ARS | Publication request: A new species of Chaneusa (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared from Hydrellia pakistanae and Hydrellia sarahae laticapsula Diptera: Ephydridae) infesting Hydrilla verticillata (Alismatales: Hydrocharitaceae) in India and Pakistan

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: December 4, 2008
Publication Date: March 15, 2009
Citation: Kula, R.R. 2009. A new species of Chaneusa (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared from Hydrellia pakistanae and Hydrellia sarahae laticapsula Diptera: Ephydridae) infesting Hydrilla verticillata (Alismatales: Hydrocharitaceae) in India and Pakistan. Florida Entomologist. 92(1):139-146.

Interpretive Summary: Parasitic wasps attack agricultural and forest pests that cause billions of dollars of damage to crops and forests annually. They also attack economically important natural enemies and are considered pests when they disrupt biological control. The wasp treated in this paper is new to science and attacks leaf-mining flies used for classical biological control of a federally listed noxious aquatic weed in the United States. Increased knowledge of this wasp can help determine how parasitic wasps influence populations of leaf-mining flies on aquatic plants. The wasp is named, described, and differentiated from similar species in this paper. Information on the biology and distribution of this wasp is also provided. This paper will be useful to scientists, as well as state and federal personnel, involved in aquatic weed biological control.

Technical Abstract: Chaenusa glabra Kula, new species from India and Pakistan is described, and sexual dimorphism is reported and discussed. A diagnosis is provided to differentiate it from all other species of Chaenusa Haliday sensu lato. It was reared from Hydrellia pakistanae Deonier and Hydrellia sarahae laticapsula Deonier infesting Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royale during foreign exploration for natural enemies of H. verticillata and in quarantine at the Florida Biological Control Laboratory in Gainesville. It is the first species of Chaenusa described from the Oriental Region and the only species of Chaenusa known to attack species of Hydrellia Robineau-Desvoidy infesting plants from a genus other than Potamogeton L.