First record of the genus Caenosclerogibba Yasumatsu, 1958 (Hymenoptera: Sclerogibbidae) from the Philippines

Abstract

Abstract:The sclerogibbid wasp genus Caenosclerogibba Yasumatsu, 1958 (Hymenoptera: Sclerogibbidae) and the species C. longiceps (Richards, 1958) are recorded for the first time in the Philippines. The discovery of Caenosclero gibba in the Philippines extends the range of the genus distribution from China and Japan downward to Southeast Asia. Caenosclerogibba longiceps is the second species of Sclerogibbidae recorded from the country.Key words: Oriental Region; Southeast Asia; Luzon Island; sclerogibbid wasp; ectoparasitoid; Caenosclerogibba longiceps; new record; range extension Sclerogibbid wasps are a small group of aculeate Hymenoptera belonging to the family Sclerogibbidae and comprising four extant and two extinct genera (Olmi 2005;Engel & Grimaldi 2006b;Olmi et al. 2016). They are strict ectoparasitoids of webspinners (Embioptera), meaning their distribution follows that of their hosts (Argaman 1988;Ross 2000).In the Philippines, with only six species of Embioptera recorded (Davis 1940;Lit & Lucañas 2014;Ross 1951Ross , 1955, only one species of sclerogibbid wasp is recorded: Sclero gibba impressa Olmi, 2005. Following the recent efforts of the first author to document the diversity of webspinners in the country, several organisms associated with the webspinners and their domicile were also observed including one additional record of sclerogibbid wasp: Caeno sclerogibba longiceps (Richards, 1958).Samples of Caenosclerogibba longiceps (Richards, 1958) were collected from laboratory cultures of the host Oligoto ma humbertiana (Saussure, 1896) from Lian, Batangas and Pasig City, Manila, Luzon Island, Philippines (Figure 1).Adult female specimens were cold macerated by soaking in 10% aqueous Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) solution for 24 hours. They were then cleaned in distilled water to wash unwanted undissolved internal contents, and then with 95% ethanol to remove water in excess. Finally, they were mounted on microscope slides using modified Hoyer's medium. Identification was done using the key provided by Olmi (2005) and Olmi et al. (2016).All specimens were deposited in the entomological collections of the University of the Philippines, Museum of Natural History (UPLB-MNH), Los Baños, Laguna. Distribution maps were generated using Natural Earth Data in QGIS 2.12.0. Material examined. 3 females, reared in laboratory fromOligotoma humbertiana collected in Philippines: Batangas, Lian, Matabungkay Beach, 08.x.2014, (CCLucañas, UPLBMNH HYM-000294, 1 slide with 3 specimens); 2 females from the same host species collected from Philippines: Pasig City, Pasig-Marikina River System, 08.x.2014, (CCLucañas, UPLBMNH HYM-000293, 1 slide with 2 specimens).Genus Caenosclerogibba Yasumatsu, 1958 Caenosclerogibba Yasumatsu 1958: 21 -Argaman 1988: 181 -Carpenter 1999 Olmi 2005: 79. The genus Caenosclerogibba is one of the five known extant genera of the family Sclerogibbidae. It is distinguished from the others extant genera by the following characters: scutellum and metanotum separated from the propodeum by a suture, 2...

First record of the Sclerogibbidae (Hymenoptera) from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

“…The family is distributed worldwide but is uncommonly collected. Caenosclerogibba Yasumatsu, 1958 is the most widespread genus in the family and has been reported from Africa, several regions of Asia, and the New World; recently, new records extended its occurrence southward into Southeast Asia (Lucañas & Olmi 2017). Only two records have been published from the New World, one from Mexico and another from continental Ecuador (Olmi 2005).…”

“…Sclerogibbidae are parasitoids of webspinners (Embiodea), such as Caenosclerogibba longiceps (Richards, 1958) reared from Oligotomidae and Embiidae (Lucañas & Olmi 2017). Two species of Embiodea have been reported from the Galapagos Islands, Chelicerca galapagensis Ross, 1966 andOligotoma saundersii (Westwood, 1837).…”

“…In this regard, it is worth noting that the sclerogibbid specimens were collected in Puerto Ayora, the largest and most active port of the islands with heavy touristic activity. Furthermore, the recent report of C. longiceps in the Philippines has been interpreted as a consequence of the introduction of its hosts O. saundersii and O. humbertiana (Saussure, 1896) to the island through ancient Spanish trade routes (Lucañas & Olmi 2017).…”