Three new species of Dolichogenidea Viereck (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Australia with exceptionally long ovipositors

• Main Authors: Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries, Steven J.B. Cooper, Andrew D. Austin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pensoft Publishers 2018-06-01
• Series: Journal of Hymenoptera Research
• Online Access: https://jhr.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=25219

The subfamily Microgastrinae contains an extraordinarily rich diversity of parasitoid wasps which parasitise larval lepidopterans. The Australian fauna has generally been poorly studied, particularly for the very speciose genera. One such genus is Dolichogenidea Vierek, which in Australia is known from only six described species. Here we describe three new species of Dolichogenidea from Australia, which are distinguished by possessing extremely long ovipositors compared with the typical form for the genus. These are D. finchi Fagan-Jeffries & Austin, sp. n., D. mediocaudata Fagan-Jeffries & Austin, sp. n., and D. xenomorph Fagan-Jeffries & Austin, sp. n. In describing these new species we also discuss relationships within the genus, and the diversity and biology of the Australian fauna.