Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Hymenoptera.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 59, 1928, Page 368

Notes and Descriptions of New Zealand Hymenoptera. By E. S. Gourlay, First Assistant Entomologist, Cawthron Institute, Nelson. [Read before the Nelson Institute, 26th October, 1927; received by the Editor, 14th May, 1928; 30th August, 1928.] Ichneumonidae. Limnerium Muelleri Butler. Mesoleptus Muelleri Butler, Voy. Erebus and Terror, 1874, Insects, p. 27; Hutton, Cat. N.Z. Diptera, etc., 1881, p. 122. Limneria zealandica Cameron, Man. Mem. 1898, p. 36. An interesting account by C. M. Wakefield, of Christchurch, accompanied by figures, of the associations of L. Muelleri with the host, Morova subfasciata Walk., a gall-maker on Muhlenbeckia australis Meissn. is quoted by Butler on pp. 46-47. The Ichneumonids are found plentifully during the summer months flying around M. australis, assiduously examining the galls formed by M. subfasciata. A study of the habits of the Ichneumonids shows that they are seeking the small, round portion of epidermis covering the exit-hole of the adult moth. This is made by the moth-larva before pupating, and it is safe from the attacks of L. Muelleri until the exit-hole has been excavated through the thick wood of the gall. After the Ichncumonid larva has completed its metamorphosis it spins a rough, darkbrown, cylindrical, elongated, obtusely-rounded cocoon within the gall, and the adult escapes through the exit supplied by its host. Empty galls are frequently utilized by other insects. These include—species of Hylaeus, the larvae of which spin a transparent, hyaline envelope around the inside of the gall; as many as four have been discovered within one gall, though the average number is two. Larvae of the peculiar beetle Paupris aptera Sharp, reside within the galls, and individuals may be collected in situ in all instars. When more than half grown, these larvae are easily reared by segregating them in pill-boxes and occasionally supplying small pieces of apple for food. Other larvae inhabiting the galls are those of the native moth Harmologa scoliastis Meyr., although these, together with their puparia, are less common than Paupris aptera. Wolf-spiders are casual occupants. Galls favoured by Hyaleus and spiders are always dry, while P. aptera and H. scoliastis prefer the living wood.

Braconidae. Aspicolpus Hudsoni Turner. Recently Mr. R. E. Turner, of the British Museum, described this insect, the largest and finest Braconid known in New Zealand, from a male specimen submitted to him by Mr. G. V. Hudson, of Wellington. A number of specimens have been studied from the collections of Mr. G. V. Hudson, Mr. A. Philpott and the writer. Compared with the type, colour-variations are diverse, being inconstant in all parts but the thorax, the head, and antennae, and the venation. In three specimens the variations exist to such an extent that it has been considered necessary to designate a subspecies, A. hudsoni castaonea, new var. The subspecies does not differ from the type in any points but those of size and colouration, and therefore cannot receive specific rank. Except for the antennae anterior to the scape and the ovipositor-guides which are black, the insects are castaneous; the venation brown, with a black stigma; palpi pale brown; mandibles castaneous, teeth black. Doryctes pallida n. sp. ♂. 7.75 mm. Head, scape, hind-coxae, all femora and tibiae light brown. Remainder of antennae, all tarsi, ocellar area, a large area at the back of the head and the abdomen, brown. Fore and mid-coxae, all trochanters and a small section of the tibiae basally, pale amber-coloured. Thorax mostly dark brown, approaching black. Mandibles concolourous with the head, teeth black. Head shining, closely microscopically punctured, vertex and scape covered with apressed, amber-coloured pubescence; frons, clypeus, cheeks, and madibles frontally with longer silvery pubescence, longest on the last three. Thorax with sparse silvery pubescence; pronotum dorsally and metanotum wholly rugulose; the rest closely, microscopically punctured. Lateral metanotal carinae indistinct, the median carina faint, indicated only basally. The basal four-fifths of area between the parapsidal furrows closely covered with apressed, amber-coloured pubescence diverging slightly from a central line, and pointing posteriorly. Abdomen highly polished; first and second segments wholly longitudinally striate; the following also longtudinally striate: anterior lateral half of the third, most of the anterior lateral third of the fourth, and a small part anterior-laterally on the fifth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation dark-brown; suffused with dark-brown pigment, except two areas under the basal end of the stigma and two larger areas close to the apical end of the stigma. These areas are placed near the fore and hind-margins respectively. Hind-wings uniformly and only lightly suffused with brown. Holotype (♂), Karori, Wellington, Autumn 1920, G. V. Hudson. Paratype (♂), Whakapapa 4000 ft., Mt. Ruapehu, January, 1922, G. V. Hudson. Holotype in collection E. S. Gourlay, paratype in collection G. V. Hudson.

Encyrtidae. Neosolindenia n. gen. Female. Head large, transverse, as wide as thorax, shorter than broad, with moderately-excavated antennal furrows. Eyes oval, bare, slightly convergent above; an impressed line from base to insertion of mandibles. Ocelli a little below vertex, in a triangle. Antennae subclavate, not close together and inserted a little below eyes; scape not quite reaching front ocellus, curved; club obliquely truncate, hollowed ventrally. * Possibly occurring only after death, but consistently formed in all specimens examined. In front of the scutellum the mesonotum is depressed for one-third of its length, the depression them dividing into two narrowing furrows running to the pronotum but diverging laterally before reaching it. Axillae triangular, nearly meeting at their inner angles at base of scutellum which is roughly diamond-shaped. Thorax longer than abdomen; ovipositor exserted. Front femora slightly swollen, broadest in apical third; middle tibiae with one spine and having a row of five thick black spines basally at the sides; middle tarsi moderately swollen with thick black spines on joints 1-3; hind-tibiae with a single spur. Male. Resembles female in all but the following points: antennae not tapering; scape shorter; pedicel shorter and broader; flagellum broadly filiform, except for obliquely-truncate apical joint. Mesonotum normal, without depressions, and with indistinct paraspidal furrows running obliquely on their apical two-thirds to sides of mesonotum. Scutellum rounded basally. Middle tibiae and tarsi without spines, tarsi not dilated. Closely approaches the genus Solindenia, from which it differs in having head as wide as thorax, eyes not oblong oval, especially convergent above, nor projecting beyond back part of head; ocelli not close to inner margin of eyes, and in having ovipositor exserted. Neosolindenia cyanea n. sp. ♀ 3.75 mm.; valves of ovipositor extruded 75 mm. Ground colour black, with highly metallic deep blue tints, except where otherwise stated. Antennae short, the flagellar joints widening consecutively to apical which is conical; covered with apressed, thick, black hair; apical joint possessing short, thick, sensory hairs, visible only under high magnification. Eyes black; ocelli transparent golden-brown. Head finely reticulate, except on vertex which is rugulose; with a few short black hairs on vertex, long and pale-brown on face. Thorax finely reticulate; except on mesopleurae covered lightly with silvery hairs; a fringe of apressed long, stiff, black hairs on pronotum basally. Wings iridescent, veins dark-brown. Legs more hairy than thorax; anterior and middle femora with knees and adjoining parts of tibiae, brown; first anterior tarsal joints partly, remainder, wholly dark-brown, last darkest. Middle and hind tarsi differ by anterior half of the first joint being lighter. Tibial spur on middle legs light brown, spines under tarsal joints 1-3 black.

Ovipositor transparent brown; a small anterior part of guides black, the rest consecutively and evenly divided into honey-yellow and dark-brown. ♂ 2.3 mm. Like the female, but differs in minor characters, viz: no sensory hairs on apical joint of antennae; first tarsal joint of middle and hind legs a dirty cream with a slight suffusion of black apically; spur of middle tibiae silvery. This Chalcidoid is parasitic on Limneria mulleri Butl. adults emerging from cocoons of the latter. Holotype (♂), Nelson, collected 31/7/27, emerged 1/12/27, E. S. Gourlay. In collection Cawthron Institute. Allotype (♀), Nelson, collected 31/7/27, emerged 27/10/27, E. S. Gourlay. In collection E. S. Gourlay. Paratypes, a series of nine females and three males. One female was taken by Mr. A. Philpott in Nelson on 7th February, 1921. The following is a record of specimens taken by the writer: six females from Nelson at dates between December 1924 and November 1927; one female from Murchison, 26/1/27, and one from Riccarton Bush, Christchurch, 7/1/24; three males from Nelson, between November and December, 1927. Polmoria barteli n. sp. ♀. 6.5 mm.; valves of ovipositor large and flattened, extruded 1 mm. Ground-colour black, with various metallic colours superimposed, frequently to such an extent that the grand-colour has a darkening influence only. Antennae 12-jointed, black, sparsely clothed with pale short hair, shorter on flagellum; scape curved, slightly reflecting a golden iridescence, pedicel reflecting a rosy iridescence. Head coarsely rugose, finer at ocellar area; face, clypeus, base of clypeus fringed above mandibles except in centre, lower cheeks and palpi, with long silvery hair; at the back basally, sparse long black hair; reflecting subdued golden and rosy metallic colours; mandibles black. Pro- and meso-thorax rugose, with a few scattered hairs; the former subdued metallic greenish-gold; mesothorax rosy and blue metallic on each side of and between parapspidal furrows; the latter greenish-gold, green predominating; the metathorax and episternum finely rugose; spiracles large, oval; tegulae testaceous. Wings iridescent, the fore-wings with a medial longitudinal fuscous band; veins fuscous, post-marginal vein twice as long as stigmal. Knees of femora, tibiae, and tarsi fuscous; last three joints of tarsi and claws darker. Abdomen one and a half times length of thorax, reticulate; possessing a fimbria of a few long black hairs, the other segments scantily covered with short silvery pubescence; metallic greenish-gold with blue, purple and rose tints dorsally on segments 4-6; segments 1 and 2 scaly; greatly incised medially in 1, less in 2. ♂. 4 mm. Differs from female in the following points; antennae 10-jointed; scape shorter; flagellum not hairy, flattened, longitudinally striate. The infuscation in wings is less apparent. The anal fimbria is absent, and there are a few long, pale hairs on abdomen.

In a series of 18 males and 79 females there is great diversity in size, the former ranging from 2 mm. to 4.75 mm. in length, the latter from 4 mm to 6.5 mm. in length. Named after Mr. J. G. Bartel, of Nelson, who kindly permitted the writer access to his private property, where a large series of this species was collected. The host is at present unknown. Holotype (♂), Nelson, 21st October, 1925, E. S. Gourlay. In collection Cawthron Institute. Allotype (♀), Nelson, 2nd November, 1927, E. S. Gourlay. In collection E. S. Gourlay. Partypes, a large number of specimens, enumerated above, taken in Nelson between October 1921 and November 1927, collected by J. G. Bartel and E. S. Gourlay, also a male with the wing-fascia absent, taken by the writer at Riccarton Bush, Christchurch, on 6th October, 1920; four females secured by Mr. A. Philpott in Nelson, Fig. 1.—Thaumasura resplendens n. sp. Disposition of hairs indicated only on metathorax, hind covae and abdomen. between 3rd October, 1921 and 10th October, 1922, and two females, collected by Mr. G. V. Hudson at South Karori, Wellington, 30th. November, 1921 and at Makara Bush; Karori, Wellington, 5th. December, 1925.

Cleonymidae. Thaumasura resplendens n. sp. (Fig. 1). ♀. 8 mm.; to tip of ovipositor 8.5 mm. Head transverse, roughly triangular, with vertex dull green, the rest, with scape and pedicel of antennae, metallic red and green; remainder of antennae black. Pro- and meso-thorax dull green, finely reticulate and having a quilted appearance; metallic green, gold and pink ventrally; metathorax and first abdominal segment shining black, the former with areas around spiracles of brilliant metallic-green bordered with red, and having a fringe of very long silver hairs disposed laterally and basally. Abdomen brilliant metallic-red dorsally, black and slightly metallic ventrally. Legs brown, with coxae and claws black, the former metallic-green, gold and pink underneath. Wings hyaline, venation brown; a small brown fascia distally below the submarginal vein; a larger brown fascia from the stigma, curving downwards and towards base of wing, terminating closer to base of wing than the smaller fascia. Guides of ovipositor black. Closely approaches the Australian species T. silvensis Gir. but differs in the distance between the eyes at the vertex being twice that of T. silvensis, the ovipositor scarcely exserted, in the wingfasciae and minor points of colouration. On the whole, the two species are strikingly similar. Holotype (♀), Karori, Wellington, 17th January, 1909, G. V. Hudson. In collection G. V. Hudson. Paratype (♀), Leslie River, Mt. Arthur, 17th November, 1925, W. Heighway. In collection Cawthron Institute.