Taxonomic redescription and biological notes on Diaugia angusta (Diptera, Tachinidae): parasitoid of the palm boring weevils Metamasius ensirostris and M. hemipterus (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae)

Silvio Nihei,Ronaldo Pavarini

doi:10.3897/zookeys.84.756

Silvio Nihei, Ronaldo Pavarini

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.84.756

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Abstract

Diaugia angusta Perty, 1833 is a Neotropical species of Tachinidae (Diptera) reported here as a parasitoid of Metamasius ensirostris (Germar, 1824) and Metamasius hemipterus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) in Brazil. Several species of Dryophthoridae and Curculionidae cause damage to bromeliad and palm species, and most are regarded as pests. In the present study, the male and female of Diaugia angusta are morphologically characterized and illustrated to provide a means for the identification of this parasitoid. Data obtained from preliminary field research show that natural parasitism of Metamasius pupae by Diaugia angusta varies by year but can reach nearly 30%. A network of parasitoid-host interactions among tachinid parasitoids and coleopteran hosts reported as bromeliad and palm pests (Dryophthoridae and Curculionidae) in the Americas indicates that the species of the tribe Dexiini sensu lato (including Diaugia angusta) might be promising as biological control agents of these pests.

Highlights

The Neotropical genus Diaugia (Tachinidae: Dexiinae: Dexiini) was described by Perty (1833) to include a single new species, D. angusta
The present study reveals important reports of D. angusta parasitizing M. ensirostris and M. hemipterus
The geographical distribution known for D. angusta ranges from central to southeastern and southern Brazil (Figure 11), while the host M. ensirostris occurs from northern South America (Colombia, Venezuela) southwards to Paraguay, southern Brazil and northern Argentina (Vaurie 1966)

Summary

Introduction

The Neotropical genus Diaugia (Tachinidae: Dexiinae: Dexiini) was described by Perty (1833) to include a single new species, D. angusta. This species was described based on material collected from state of Minas Gerais in the southeastern Brazil. In the end of his diagnosis, Townsend (1939: 78) wrote: “Ranges in two species from Minas Geraes [sic] to Rio de Janeiro”. Apart from the type-species (D. angusta), from Minas Gerais, Townsend (1939) had regarded the existence of a second undescribed species, from Rio de Janeiro. The material examined by Townsend was found deposited at the Museu Nacional (Rio de Janeiro) and a detailed examination confirmed it to be conspecific with D. angusta

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