Biosystematics of Nasonia (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae): Two New Species Reared from Birds' Nests in North America

Abstract

Nasonia generally is regarded as a monotypic genus that includes only N. vitripennis (Walker), a cosmopolitan parasite of the pupae of cyclorrhaphous Diptera. Two new species of Nasonia are described from North America that parasitize blowfly pupae (Diptera: Calliphoridae: Protocalliphora) in birds' nests: N. giraulti Darling (type locality: Cambridge, Ontario) and N. longicornis Darling (type locality: Kelowna, British Columbia). Lectotypes are designated for two subjective synonyms of N. vitripennis: N. brevicornis Ashmead and Mormoniella brevicornis Ashmead. Behavioral and genetic data are summarized that corroborate the morphological analysis. An identification key is provided and morphological and distributional information are summarized for the three species of Nasonia in North America. Nasonia vitripennis has been the subject of numerous ecological, behavioral, and evolutionary studies, and many of these studies may be compromised by the recognition of more than one species and failure to deposit documented voucher specimens. Two species of Nasonia are routinely collected from the same blowfly puparium (N. vitripennis and N. giraulti in eastern North America, N. vitripennis and N. longicornis in western North America) and careful identifications and a large series of voucher specimens are required in any field study of Nasonia.