columbia
[new record], Florida,
Georgia
, Illinois, Kentucky [new record], Louisiana, Maryland [new record], Mississippi [new record], Missouri, North Carolina [new record], Ohio [new record], Pennsylvania [new record], South Carolina [new record], Tennessee, Texas, Virginia). The species was first introduced into California from Louisiana (Triapitsyn
et al.
2003) and later released there against
H. coagulata
(
Pilkington
et al.
2005
)
.
HostsHomalodisca coagulata
(Say)
,
Oncometopia orbona
(Fabricius) (Triapitsyn
et al.
2003)
, and
Paraulacizes irrorata
(Fabricius) (
Tipping
et al.
2006
)
. Some aspects of the biology of
G. fasciatus
were studied by
Irvin and Hoddle (2005a
,
b
).
Comments
This is the only known gregarious species among the North American
Gonatocerus
egg parasitoids of
Proconiini
(Triapitsyn
et al.
2003). Its exit holes can be easily recognized by their number (two, rarely three) and position (at the opposite ends of the host egg if only two holes are present) per each host egg (
Fig. 19
). By finding old, parasitized egg masses of
Proconiini
with such exit holes I was able to document during
August 2004
presence of
G. fasciatus
in Yamassee, South Carolina (in eggs of
H. coagulata
and
O. orbona
on crape myrtle) and also at several locations in North Carolina: Garner (in eggs of
H. coagulata
on crape myrtle), near Greensboro (in eggs of
O. orbona
on crape myrtle), and near Warsaw (in eggs of
H. coagulata
on an undetermined tree).
FIGURES 18, 19.
18.
Gonatocerus fasciatus
(female). Photo by Jack Kelly Clark, University of California. 19. Exit holes of
G. fasciatus
(parasitized egg mass of
Oncometopia orbona
on gardenia leaf).
The recent discovery of
G. fasciatus
in northern California among the specimens collected near Yreka, Siskiyou Co. by R.A. Rakitov at a site where a native sharpshooter,
Cuerna unica
Nielson
, occurs (R.A. Rakitov, personal communication), suggests that this species is native there (also because it is very far away from the areas of southern California where it was released against
H. coagulata
).