Abstract
We describe Genaemirum phagocossorum Rousse, Broad & van Noort, sp. n., a new ichneumonine parasitoid wasp reared from Eucalyptus nitens logs infested by the cossid moth Coryphodema tristis, which is considered a major pest of forestry and food crops in South Africa. This is the first plausible host association for the genus, and fits with the host association predictions of Heinrich. Two further undescribed species were found in the collections of the Natural History Museum in London and are described as Genaemirum phacochoerus Broad, Rousse & van Noort, sp. n. and Genaemirum fumosum Broad, Rousse & van Noort, sp. n. An identification key to the eight known species and a diagnosis for each species are provided, including photographs of all the primary type specimens. Online Lucid interactive identification keys are available at: http://www.waspweb.org.
Highlights
“To find the details of the life history of [Genaemirum doryalidis] and its host, would be one of the most rewarding tasks of the Ethiopian ichneumonology”, concluded Heinrich (1967) after his description of the “monstruous” projections he observed on the genae of Genaemirum doryalidis Heinrich
Genaemirum Heinrich, 1936 is an endemic Afrotropical genus with five species known to date
Heinrich (1967) hypothesized that the extraordinary head structure would be an adaptation to an unusual biology and noted that he would not be surprised to see them emerging from a dry wood borer, based on the fact that the holotype of G. doryalidis was recorded as having been reared from a tree
Summary
Black mesosoma with large creamy-white markings on head and mesosoma and metasoma dull yellow beyond black first segment; face, large spot on upper vertex, lower edge of pronotum, scutellum, large oval patch on mesopleuron and spot on metapleuron all creamy-white; legs black except for dull reddish hind tibia; wings strongly infumate; antenna with 29 flagellomeres; lower gena produced laterally as a massive, rounded protuberance, concave and heavily rugose on outer side, with a triangular projection on its lower edge at half length; hypostomal carina produced as large, rounded triangular projection; clypeus slightly concave, corners elongate with edge deeply emarginate; lower face coriaceous, slightly concave, with pointed projection between antennal sockets; upper frons rugose; scrobe smooth, impunctate, with some weak rugae; scrobe dorsally demarcated by triangularly pointed projections; mesosoma mostly coriaceous, sparsely punctate; metasoma with sparse but distinct punctures, coriaceous, except tergites 2-3 medially strigose.
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