A Taxonomic Review of the Gall Wasp Genus Saphonecrus Dalla-Torre and Kieffer and other Oak Cynipid Inquilines (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) from Mainland China, with Updated Keys to Eastern Palaearctic and Oriental Species.

Abstract

After the examination of the oak cynipid inquilines deposited in the Parasitic Hymenoptera Collection of the Agriculture and Forestry University of Zhejiang (ZAFU, China), we provide a revision of the species of Saphonecrus, Lithosaphonecrus, Ufo (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) and Ceroptres (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Ceroptresini) found in mainland China. Two new species of Saphonecrus are described: S. albidus Lobato-Vila and Pujade-Villar, sp. nov. and S. segmentatus Lobato-Vila and Pujade-Villar, sp. nov. Four Saphonecrus species (S. gilvus Melika and Schwéger, 2015, S. globosus Schwéger and Tang, 2015, S. leleyi Melika and Schwéger, 2015, and S. nantoui Tang, Schwéger and Melika, 2015) are new records for this region. We also provide new data on the biology and distribution, redescriptions, illustrations and corrections to some of the species, as well as updated keys to Eastern Palaearctic and Oriental species of Saphonecrus and Ufo. Three species of Saphonecrus are considered to have an uncertain status: S. gemmariae (Ashmead, 1885) incertae sedis from the USA, S. excisus (Kieffer, 1904) nomen dubium from India, and S. sinicus Belizin, 1968 incertae sedis from China. The validity of Saphonecrus in the Nearctic region as well as the current status of S. serratus Weld, 1926 from the Philippines and S. favanus Weld, 1944 from the USA are discussed.