Seventh International Congress of Hymenopterists

7 th International Congress of Hymenopterists
20-26 June 2010, Kszeg Hungary
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Choristoneura fumiferanae has the highest number of parasitoids: 122 species (53%) of the
total for Nearctic Choristoneura. Rearings from the pest species together account for 90% of
the parasitoid species. Only 16 parasitoid species (7%) were reared from more than 5
Choristoneura species. The proportion varied considerably between Tachinidae, where 9 of
15 (60%) species attacked more than 5 hosts, and Hymenoptera, where only 7 of 215 (7%)
species attacked more than 5 hosts. Half of the parasitoid species, including those that are
hyperparasitoids, were reared from only one Choristoneura species. The number of
apparently monophagous parasitoids (on Choristoneura) is probably artificially inflated
because 20 chalcid hyperparasitic species were added to the number considered to have
emerged from only 1 Choristoneura species. If they are ignored the number of apparent
monophages is still 112 species (48.3%). The most common genera reared are Glypta spp.
(Banchinae), Apanteles spp. (Microgastrinae), Meteorus spp. (Meteorinae), and Macrocentrus
spp. (Macrocentrinae).
The only comparable taxonomic study to the four papers on Nearctic Choristoneura
parasitoids is for Nearctic Rhyacionia (pine tip or pine shoot moths, Tortricidae). Yates
(1967) reported 100 parasitoid species (53 genera) in 10 families, essentially the same ones as
for Choristoneura. These were reported from 8 of the 11 species/subspecies of Rhyacionia (at
the time 11 species were recognized; now 27 are). Most of the records came from only two
species: R. buoliana, a European alien invasive species, and R. frustrana, a native species.
Yates excluded another 27 species (27%) as erroneous associations.
The value of producing artificial identification keys to particular pest species or genera as
opposed to ‘natural’ keys to taxa is discussed in light of the scarcity of parasitic Hymenoptera
taxonomists relative to the size of the taxa they study.
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Progress in taxonomy and systematics of Platygastroidea: new taxa, tools, and troubles
Norman F. Johnson* & Luciana Musetti
Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 1315 Kinnear Road,
Columbus, Ohio 43212 USA; johnson.2@osu.edu; musetti.2@osu.edu
The Platygastroidea PBI is a project focusing on elaboration of the knowledge of species and
genera of the superfamily, including both alpha taxonomy, new collectings, and phylogenetic
analysis of relationships. The results elaborated over the past three years are described, along
with the cyberinfrastructural tools used to accelerate and increase the accuracy of the work.
Prospects for the final two years of the project are discussed.
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Entomophagous complex associated with the insects on Heracleum platytaenium
(Apiaceae) in Turkey, with new records
Erhan Koçak
Plant Protection Central Research Institute, Ankara, Turkey; erhan_kocak@hotmail.com
In this study, the entomophagous insect complex with hosts on endemic plant Heracleum
platytaenium Boiss. (Apiaceae) were determined. For that, 17 parasitic hymenopters and 3
predators were reared from their host insects, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and
Diptera found in umbels, stems and branches of H. platytaenium. This plant contains
furanocoumarins that are insect repellents and suppress growth in some species. Plant
materials with insects were collected from Ankara and Bolu provinces in July-September
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