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The New Zealand cyclostome braconid fauna is poorly studied but has a high diversity of Mesostoinae compared to other regions. We redescribe the endemic New Zealand genus Rhyssaloides Belokobylskij, 1999 and compare it to two morphologically similar New Zealand endemics, Zealastoa Quicke & Ward, 2020 and Doryctomorpha Ashmead, 1900. Two new species, Rh. maculatussp. nov. and Rh. noyesisp. nov., are described and illustrated. The species Rhyssaloides antipoda Belokobylskij, 1999, which is a parasitoid of the native cerambycid Ambeodontus tristis (Fabricius, 1775), is placed as a junior synonym of Rhyssaloides ambeodonti (Muesebeck, 1941), syn. nov. A key for determining the three known species is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rogadinae are a cosmopolitan, species‐rich braconid wasp subfamily whose species are endoparasitoids that attack larvae of a number of lepidopteran families. Members of this subfamily are characterized by pupating within the mummified host larval skin. The subfamily contains six tribes whose relationships have only been partially clarified: Aleiodini, Betylobraconini, Clinocentrini, Rogadini, Stiropiini and Yeliconini. The limits and composition of the closely related subfamilies to the Rogadinae, Hormiinae and Lysiterminae, also remain unclear. Here, we generated ultraconserved element data to reconstruct an almost fully resolved phylogeny for the members of Rogadinae and related subfamilies. Based on our best estimate of phylogeny, we confirm the monophyly of Rogadinae including Betylobraconini, synonymize Xenolobus Fahringer and Bequartia Cameron within the species‐rich genus Aleiodes Wesmael (syn.n.) based on DNA, and synonymize Promesocentrus van Achterberg with Pilichremylus Belokobylskij (syn.n.) based on morphology. We also consistently recovered Hormiinae and Lysiterminae as not reciprocally monophyletic, and thus propose to unite their members under Hormiinae. The ancestral host preference for Rogadinae was probably attacking concealed lepidopteran larvae, with the occurrence of at least two main subsequent transitions to attack both concealed and exposed hosts, one within Rogadini and a second within Aleiodini. We highlight the importance of natural history collections as a source for conducting genomic‐based studies using techniques that allow to obtain a substantial amount of data from considerably old preserved insect specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mesostoinae are an almost entirely Gondwanan subfamily of Braconidae, known from Australia, New Zealand and South America (extending into MesoAmerica). They are morphologically and biologically diverse and, together with Aphidiinae and Maxfischeriinae, are the sister group to all other extant cyclostome braconids. Here we describe and illustrate a new genus, Zealastoa Quicke & Ward, gen. nov., and three new species: Z. waitakerensis Quicke & Ward, sp. nov., Z. hirta Belokobylskij, Quicke & Ward, sp. nov., and Z. multiarticulata Belokobylskij, Quicke & Ward, sp. nov., all from New Zealand. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on combined nuclear 28S rDNA D2‐D3 expansion region and the barcoding region of mitochondrial COI strongly support a monophyletic clade comprising the endemic New Zealand genera (Doryctomorpha Ashmead, Metaspathius Brues, Rhyssaloides and Zealastoagen. nov.) as being the sister group to all other members of the subfamily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The braconid subfamily Doryctinae (Hymenoptera) is a cosmopolitan, species-rich group of parasitoid wasps whose known species richness and morphological diversity is mainly concentrated in the Neotropical region. Among the doryctine taxa that are endemic to this region, there is a group of six genera (the Pedinotus genus group) that are mainly characterized by having lateral, posteriorly converging or subparallel grooves on the second metasomal tergite (including Gymnobracon Szépligeti, Hybodoryctes Szépligeti, Lamquetia Braet et van Achterberg, Osmophila Szépligeti, Pedinotus Szépligeti and Trigonophasmus Enderlein). Most of these genera were described more than a century ago, and thus their limits and diagnostic morphological features are not well defined. We present an analysis of the phylogenetic relationships among various representative species of five of the six genera belonging to the Pedinotus genus group based on one mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase I) and two nuclear ( 28S, Wingless) gene markers. We also estimated the timing of origin and diversification within the group and investigated the external morphology of the genera involved in order to determine reliable identification characters. The group as a whole, whilst being recovered as monophyletic with the inclusion of Acanthorhogas Szépligeti, was not statistically supported. However, the respective monophyly of all of the morphologically supported genera are confirmed, as are the intergeneric relationships ( Gymnobracon, Trigonophasmus) (( Acanthorhogas, Osmophila) ( Lamquetia, Pedinotus)). We propose that the pattern of sublateral grooves or depressions appears to be a useful systematic character for recognition of an endemic Neotropical radiation that could have originated c. 41-27 Ma. We redescribe six of the seven genera that we recognize for the Pedinotus genus group and provide a key to enable their identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gall formation is a specialised form of phytophagy that consists of abnormal growth of host plant tissue induced by other organisms, principally insects and mites. In the mainly parasitoid wasp subfamily Doryctinae, gall association, represented by gall inducers, inquilines and their parasitoids, is known for species of seven genera. Previous molecular studies recovered few species of six of these genera as monophyletic despite their disparate morphologies. Here, we reconstructed the evolutionary relationships among 47 species belonging to six gall-associated doryctine genera based on two mitochondrial and two nuclear gene markers. Most of the Bayesian analyses, performed with different levels of incomplete taxa and characters, supported the monophyly of gall-associated doryctines, with Heterospilus ( Heterospilini) as sister group. Percnobracon Kieffer and Jörgensen and Monitoriella Hedqvist were consistently recovered as monophyletic, and the validity of the monotypic Mononeuron was confirmed with respect to Allorhogas Gahan. A nonmonophyletic Allorhogas was recovered, although without significant support. The relationships obtained and the gathered morphological and biological information led us to erect three new genera originally assigned to Psenobolus: Ficobolus gen.n. ( F. paniaguai sp.n. and F. jaliscoi sp.n.), Plesiopsenobolus gen.n. ( Pl. mesoamericanus sp.n., Pl. plesiomorphus van Achterberg and Marsh comb.n., and Pl. tico sp.n.), and Sabinita gen.n. ( S. mexicana sp.n.). The origin of the gall-associated doryctine clade was estimated to have occurred during the middle Miocene to early Oligocene, 16.33-30.55 Ma. Our results support the origin of true gall induction in the Doryctinae from parasitoidism of other gall-forming insects. Moreover, adaptations to attack different gall-forming taxa on various unrelated plant families probably triggered species diversification in the main Allorhogas clade and may also have promoted the independent origin of gall formation on at least three plant groups. Species diversification in the remaining doryctine taxa was probably a result of host shifts within a particular plant taxon and shifts to different plant organs. This published work has been registered in ZooBank [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australasian braconid wasp fauna has an apparent high proportion of reduced-winged and wingless species compared with other regions, although the reasons for this are not particularly clear. In this study, five such new species of Doryctinae, Dendrosotinus ( Gildoria) chathamicus sp. nov. ( Chatham Is, New Zealand), Neorhaconotus julieae sp. nov. ( Australia), Ontsira naumanni sp. nov. ( Australia), Spathiomorpha jenningsi sp. nov. ( Australia), and Spathius thorpei sp. nov. ( New Zealand), are described and illustrated from the region. The first four of these represent the first records of flightless species in their respective genera. Spathius pedestris Wesmael is recorded from the region ( New Zealand) for the first time and has undoubtedly been introduced there, having been reared from the common furniture beetle ( Anobiidae), Anobium punctatum De Geer. The makeup of the Australasian doryctine fauna and possible reasons for the evolution of flightless species are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus, Asiaontsira gen. nov., and two new species, A. cucphuongi sp. nov. (type species) and A. cantonica sp. nov., are described from tropical and subtropical areas of South- East China and North Vietnam. This genus is compared to the closely related Australian Ontsirospathius Belokobylskij, Iqbal and Austin, 2004 as well as the similar and almost cosmopolitan genus Ontsira Cameron, 1900. A key to both species of Asiaontsira gen. nov. is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new subgenus of the genus Schizoprymnus Foerster is described and figured from Honshu, Japan. The subgenus, Ibarakius subgen. nov., comprises three species, S. (I.) gotoi sp. nov. (type species), S. (I.) kaizawus sp. nov., and S. (I.) honshuensis sp. nov. A pair of long, curved posteroventral processes on the carapace is unique to Ibarakius subgen. nov. The variability of frontal protuberances and sutures of the carapace in the brachistine genera Triaspis Haliday and Schizoprymnus Foerster is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species of Opius Wesmael that attack leaf-mining Agromyzidae in Australia are discussed, and a key provided for their separation. Opius cinerariae Fischer is redescribed based on specimens reared from Liriomyza chenopodii (Watt) (Agromyzidae), and its subgeneric placement is discussed in light of newly discovered morphological features. Opius (Opiothorax) chromatomyiae Belokobylskij & Wharton sp. n. is described from specimens reared from Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau) and Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Agromyzidae) in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Opius insulicola Tobias nom. n. is proposed for Opius insularis , a junior primary homonym. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The subfamily Dirrhopinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is recorded for the first time from the Australian region on the basis of Dirrhope minor Belokobylskij collected at light from several sites in northern Queensland. The species is redescribed and a discussion of relationships, distribution and biology of the subfamily is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]