Seven Sycoryctine Fig Wasp Species (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) Associated with Dioecious Ficus hirta Inhabiting South China and Southeast Asia.

Abstract

Simple SummaryThe non-pollinating fig wasps are essential components of fig wasp communities, negatively impacting mutualism. However, this group of fig wasps has received less taxonomic attention than pollinating fig wasps. This study presents seven new non-pollinating fig wasp species associated with Ficus hirta fig trees inhabiting South China and Southeast Asia. The presence of a long ovipositor sheath characterizes this group of fig wasps. An identification key is provided to distinguish between them, and the relationships with their host fig trees are discussed. The type specimens and examined materials are deposited in the South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.Even though non-pollinating fig wasps are essential components in tropical and subtropical habitats, yet they are poorly described in the Oriental communities. This study presented seven new sycoryctine fig wasp species associated with Ficus hirta fig trees inhabiting South China and Southeast Asia. These new sycoryctine species belong to the genera Philotrypesis, Sycoryctes, and Sycoscapter. They can be easily distinguished by their adaptive morphologies such as face sculpture, body-color, and ovipositors. An identification key is provided to differentiate between them, and the relationships with their host fig trees are also discussed. The holotypes and paratypes are both deposited in the South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.