Exploring insect biodiversity: the parasitic Hymenoptera, chiefly Chalcidoidea, associated with seeds of asphodels (Xanthorrhoeaceae), with the description of nine new species belonging to Eurytomidae and Torymidae Author Delvare, G. Author Escolà, A. Ribes Author Stojanova, A. M. Author Benoit, L. Author Lecomte, J. Author Askew, R. R. text Zootaxa 2019 2019-05-06 4597 1 1 90 journal article 26921 10.11646/zootaxa.4597.1.1 0bffa033-64f0-4e6f-ba44-287e52d7c2f9 1175-5326 2667950 F8FD30CA-1B84-4134-91BC-B69736DB0EA8 Eurytomidae Eurytomidae is by far the best represented chalcidoid family in asphodel seeds, with the seed-eating Bruchophagus species supporting a parasitoid fauna that includes the eurytomid genera Eurytoma Illiger and Aximopsis Ashmead. Species of Eurytoma were reared from samples of asphodel fruits that always also produced Bruchophagus , and we believe that Eurytoma behave as parasitoids of Bruchophagus in the seeds, although the possibility that larvae of E. asphodeli are partly phytophagous is discussed below. Segmentation of the antenna. The antenna of Eurytomidae is composed of a basal scape followed by a pedicel and a multisegmented flagellum. The flagellum is composed of a single anellus which lacks MPS, a funicle of four to six segments and an apical clava of up to three segments ( Figs 10D, 10E , 16C, 16D , 25C ). The anellus is designated the first flagellomere, the first funicle segment (F1) is the second flagellomere, F2 is the third flagellomere and so on. Variation in segmentation between the studied species occurs in two regions of the antenna. Firstly, flagellomere 7 is incorporated in the clava in females of most species so that the clava is preceded by a 5-segmented funicle ( Figs 16C , 25C ), but in the first of the newly described Bruchophagus species flagellomere 7 is the last segment in a 6-segmented funicle, being separated from flagellomere 8 by a short petiole ( Fig. 10E ). FIGURE 8 . ML tree figuring the relationships of the Eurytomidae based on the barcoding fragment of the mitochondrial gene CytB. Annotations identical to those of the Fig. 7. FIGURE 9 . ML tree figuring the relationships of the Eurytomidae based on the barcoding fragment of the nuclear gene EF1-α. Annotations identical to those of the Fig. 7. The second region of segmental variation is the clava, and this may often be appreciated with certainty only after microscopic examination. Three transverse rows of linear sensilla on the clava of most species indicate a trimerous condition but microscopic examination shows that in some species the two last flagellomeres are actually fused and that there is no suture between them, the clava then being effectively 2-segmented ( Figs 12E , 16D , 20B , 21D ). This is the condition in apparently all Eurytoma species and in many species of Bruchophagus . It is seen in the species illustrated by Lotfalizadeh et al . (2007) and referred to as ‘ Bruchophagus Alicante’, here described as Bruchophagus lecomtei Delvare sp. nov. . Eurytomidae associated with asphodels. A key to the eleven species of Eurytomidae found associated with asphodels in Europe follows. In using the key it is essential to ensure that the true condition of the clava is recognised, requiring a carefully check of the segmentation of the flagellum as there is often a false suture, situated at the apex of the second sensilla row of the clava, between the supposedly penultimate segment and the terminal one. Eight new species are described with observations on all species, and E . asphodeli is redescribed with an account of its considerable variation.