o_19ko2dt161ng2j4e1tgnoqv1s45a.pdf

IDRIS A.B. (2007)
STATUS OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN MALAYSIA &
THREAT ASSESSMENT OF PLANT SPECIES IN MALAYSIA
THE STATUS OF RESEARCH ON HYMENOPTERA
IN MALAYSIA, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON
ICHNEUMONIDAE
Idris A.B.
ABSTRACT
The insect order Hymenoptera (wasps, ants and bees) is the second most speciose and diverse
order on earth after beetles. They are extremely important as biological control agents of
insect pests. The number of species is unknown but more than 115,000 species have been
described and 5 to 10 times more await discovery. Problems faced by researchers working on
Hymenoptera include poor inventory data, unavailability of up-to-date identification keys,
checklists, databases, reference books and catalogues, and the lack of taxonomic revision.
The number of researchers working on Hymenoptera worldwide is declining at an alarming
rate. To date, 1,200 ant species have been recorded in Malaysia while more than 20,000
ichneumonid specimens have been collected, viz., up from 300 specimens eight years ago.
Many species have been recorded from Malaysia for the first time, and many new species
have been identified. Research is being conducted on ant and ichneumonid wasp systematics,
as well as on their diversity and ecology, particularly in relation to habitat change. Generally,
ants and ichneumonids were negatively affected by habitat (forest) change and could be used
as bioindicators of habitat disturbance. Few revisions and catalogues are available, and there
are no checklists. Specimens are housed in museums and insect collection centers throughout
the world. Major collection centres in Malaysia include the Center for Insect Systematics
(UKM) and Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC) (UMS).
INTRODUCTION
Hymenoptera is derived from the Greek words hymen, which means ‘membrane’ (or Hymeno,
the Greek god of marriage), and ptera, which means ‘wing’ (LaSalle & Gauld 1993). The
order comprises two suborders—Symphyta and Apocrita. The Symphyta, or sawflies, are
more primitive. They have complete wing venation and do not have the constricted ‘wasp’swaist’
seen in the rest of the order (LaSalle & Gauld 1993). Most species have phytophagous
larvae that resemble those of Lepidoptera in both appearance and behaviour. Sawflies are a
relatively small group consisting of 14 families, which contain just over 5% of described
species of Hymenoptera, with the majority in the family Tenthredinidae (Gaston 1993).
Center for Insect Systematics, School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science &
Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; idrisgh@pkrisc.cc.ukm.my
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