Evidence of parasitism by Strepsiptera in Dominican amber

Abstract

Fossil evidence of parasitism byStrepsiptera is presented by the discovery of amale pupa in a halictid bee (Halictidae:Hymenoptera) and female and male pupae inrepresentatives of two families of planthoppers(Delphacidae and Achilidae: Fulgoroidea) in 15–45 million year old Dominican amber. In thecase of the delphacid, the first stagestrepsipteran larvae were making their exitfrom the brood chamber at the time of capture.The fossils are compared with extantinsect-strepsiptera associations inMesoamerica. These rare finds, which includethe first fossil record of strepsipteran larvaeassociated with a host insect, establish aminimum age for parasitism of halictid bees andplanthoppers by strepsipterans.