In this study, new distributional records are given for 98 species and subspecies of Darwin wasps of the subfamily Ichneumoninae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Maritime Southeast Asia, namely from Indonesia and Malaysia: Sabah. Four genera, 31 species and three subspecies are described as new. The new genera are: Atanyjoppoides n. gen., Moluccarches n. gen., Orientodromus n. gen. and Platylaboides n. gen. The new species are: Achaius sabahensis n. sp., Allonotus rufiventris n. sp., Amblyjoppa nigra n. sp., Amblyjoppa striata n. sp., Atanyjoppoides mandibulator n. sp., Benyllus mesonotator n. sp., Benyllus rufostriatus n. sp., Benyllus sundaensis n. sp., Celebarches albifrons n. sp., Celebarches nigritor n. sp., Celebarches sabahensis n. sp., Celebarches tricolor n. sp., Coelichneumon (Exephanides) nigropropodealis n. sp., Compsophorus (Xenojoppa) quadrimaculatus n. sp., Deniya scutellaris n. sp., Eccoptosage nigrifemur n. sp., Eccoptosage sabahensis n. sp., Heresiarches simile n. sp., Lareiga nigrita n. sp., Lissosculpta albifrons n. sp., Lissosculpta malucuensis n. sp., Lissosculpta seramensis n. sp., Losgna baliensis n. sp., Losgna rufobasalis n. sp., Moluccarches albimaculatus n. sp., Orientodromus thyridialis n. sp., Platylaboides javanicus n. sp., Pseudoplatylabus rufoniger n. sp., Setanta albimaculata n. sp., Stirexephanes albicoxis n. sp., and Stirexephanes rufopetiolaris n. sp. The new subspecies are: Allonotus rufus sumatrensis n. ssp., Amblyjoppa rufobalteata sumatera n. ssp., and Anisobas vietnamensis sabahensis n. ssp. Vulgichneumon stegemanni (Heinrich, 1934) is transferred to the genus Virgichneumon Heinrich, 1977, n. stat.. For the following species the hitherto unknown are described: Barichneumonites properans (Tosquinet, 1903), Celebarches unicus Heinrich, 1934, Celebichneumon egregius Heinrich, 1934, Coelichneumon (Coelichneumon) lineiscutis Heinrich, 1966, Eccoptosage quadridentata (Cameron, 1905), Menkokia major (Heinrich, 1934), Nesostenodontus formosanus Cushman, 1937, Stenichneumonopsis albifasciatus Heinrich, 1934, Stirexephanes impictus Heinrich, 1934, Ulesta plagiata Heinrich, 1934, and Virgichneumon stegemanni (Heinrich, 1934). All new species are described in detail and illustrated. For the known species of Celebarches Heinrich, a determination key is provided.
The Polyrhachis (Myrmatopa) flavicornis species group in Thailand is reviewed. Four species are recognized, of which one species closely related to Polyrhachis constructor Smith, 1857 is described and illustrated as new to science based on the worker caste under the name Polyrhachis longipilosa sp. nov. The queens of P. flavicornis Smith, 1857 and P. constructor, and the males of P. flavicornis and P. varicolor Viehmeyer, 1916 are described. The new species is distributed in western Thailand in the area north of the Isthmus of Kra, while P. constructor is distributed in Malaysia (West Malaysia and Sabah), Indonesia, Singapore, southern and western Thailand. Polyrhachis piliventris Smith, 1857 and Polyrhachis elii Emery, 1900 are synonymized with P. constructor. A key to the Thai species of the Polyrhachis flavicornis species group is given. The type series of P. longipilosa was collected from the canopy of a dry evergreen forest.
In this taxonomical study, one new genus and 41 new species of the subfamily Mesochorinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) are described from Southeast Asia, namely from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The new genus is Orientochorus n. gen., the new species are Orientochorus tonkinensis n. sp., Astiphromma bicoloratus n. sp., Mesochorus achterbergi n. sp., Mesochorus anamnesis n. sp., Mesochorus brevipunctatus n. sp., Mesochorus cariniscuta n. sp., Mesochorus controversus n. sp., Mesochorus diversidens n. sp., Mesochorus flavator n. sp., Mesochorus flavopronotalis n. sp., Mesochorus fuscomaculatus n. sp., Mesochorus halmaherae n. sp., Mesochorus harlequinus n. sp., Mesochorus kinabaluensis n. sp., Mesochorus lamdongensis n. sp., Mesochorus longimurus n. sp., Mesochorus longistylus n. sp., Mesochorus longivalvator n. sp., Mesochorus malaysiacus n. sp., Mesochorus malucutus n. sp., Mesochorus nigripleuris n. sp., Mesochorus nigrofemur n. sp., Mesochorus nigromaculatus n. sp., Mesochorus paratenebris n. sp., Mesochorus pictiloides n. sp., Mesochorus pterostigmator n. sp., Mesochoprus rufator n. sp., Mesochorus sabahensis n. sp., Mesochorus sapaensis n. sp., Mesochorus semifuscus n. sp., Mesochorus semipunctatus n. sp., Mesochorus siamensis n. sp., Mesochorus stigmaticolor n. sp., Mesochorus striatofacies n. sp., Mesochorus sulaensis n. sp., Mesochorus sumaterae n. sp., Mesochorus templator n. sp., Mesochorus tenebris n. sp., Mesochorus tonkinensis n. sp., Mesochorus train n. sp., and Mesochorus vietnamensis n. sp. All species are illustrated and described in detail. In addition, a key for the females of the known Mesochorus species of Southeast Asia is presented.
This study is dedicated to the late Dr. John LaSalle, and reviews the world species of Pleurotroppopsis Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae); fourteen species are treated, of which two are newly described: P. dactylispae Cao & Zhu sp. nov. from China and P. peukscutella Cao & Zhu sp. nov. from Malaysia. On the basis of morphological characters, tentative relationships among genera allied to Pleurotroppopsis are discussed. A revised definition of Pleurotroppopsis is presented based on study of type specimens of all species and a critical review of previous studies on the genus. In addition, parsimony analyses were conducted to infer a phylogeny of Pleurotroppopsis species based on a unique data matrix of morphological characters. Keys to genera allied to Pleurotroppopsis and to known species of Pleurotroppopsis are provided.
Females of the East Asian velvet-ant genus Andreimyrme Lelej, 1995 are reviewed. The genus definition is extended to accommodate A. borkenti (Williams, 2019), comb. nov. (from Smicromyrme Thomson, 1870), and nine new species: A. auricoma Okayasu, sp. nov. (Malaysia), A. laminatihumeralis Okayasu, sp. nov. (Indonesia, Malaysia), A. matsumotoi Okayasu, sp. nov. (Vietnam), A. naturalis Williams, sp. nov. (Indonesia), A. rong Williams, sp. nov. (Thailand, Vietnam), A. silvorientalis Okayasu, sp. nov. (Indonesia), A. takensis Okayasu, sp. nov. (Thailand), A. ursasolaris Williams, sp. nov. (Indonesia), and A. yotoi Okayasu, sp. nov. (Laos, Vietnam). Diagnoses, distributional records, and illustrations are provided for these and four previously recognized species, A. neaera (Mickel, 1935), A. paniya Terine, Lelej Girish Kumar, 2021, A. sarawakensis Lelej, 1996, and A. substriolata (Chen, 1957). Andreimyrme borkenti is newly recorded from Vietnam. A key to species known from females is provided. Habitat preference of this genus is discussed based on collecting records.
The aim of the study was to determine the chemical profile, antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activities of Heterotrigona itama bee bread from Malaysia. The pH, presence of phytochemicals, antioxidant properties, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), as well as antimicrobial activities, were assessed. Results revealed a decrease in the pH of bee bread water extract (BBW) relative to bee bread ethanolic extract (BBE) and bee bread hot water extract (BBH). Further, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, resins, glycosides and xanthoproteins were detected in BBW, BBH and BBE. Also, significant decreases in TPC, TFC, DPPH activity and FRAP were detected in BBW relative to BBH and BBE. We detected phenolic acids such as gallic acid, caffeic acid, trans-ferulic acid, trans 3-hydroxycinnamic acid and 2-hydroxycinnamic acid, and flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin and mangiferin in BBE using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The strongest antimicrobial activity was observed in Klebsilla pneumonia (MIC50 1.914 µg/mL), followed by E. coli (MIC50 1.923 µg/mL), Shigella (MIC50 1.813 µg/mL) and Salmonella typhi (MIC50 1.617 µg/mL). Bee bread samples possess antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Bee bread contains phenolic acids and flavonoids, and could be beneficial in the management and treatment of metabolic diseases.
Tanyxiphium longissimum Huber, syn. n. (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) is synonymized under T. harriet (Zeya) based on examination of specimens from Hainan Island and Yunnan Province in the Oriental part of China, Sulawesi Island in Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, and Thailand. These are new country distribution records except for Thailand. The previously unknown male of T. harriet is described from Sulawesi Island, and the female is redescribed and illustrated based on non-type material examined.
Meliponiculture, the keeping of domesticated stingless bees such as Geniotrigona thoracica (Smith, 1857) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), is an increasingly popular agricultural industry in Malaysia. This study reports the soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) species of the genus Hermetia colonizing stingless bee colonies in Malaysia. The larvae were reared in the laboratory to the adult stage and identified through molecular and morphological approaches. Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) and Hermetia fenestrata de Meijere, 1904 (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) were identified from the sample provided. Earlier records of stratiomyids in stingless bee nests were misidentified as H. illucens. This paper represents the first identified record of H. fenestrata colonizing a "spoiled" stingless bee colony. In addition, adult and larval morphological differences between both species and the roles of both species in bee nest decomposition are discussed.
An overview of the Oriental species of the nominate subgenus of Camptopteroides Viggiani (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) is given. Two new species, C. (Camptopteroides) formosa Manickavasagam Sankararaman sp. n. from India and C. (Camptopteroides) reducta Triapitsyn sp. n. from Thailand and Malaysia, are described, and C. formosa additionally compared to two unnamed species. The holotype male of the type species of this genus, C. armata Viggiani from Sri Lanka, is diagnosed and illustrated. A key to Old World species of Camptopteroides is provided.
The phygadeuontine genus Apophysius (Ichneumonidae) is reviewed for the first time. Six new species are described, A. baolocensis Pham, Matsumoto Broad sp. nov., A. constrictus Pham, Matsumoto Broad sp. nov. and A. taynguyenensis Pham, Matsumoto Broad sp. nov. from the Central Highlands of Vietnam, A. latus Pham, Matsumoto, Konishi, Sheng Broad sp. nov. from China and Vietnam, A. takasukai Pham, Konishi Broad sp. nov. from the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, and A. pentaceratops Broad sp. nov. from Sarawak, Malaysia. A key to the nine known species of the genus Apophysius is included.
This revision of the bee genus Bathanthidium Mavromoustakis, 1953, treats 12 species, with 11 recorded from China, including Bathanthidium fengkaiense Niu Zhu, sp. nov.. Two species are proposed as new combinations in genus Bathanthidium: Anthidium (s. str.) bicolor Wu, 2004, A. (s. str.) monganshanensis Wu, 2004. The two new combinations (B. bicolor, B. monganshanense) are in Bathanthidium (Manthidium), previously considered to include only the type species from Burma and Laos (published records from northeastern India and Malaysia are based on misinterpreted localities). Trachusa (Paraanthidium) concavum (Wu, 1962) and Stelis siamensis Friese, 1925 are synonymized with B. binghami (Friese, 1901). Bathanthidium circinatum Wu, 2004 is transferred to Pseudoanthidium Friese forming the new combination P. (s. str.) circinatum (Wu, 2004). The distribution of each species is given, new distribution sites are marked by asterisk (*) especially. Our results confirm that the genus Bathanthidium has higher species diversity than previously documented and that this diversity is centered in China.
Riparian areas hold vast number of flora and fauna with exceptional contributions to the ecosystem. A study was conducted in Sungai Sepetang, Sungai Rembau and Sungai Chukai to identify the insect community in a riparian zone of Peninsular Malaysia. Sampling was conducted in six consecutive months from December 2017 to May 2018 during both day and night using sweep nets. Twenty sampling stations (S1-S20) had been assembled along the riverbanks with an average distance of 200 m between each station. The 17,530 collected insects were from 11 orders and consisted of Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, Orthoptera, Blattodea, Thysanoptera, Mantodea and Odonata. The three most abundant orders were Diptera (33.84%; 5933 individuals), Coleoptera (28.82%; 5053 individuals) and Hemiptera (25.62%: 4491 individuals). The collected insect community consisted of different guilds such as the scavenger, predator, herbivore, pollinator and parasitoid. Sungai Sepetang and Sungai Rembau were dominated by mangrove flora, Sonneratia caseolaris (Myrtales: Lythraceae), while Sungai Chukai was dominated by Barringtonia racemosa. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the composition of insects between the three rivers though clustering analysis showed that the insect communities in Sungai Sepetang and Sungai Rembau were 100% similar compared to Sungai Chukai which consisted of a totally different community. There is a significant negative correlation between abundance of insects with salinity and wind speed at Sungai Chukai and Sungai Sepetang.
The genus Orientalicesa has six species, and all of them have been recorded in the Oriental region (including Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillippines, Laos, China). In this paper, the genus Orientalicesa is newly recorded from Vietnam, represented by one species O. confasciatus Tan and Carpenter. This species was mistakenly redescribed as Stenodyneriellus rangpocus Kumar, Carpenter Kishore, 2017. A new synonym of O. confasciatus is proposed, and that species is a new record for India.
The novel mesoionic insecticide triflumezopyrim was highly effective in controlling both imidacloprid-susceptible and resistant planthopper populations in Malaysia. However, the toxicity of triflumezopyrim to planthopper populations and their natural enemies has been under-investigated in China. In this study, the median lethal concentrations (LC50) of triflumezopyrim were determined in eight field populations of Nilaparvata lugens and one population of Sogatella furcifera from China under laboratory conditions. Triflumezopyrim showed higher toxicity to planthopper populations than the commonly-used insecticide, imidacloprid. Furthermore, the lethal effect of triflumezopyrim on eight beneficial arthropods of planthoppers was investigated in the laboratory and compared with three commonly-used insecticides, thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos and abamectin. Triflumezopyrim was harmless to Anagrus nilaparvatae, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis and Paederus fuscipes, while thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos and abamectin were moderately harmful or harmful to the insect parasitoid and predators. Triflumezopyrim and thiamethoxam were harmless to the predatory spiders Pirata subpiraticus, Ummeliata insecticeps, Hylyphantes graminicola and Pardosa pseudoannulata, and slightly harmful to Theridion octomaculatum. Chlorpyrifos caused slight to high toxicity to four spider species except U. insecticeps. Abamectin was moderately to highly toxic to all five spider species. Our results indicate that triflumezopyrim has high efficacy for rice planthoppers populations and is compatibile with their natural enemies in China.
New additions to the knowledge of the subfamily Eumeninae are provided. Eight new species of Eumeninae are described: Antepipona gibbosissima Selis, sp. nov. (Namibia: Warmbad); Antepipona tricolorata Selis, sp. nov. (India: Sikkim); Ectopioglossa luzonica Selis, sp. nov. (Philippines: Luzon); Lissodynerus unicus Selis, sp. nov. (India: Sikkim); Pararrhynchium aurigaster Selis, sp. nov. (Malaysia: Johor); Symmorphus (Symmorphus) incisus Selis, sp. nov. (India: Sikkim); Symmorphus (Symmorphus) palawanensis Selis, sp. nov. (Philippines: Palawan); Zethus (Zethus) intermedius Selis, sp. nov. (Burkina Faso). The male of Synagris (Paragris) biplagiata Gusenleitner, 2005 is described. New distributional data for other species are provided.
An overview of the Oriental species of Cleruchus Enock (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) is given, and its five newly described species as well as one undescribed species from Malaysia are keyed. The described new taxa are C. funiculatus Manickavasagam Palanivel sp. n., C. indicus Manickavasagam Palanivel sp. n. and C. orientalis Manickavasagam Palanivel sp. n., all from India, C. blimp Triapitsyn sp. n. from Brunei, and C. pmilb Triapitsyn sp. n. from Thailand. Anaphes quinquearticulatus Huber Triapitsyn is newly reported from India.
A study on abundance and diversity of Hymenoptera was conducted in Gunung Datuk, Rembau. Samplings were conducted from November 2014 to February 2015 using six Malaise traps. Three traps were placed at Site 1 at 700m height for high elevation and the remaining traps were placed at Site 2 at 200m height for low elevation. A total number of 221 Hymenopteran were collected which consist of nine families namely Ichneumonidae, Formicidae, Braconidae, Bethylidae, Evaniidae, Tiphiidae, Vespidae, Pompilidae and Apidae. In this study, 93 individuals were obtained from Site 1, comprising nine families and 43 morphospecies while 127 individuals were obtained from Site 2 with nine families and 45 morphospecies. Formicidae was the most dominant family collected from both sites with a total of 104 individuals while the least family recorded was Apidae with only one individual. Shannon’s Weiner Diversity Index (H’) showed Site 1 had the higher diversity value with H’ = 3.17 compared to Site 2 with value H’ = 3.12. For Evenness Index, Site 1 had higher value compared to Site 2 with E’ = 0.84 and E’ =0.82 respectively. Moreover, for Margalef Richness Index, Site 1 recorded R’ = 9.24 while site two recorded R’ = 9.08 which concluded that Site 1 had higher species richness compared to Site 2. Paired t-test showed that both sites had no significant difference with p>0.05. Overall study showed that the diversity and abundance of Hymenoptera in Gunung Datuk were low since the value of H’ is less than 3.50.
Drosophila bipectinata from Iriomote-jima (IR) is susceptible to the endoparasitoid Leptopilina victoriae from Kota Kinabalu (L. victoriae KK), but D. bipectinata from Kota Kinabalu (KK) and Bogor (BG) is resistant. The cross experiments between the resistant (KK) and susceptible (IR) populations of D. bipectinata suggested that the resistance to this parasitoid is a dominant trait and controlled by a single locus or few linked loci on an autosome. In the AFLP analysis using the IR, KK and BG populations of D. bipectinata and the resistant and susceptible populations derived from a mixed population of these three geographic populations, a DNA fragment almost specific to susceptible flies was detected. It also revealed that genes from the IR population were more frequently maintained in the mixed population compared with those from the KK and BG populations, suggesting that at least a number of genes from the IR population are more advantageous under the laboratory conditions. This explains our previous results that the resistance was lowered in the mixed population although the resistance itself is suggested to incur only low costs; i.e., the resistance gene(s) from the KK and BG populations would have been linked with some genes that are disadvantageous under the laboratory conditions.
The diamondback moth (DBM) Plutella xylostella (L.) has traditionally been managed using synthetic insecticides. However, the increasing resistance of DBM to insecticides offers an impetus to practice integrated pest management (IPM) strategies by exploiting its natural enemies such as pathogens, parasitoids, and predators. Nevertheless, the interactions between pathogens and parasitoids and/or predators might affect the effectiveness of the parasitoids in regulating the host population. Thus, the parasitism rate of Nosema-infected DBM by Cotesia vestalis (Haliday) (Hym., Braconidae) can be negatively influenced by such interactions. In this study, we investigated the effects of Nosema infection in DBM on the parasitism performance of C. vestalis. The results of no-choice test showed that C. vestalis had a higher parasitism rate on non-infected host larvae than on Nosema-treated host larvae. The C. vestalis individuals that emerged from Nosema-infected DBM (F1) and their progeny (F2) had smaller pupae, a decreased rate of emergence, lowered fecundity, and a prolonged development period compared to those of the control group. DBM infection by Nosema sp. also negatively affected the morphometrics of C. vestalis. The eggs of female C. vestalis that developed in Nosema-infected DBM were larger than those of females that developed in non-infected DBM. These detrimental effects on the F1 and F2 generations of C. vestalis might severely impact the effectiveness of combining pathogens and parasitoids as parts of an IPM strategy for DBM control.
The genus Macroteleia Westwood (Hymenoptera: Platygastridaes. l., Scelioninae) from China is revised. Seventeen species are recognized based on 502 specimens, all of which are new records for China. Seven new species are described: Macroteleia carinigena sp. n. (China), Macroteleia flava sp. n. (China), Macroteleia gracilis sp. n. (China), Macroteleia salebrosa sp. n. (China), Macroteleia semicircula sp. n. (China), Macroteleia spinitibia sp. n. (China) and Macroteleia striatipleuron sp. n. (China). Ten species are redescribed: Macroteleia boriviliensis Saraswat (China, India, Thailand), Macroteleia crawfordi Kiefer, stat. n. (China, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam), Macroteleia dolichopa Sharma (China, India, Vietnam), Macroteleia emarginata Dodd (China, Malaysia), Macroteleia indica Saraswat & Sharma (China, India, Vietnam), Macroteleia lamba Saraswat & Sharma (China, India, Thailand, Vietnam), Macroteleia livingstoni Saraswat (China, India), Macroteleia peliades Kozlov & Lê (China, Vietnam), Macroteleia rufa Szelényi (China, Egypt, Georgia, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine) and Macroteleia striativentris Crawford (China, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam). The following five new synonyms are proposed: Macroteleia crates Kozlov & Lê syn. n. and Macroteleia demades Kozlov & Lê syn. n. of Macroteleia crawfordi Kieffer; Macroteleia cebes Kozlov & Lê syn. n. and Macroteleia dones Kozlov & Lê syn. n. of Macroteleia indica Saraswat & Sharma; Macroteleia dores Kozlov & Lê syn. n. of Macroteleia lamba Saraswat & Sharma. A key to the Chinese species of the genus is provided.