Abstract
Th e charismatic pulchripennis-group of Scelio Latreille is revised and 18 species are treated. Th e species group is described and diagnosed. Eight new species are described: S. clarkei Yoder, sp. n. (India, Sri Lanka); S. ememeye Yoder, sp. n. (Sri Lanka, Nepal); S. leipo Yoder, sp. n. (Madagascar); S. parapulchripennis Yoder, sp. n. (Madagascar); S. masneri Yoder, sp. n. (Botswana, South Africa); S. paranitens Yoder, sp. n. (Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe); S. tria, Yoder & Masner, sp. n. (India); and S. turbidus Yoder, sp. n. (Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania). Scelio princeps Nixon is treated as a junior synonym of S. poecilopterus Priesner (syn. n.). Scelio variegatus Kozlov & Kononova is removed from synonymy with S. poecilopterus Priesner and treated as a valid species (stat. n.). Lectotypes are designated for Scelio baoli Risbec, S. corion Nixon, and S. pulchripennis Brues. Known hosts are eggs of grasshoppers in the family Acrididae (Orthoptera). Th e electronic version of this paper contains numerous hyperlinks that make use of biodiversity informatics standards to reference supporting data.
Highlights
This paper is the first in a series from the Platygastroidea Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (PPBI), which seeks to revise a majority of the world’s species of Scelio Latreille (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae)
The pulchripennis-group was first recognized and diagnosed in a key by Nixon (1958) to African Scelio species, and the group is diagnosed against worldwide species
Species recognized here as belonging to the group have been described from Mongolia and Saudi Arabia (Kozlov and Kononova 1990), and we extend the known distribution further to include new species from India and Sri Lanka
Summary
This paper is the first in a series from the Platygastroidea Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (PPBI), which seeks to revise a majority of the world’s species of Scelio Latreille (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae). Available host data suggest that they are exclusively parasitoids of orthopteran eggs (Dangerfield et al 2001). Some Scelio have been implemented as important biological control agents (e.g., of the genus Oxya Serville); these efforts are most recently summarized in Dangerfield et al (2001). The genus Scelio is one of the largest within the subfamily Scelioninae, with an estimated total of more than 500 species. The pulchripennis-group was first recognized and diagnosed in a key by Nixon (1958) to African Scelio species, and the group is diagnosed against worldwide species. Species recognized here as belonging to the group have been described from Mongolia and Saudi Arabia (Kozlov and Kononova 1990), and we extend the known distribution further to include new species from India and Sri Lanka
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
