Report on a collection of Bethylidae (hymenoptera) from Central Florida

6 Pages·1997·2.5 MB·

by  H E Evans

PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH.
99(1), 1997, pp. 174-179
REPORT ON A COLLECTION OF BETHYLIDAE (HYMENOPTERA) FROM
CENTRAL FLORIDA
Howard E. Evans and Stuart M. Fullerton
CO
(HEE) Department of Entomology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 80523,
U.S.A.; (SMF) Department ofBiology, University ofCentral Florida, Orlando, FL 32816-
2368, U.S.A.
—
Abstract. About 3200 specimens representing 51 species of Bethylidae were taken,
primarily in Malaise traps, at 5 sites in Orange Co., and one site in Seminole Co., Florida.
These are listed, with habitats and dates of collection. One new species is described:
Bakeriella mira Evans. Range extensions are indicated for four species, and one new
synonymy is made.
Key Words: Hymenoptera, Bethylidae, wasps, Florida
Beginning in 1990, biologists at the Uni- in remarkable numbers, for example 817
versity of Central Florida (UCF) have sur- males and 9 females of Pseudisobrachium
veyed the arthropod fauna of the campus, flaviventre (Kieffer). Such figures suggest
using Malaise traps and a variety of other that some Bethylidae are much more plen-
sampling techniques. The university was tiful than commonly realized. To the best of
founded in 1963 on an 1100 acre plot of our knowledge, no species of Pseudiso-
land that had previously been a cattle ranch. brachium has ever been reared from a host.
Malaise traps were set up in four ecologi- Females have been found in ant nests, but
cally distinct sites on campus and were it is uncertain whether they attack the lar-
maintained throughout the year, being emp- vae of ants or of their beetle myrmeco-
tied every 4-5 days. Specimens were col- philes. Clearly there is much room for re-
lected in cyanide prior to 1995, in that year search.
and 1996 in 70% isopropyl alcohol. Traps The collection includes one previously
were of the design of Townes (1972) with undescribed species and four range exten-
some modifications. Fine-meshed cloth was sions, two of them unexpected reports of
used, in some cases all black, in others species of more tropical distribution. One
black and white. Two Malaise traps were new synonymy is made on the basis of se-
also set up outside the campus, one at Rock ries ofmales and females formerly assigned
Springs Run State Reserve, 40 km NW of to different species.
the UCF campus, and one at the home of
SMF in Oviedo, 9 km N ofthe campus. The Collection Sites
last locality is in Seminole Co., the others The collection sites are referred to by
in Orange Co. number in the list that follows.
A report on the Bethylidae seems justi- 1. A disturbed area of long leafand slash
fied because of the large number of speci- pine (Pinus palustris Mill, and P. elliottii
mens taken (3200) and the diversity of the Engelm.), turkey oak (Quercus laevis Wal-
fauna (51 species). Some species occurred ter), and saw palmetto {Serenoa repens
VOLUME 99, NUMBER 1 175
(Bartr.). This site has not been burned for Subfamily Pristocerinae
many years and now bears many sand
UCF Pristocera armifera (Say). 7 9 9, 87 66.
pines, Pinus clausa (Engelm.) Sarg.
May-Dec. Sites L 2, 4.
campus.
2. A scrub growing on fossil sand dunes P. atra Klug. 2 9 9, 218 66. Throughout
the year. Sites 1, 2, 5.
Fwliothridvaegertoastieomnartyhat(Cienrcaltuidoelsa saernidcopiidnees, P. bridwelli Evans. 1 6. June. Site 1. New
record for Florida.
Michx.), saw palmetto, and scrub oaks
P. fraterna Evans. 7 9 9, 142 66.
{Quercus geminata Small, Q. myrtifolia
Throughout the year, all sites.
Willd., and Q. chapmani Sargent, in order
Apenesia parapolita (Evans). 2 9 9, 30
of abundance), and lyonias, Lyonia ferru-
6 6. Throughout the year. Sites 1, 2, 5.
ginea (Walt.) Nutt. and L. lucida (Lam.)
Dissomphalus apertus Kieffer. 21 66.
Koch. UCF campus.
May-Sept. Sites 3, 4.
3. Cypress dome, consisting of pond cy- D. barberi Evans. 1 6. Oct. Site 6. New
press (Taxodium ascendens Brogn.), mai-
record for Florida.
dencane (Panicum hemitomon Schultes),
wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera L.), dahoon D. kansanus Evans. 1 6. Oct. Site 1.
Pseudisobrachium arenarium Evans. 807
holly {Ilex cassine L.), and gallberry {Ilex
glabra L.). The trap was about 3 m out in 6 6. Throughout the year. Sites 1, 2, 5,
6. See note below.
tUhCeFwactaemrpauts.the middle of the cypress ring. P. ashmeadi Evans. 73 66. Jan.-Feb.,
June-Dec. Sites 1, 2, 4, 5, 6.
4. Site near a nyssa pond (Nyssa sylva-
P. carolinianum Evans. 59 6 6 Jan., June-
tica Marsh) that was wet for a large part of .
Nov. Site 5.
the year; an area adjacent to the site has
P. flaviventre (Kieffer). 9 9 9, 817 6 6.
since been developed as a retention pond.
Throughout the year. Sites 1, 2, 4, 6. See
Vegetation consists of long leaf and slash
note below.
pine, saw palmetto, shining lyonia, Lyonia
P. rufiventre (Ashmead). 49 6 6. Jan.,
lucida (Lam.) Koch, and assorted grasses.
UCF campus. Apr.-Dec. Sites 1, 2, 5, 6.
5. Rock Springs Run State Reserve. This
Subfamily Epyrinae
is a 356 acre parcel of land that has not
been burned within the last 40-50 years. Rhabdepyris amabilis Fonts. 5 6 6. May—
Predominant vegetation is sand pine and Aug. Sites 2, 4, 5.
sand live oak {Quercus geminata Small), R. carolinianus Evans. 8 9 9, 35 66.
with a secondary mixture of myrtle oak {Q. May-Sept. Sites 1, 2.
myrtifolia Willd.), Chapman's oak {Q. R. mellipes Evans. 1 9. May. Site 4.
chapmani Sargent), saw palmetto, and Flor- R. muesebecki Evans. 3 6 6. June, July.
ida rosemary. Sites 1, 3.
6. A rural yard in an older neighborhood Anisepyris analis (Cresson). 59 9 9, 29
of Oviedo. One side of the trap faced a 66. Jan.-Nov. Sites L 2, 4, 5, 6.
moderately cultivated yard, with weeds and A. bradleyi (Evans). 1 9. July. Site 2.
a mixture of native and exotic plants; the A. columbianus (Ashmead). 6 9 9, 18 6 6.
other side faced an abandoned fieldthat was Jan., Apr.-Aug. Sites 1, 2, 5.
once a citrus orchard. A. gibbosifrons Evans. 1 6. June. Site 6.
Flight intercept trap.
List of Species A. grandis (Ashmead). 31 9 9, 210 6 6.
Listing of genera follows Evans (1978), Throughout the year. All six sites.
with species of each genus listed alphabet- A. subviolaceus Kieffer. 1 9, 8 dd. May-
ically. Aug. Sites 1, 2, 4, 5.
176 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
Epyris alachua Evans. 4 9 9. Mar., May, G. hubbardi Howard. 6 9 9. Feb., Mar.,
July. Sites 2, 6. June, Dec. Sites 1, 4, 6.
E. deficiens Krombein. 4 9 9, 20 6 6. G. indigens Evans. 5 9 9. May. Site 2.
Throughout the year. Sites 1, 2, 5. Flight intercept trap.
E.festivus Evans. 29 9 9,2A 66. Through- G. nigrifemurAshmead. 10 9 9. Feb., Mar.,
out the year. Sites 1, 2, 3, 5. See note May, Sept., Oct. Sites 1, 2, 3, 6.
below. G. scitulus Evans. 3 9 9. Apr., Aug., Oct.
E. myrmecophilus (Brues). 1 9, 13 66. Sites 2, 6.
Throughout the year. Sites 1, 2. G. Seminole Evans. 9 9 9. Jan., Feb., Apr.,
E. oriplanus Kieffer. 1 9,266. May, July, June-Nov. Sites 2, 4, 5.
Dec. Sites 1, 2.
E. nifipes (Say). 39 9 9, 182 c? J. Through- Notes and Descriptions of
Individual Species
out the year. All six sites.
E. spissus Evans. 20 9 9,6 6 6. Through- Pseudisobrachium arenarium Evans
E.oturtictohsetayteuasr.EvSaitness. 1,1 29,,31. 6. July, Aug. gatTihiimsgsrpoeucpieosfiEsvaanmsem(1b9e6r1),ofinthwehpircohlotnh-e
Sites 1, 2.
mandibles ofthe male are 5-toothed, butthe
Bakeriella mira Evans, n. sp. described be-
third and fourth teeth are very small and
low. 2 6 6. June, July. Site 1. may be partially or even wholly fused, re-
Holepyrisfloridanus (Ashmead). 3 9 9, 18
sulting in 4-toothed mandibles. Of the 807
66. Throughout the year. Sites 1, 2, 5, 6.
H. graminis Evans. 1 9,16 6. Jan., June- mhaalveesoncollylefcotuerd diinsttihnicst smtaunddy,ibu2l3a3r(t2e9et%h).
Nov. Sites 1, 2, 4, 5, 6. These are mainly smaller males and are eas-
H.Juhliys.pSaintieosla1e, 2E,v5a.nTs.wo3 9999,tak1en6.inAfplirg.h-t ailryencaornifuumsetdhewimtihnirmufuimvenwtirde.thHoofwetvheerf,ronisn
intercept trap. See note below.
barely if at all exceeds eye height and the
H. lautus Evans. 1 9, 21 6 6. Throughout antennae are more elongate, segment 3 be-
the year. Sites 1, 2, 4, 5, 6.
ing about twice as long as wide.
H. micidus Evans. 2 9 9,9 6 6. May, July-
Dec. Sites 1, 2, 6. Pseudisobrachiumflaviventre (Kieffer)
H. subapterus (Melander and Brues). 2 9 9.
May. Site 2. Correct association of the sexes in this
H. subtilis Evans. 1 9, 2> 6 6. May, Aug., genus is difficult, as males are commonly
Sept. Sites 1, 2, 3. 9 taken in flight in- taken sweeping, in traps, or at light, while
tercept trap. See note below. females are usually found in ant nests. In
Laelius centratus (Say). 1 9. April. Site 6. this case the 9 females may have been car-
Scleroderma macrogaster (Ashmead). 3 ried into malaise traps by males through
9 9 Apr.-May. Site 6. phoretic copulation, as is known to occur in
. other Pristocerinae. These females are min-
Subfamily Bethylinae ute, varying in body length from 2 to 3 mm,
in head length from 0.40 to 0.53 mm;
Prosierola bicarinata (Brues). 1 9. July. length of the head varies from 1.25 to 1.42
Site 6. times width ofthe head. This stands in con-
Gonioziis cohimbianiis Ashmead. 1 9. Feb. trast to the female rufiventre, in which the
mm
Site 4. head is 0.68 to 0.8 long and 1.1 to 1.2
G.floridanus (Ashmead). 1 9. Aug. Site 2. times as long as wide. The mandibles ofthe
G.fratellus Evans. 2 9 9. Mar., Oct. Site 2. 9 flaviventre females are basically biden-
G. hortoriiin Brues. 3 9 9. Mar., May, Aug. tate, but in 5 specimens a small knob basad
Sites 1, 4. ofthe uppermost tooth can be detected, and
VOLUME 99, NUMBER 1 177
in 2 a small third tooth is present. By and brown; wings hyaline. Median lobe ofclyp-
large, these specimens key well toflaviven- eus obtusely angulate; antennal scrobes not
tre in the keys to females presented by carinate; genae not carinate. Scape about
Evans (1961, 1978). twice as long as thick; first 4 antennal seg-
Some of the characters previously used ments in a ratio of 17:7:7:10. Head about
for identification of males have proved of as wide as high; eyes weakly convergent
doubtful reliability. The most useful feature below, not hairy; width of frons 0.58 times
for identifying maleflaviventre is the com- width of head, 1.10 times height of eye.
pact, pale yellowish to reddish-brown an- Ocelli in a right triangle, ocello-ocular line
tennae, in which the outer flagellar seg- subequal to width of ocellar triangle. Frons
ments (except the last) are no longer than weakly shining, alutaceous, with small, se-
wide. In contrast, male rufiventre have tigerous punctures separated by somewhat
brown antennae in which the outer flagellar more than their own diameters.
segments are distinctly longer than wide. Thoracic dorsum similarly alutaceous
and punctate, bearing short, brown hairs.
Epyris festivus Evans Pronotum with anterior lateral angles sharp
This is a member of the depressigaster and slightly protuberant; lateral margins
group of Evans (1969), in which the ab- concave, paralleled internally by a foveo-
domen of the female is strongly depressed late groove; anterior margin of disc elevat-
and bears one or more hyaline plates ven- ed, the elevation extended broadly back-
trally. In characterizing the group, Evans ward, then slightly emarginate, margins of
suggested the possibility that members of the elevation foveolate; posterior pronotal
the idionotum group might represent the margin simple (Fig. 1). Mesoscutum with
male sex. Collection of 29 females offes- deeply impressed, somewhat foveolate no-
tivus and 24 males of idionotum at similar tauli that are progressively more slenderan-
times and sites makes it clear that these are teriorly, reaching the pronotum as thin
female and male of one species. While lines. Scutellum flat, with two large pits
pronotal structure is very different, there is separated by slightly less than their own di-
similarity in the dark olive-green coloration ameters. Propodeal disc 1.15 times as wide
as well as in the 9 or 10 parallel propodeal as long, with a complete median carina
carinae. This is a new synonymy, festivus flanked by 4 incomplete, more irregular ca-
having page priority over idionotum; both rinae between which the surface is foveo-
were described by Evans in 1969. late; sides of disc weakly transversely stri-
ate, posterior margin carinate. Mesopleu-
Bakeriella mira Evans, new species rum with a large, bowl-shaped median pit
Holotype.—d, FLORIDA: Orange Co., and two smaller anterior pits; lower margin
UCE Orlando, VII-22-93; LLP-sand pine, with a weakly foveolate longitudinal carina
turkey oak; Malaise trap, S.M. Fullerton (Fig. 2).
collector (National Museum ofNatural Hi—s- Variation.—The paratype is slightly larg-
tory, Smithsonian Institution). Paratype. er than the type, body length measuring 4.9
(5, same data except collected VI-7-96 mm, fore wing 2.9 mm. Resemblance to the
(Florida State Collection of Arthro—pods). type is very close, but there are two minor
Description of holotype male. Length differences in sculpturing: the scutellar pits
4.2 mm, fore wing 2.7 mm. Black; antenna are not quite as wide and are separated by
bright reddish-brown, apical two segments approximately their greatest diameters; and
darkened; palpi light brown; mandible there are only 3 well-defined propodeal ca-
black basally, reddish apically; tegula light rinae, the 2 irregular carinae close beside
brown; coxae and mid and hind femora the median carina being less well formed
black, fore femur and all tibiae and tarsi than in the type.
178 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
Figs. 1, 2. Bakeriella mini, holotype. 1, Dorsal aspect ofthorax and propodeum. 2, Lateral aspect of me-
sopleurum, anterior margin to the right. Figures not drawn to same scale.
—
Remarks. This striking species is to the 1 1 species having an anterior trans-
known from only two specimens. The form verse carina on the pronotum.
of the anterior elevation of the pronotum is
unique in the genus. Well separated scutel- Holepyris hispaniolae Evans
lar pits such as those in mira occur in only This species was described by Evans
one other known species ofBakeriella, cris- (1977) from a single female from Constan-
tata Evans, known from Brazil, Bolivia, za, Dominican Republic. Three females
and Argentina (Evans, 1964, 1979). Only from sites 2 and 5 agree very closely with
one other species of Bakeriella is known the type and represent a notable range ex-
—
from the United States:floridana Evans, re- tension not however without precedent,
ported from Dade Co., Florida, also from since Bakeriella floridana Evans and Ani-
Jamaica. This species differs in many de- sepyris aurichalceus (Westwood) alsooccur
tails from mira: the scutellar pits are sepa- both in Florida and in the West Indies. A
rated by a thin septum, the pronotum has a inale from site 1 almost certainly represents
transverse carina across the front, and the the previously unknown male of this spe-
mesopleurum lacks a large median depres- cies. In the key of Evans (1958) it runs to
sion. floridanus (Ashmead) but the prominently
Twenty-three species of this neotropical 5-carinate propodeum (similar to that ofthe
genus are now known. Evans (1979) pro- female) and the broader head distinguish it
vided a key for 18 ofthese. Azevedo (1991, readily. The head is about as wide as high;
1994) has recently added three species of width of the frons is 0.61 times width of
Bakeriella from Brazil and presented a key the head, 1.27 times height of the eye. The
VOLUME 99, NUMBER 1 179
antennae are wholly brown, the coxae Literature Cited
black, femora light brown, tibiae and tarsi
CO.
testaceous. Azevedo, 1991. Especie nova e notas sobre
Bakeriella Kieffer (Hymenoptera. Bethylidae) da
Holepyris subtilis Evans regiao de Sao Carlos, SR Revista Brasileira de
This species was described from Costa Entomologia 35: 535-538.
Rica and Panama, with a single female . 1994. Descriptions of two new species and
notes on the genus Bakeriella Kiefferfrom Brazil
from southern California and a single male and Ecuador (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae). Journal
from southern Arizona (Evans, 1978). It is ofHymenoptera Research 3: 145—150.
a distinctive species, males lacking erect Evans, H. E. 1961. A revision of the genus Pseudi-
pubescence on the flagellum and having 5 sobrachium in North and Central America (Hy-
propodeal carinae with two shorter carinae menoptera, Bethylidae). Bulletin of the Museum
ofComparative Zoology Harvard 125: 211-318.
laterad of these. Females are one of only . 1964. AsynopsisoftheAmericanBethylidae
two American species lacking a transverse (Hymenoptera, Aculeata). BulletinoftheMuseum
pronotal carina; the frons is unusually nar- ofComparative Zoology Harvard 132: 1-222.
row, the minimum width in this instance . 1969. A revision of the genus Epyris in the
only 0.70 times the eye height; the antennal Americas (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae). Transac-
tions of the American Entomological Society 95:
scape is fully 6.5 times as long as thick.
181-352.
Three males from sites 1 and 3 and a female . 1977. A revision of the genus Holepyris in
from site 2 represent a major range exten- the Americas (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae). Trans-
sion for this species. actions of the American Entomological Society
103: 531-579.
Acknowledgments
. 1978. The Bethylidae of America north of
We thank Karl V. Krombein, Smithsoni- Mexico. American Entomological Institute Mem-
an Institution, for lending us several types oir 27, 332 pp.
from the National Museum of Natural His- . 1979. A reconsideration of the genus Bak-
tory. We also thank Jon C. Longhurst and eNreiewllaYo(rHkymEenntoopmtoelroag:icBaelthSyolciideatey).87J:ou2r5n6al-2o6f6.the
David W. Hanf for help with the Malaise Townes, H. 1972. A light-weight Malaise trap. Ento-
trap monitoring. mological News 83: 239-247.