Dendrocerus mexicali (Hymenoptera, Ceraphronoidea, Megaspilidae): Novel antennal morphology, first description of female, and expansion of known range into the U.S.

Abstract

Dendrocerus mexicali has been described by Paul Dessart from a single male specimen collected in Mexico. Using 87 newly identified specimens we expand the known range to include the Southwestern United States and Florida, provide an expanded description of the species, and provide the first record of the female. We also use confocal laser scanning microscopy and in vitro hydrostatic pressure changes to investigate the functional morphology of apparently unique basally flexible antennal branches.

Unique extrication structure in a new megaspilid, Dendrocerus scutellaris Trietsch & Mikó (Hymenoptera: Megaspilidae)

“…For the descriptions of male and female specimens, morphological characters (following Burks et al 2016) were scored based on observations of point-mounted and glycerine-stored specimens. Specimen data, OTU concepts, natural language phenotypes and images were compiled in the online database MX (http://purl.oclc.org/NET/mx-database) which was used to render the Diagnosis, Description, Material Examined and Etymology sections.…”

Dendrocerus lui (Hymenoptera, Ceraphronoidea, Megaspilidae): a new species of Dendrocerus carpenteri species-group from China

“… Megaspilidae belongs to the superfamily Ceraphronoidea ( Hymenoptera ) and contains 13 genera worldwide ( Johnson and Musetti 2004 , Bijoy and Rajmohana 2014 ). The genus Dendrocerus Ratzeburg, 1852 is distinctive in Megaspilidae because the agriculturally relevant species Dendrocerus carpenteri (Curtis, 1829) serves as a model species to study the behaviour and ecology of parasitic wasps ( Curtis 1829 , Ratzeburg 1852 , Burks et al 2016 , Trietsch et al 2018 ). Dendrocerus species are usually primary parasitic wasps of Neuroptera and Diptera or hyperparasitic wasps of Hemiptera and Coleoptera , especially as hyperparasitoids of aphids ( Aphididae ) ( Mikó et al 2011 , Bijoy and Rajmohana 2014 ).…”

Figure 10 from: Wang X, Chen H, Mikó I, Huang Y, Zhu C (2021) Notes on the genus Dendrocerus Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera, Megaspilidae) from China, with description of two new species. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 86: 123-143. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.86.72281

“…Based on antennal characters, Dessart (1995) proposed five species-groups for Dendrocerus: halidayi, carpenteri, serricornis, punctipes and penmaricus (Bijoy and Rajmohana 2014). Species of the halidayi species-group generally have ramose antennae, but the D. mexicali species complex have moveable branches (Burks et al 2016). The males of the D. halidayi species-group are characterized by their ramose antennae, and by the long branches on proximal 4, 5 or 6 flagellomeres.…”