Abstract
The gasteruptiid fauna of the Maltese archipelago is reviewed for the first time. Four species of Gasteruption are found to inhabit the Maltese Islands, and Gasteruption tanyakronum n. sp. van Achterberg is described on the basis of material collected from Malta and Sardinia (Italy).
Highlights
The Evanioidea of the Maltese Islands have only recently been the subject of scientific study, with TURRISI & RATTU (2019) providing the first record of an aulacid, Pristaulacus galitae (GRIBODO) from the Maltese Islands, and later, CASSAR & MIFSUD (2020) recording three evaniids from the archipelago: Evania appendigaster (LINNAEUS), Zeuxevania splendidula (COSTA) and Brachygaster minutus (OLIVIER)
Gasteruptiids differ from other evanioids in their host preferences; they are predator-inquilines of solitary hymenopterans, with females often ovipositing in the nest cells of various apine, colletine and megachiline bees, where the gasteruptiid larva feeds on both the host egg/larva and the provisions collected therein (VAN ACHTERBERG, 2013; PARSLOW et al, 2020)
The present study provides the first checklist of Gasteruptiidae inhabiting the Maltese Islands, followed by the description of Gasteruption tanyakronum n. sp
Summary
The Evanioidea of the Maltese Islands have only recently been the subject of scientific study, with TURRISI & RATTU (2019) providing the first record of an aulacid, Pristaulacus galitae (GRIBODO) from the Maltese Islands, and later, CASSAR & MIFSUD (2020) recording three evaniids from the archipelago: Evania appendigaster (LINNAEUS), Zeuxevania splendidula (COSTA) and Brachygaster minutus (OLIVIER). Gasteruptiidae is a relatively small, globally distributed family with 511 species recognised as valid, belonging to six genera split into two subfamilies, the Gasteruptiinae and Hyptiogastrinae (JENNINGS & AUSTIN, 2002; MACEDO, 2009, 2011). They share some morphological features with the other two evanioid families – Aulacidae and Evaniidae – most notably the attachment of the metasoma high up on the propodeum. Osmia | Volume 9 | 2021 gasteruptiid fauna of the Maltese archipelago to be revealed for the first time and provided material of a hitherto undescribed species which inhabits the Italian island of Sardinia, which is formally described here under
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