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Title: A REVISION OF BOOTANIA DALLA TORRE AND RECOGNITION OF MACRODASYCERAS KAMIJO(HYMENOPTERA: TORYMIDAE)

Author
item Grissell, Edward
item DESJARDINS, CHRISTOPHER - UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

Submitted to: Journal of Hymenoptera Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/5/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Pandanus (screwpine) plants are of great economic importance to inhabitants of the Indo-Pacific area, providing edible leaves, fruits, and seeds, spices and flavorings, and fiber for baskets, roofing materials, and various domestic articles. Several species of Pandanus, including the Tahitian screwpine, have been introduced into Hawaii and Puerto Rico. In this paper we review a group of wasps that attack and kill pandanus seeds. Twelve species of wasp are described, four of which are new, and each is illustrated and methods are given for identifying them. This information will be useful for pest managers working with Pandanus and for propagators who harvest seed.

Technical Abstract: The genus Bootania Dalla Torre is revised and the genus Macrodasyceras Kamijo is removed from synonymy with it and returned to generic rank (revised status). Species included in Bootania are: gigantea (Girault), leucospoides (Walker), maxima (Strand), neocaledonica (Milliron), pilicornis (Cameron), ruficeps (Cameron), solomonensis (Milliron), and titanus (Girault). Species removed from Bootania to the genus Macrodasyceras are hirsutum Kamijo and japonicus (Ashmead) (both revised combinations). In this paper, redescriptions are given for the 8 known species of Bootania, and 4 new species are described: B. orba Desjardins and Grissell, B. moorea Desjardins and Grissell, B. fascia Grissell and Desjardins, and B. xestos Grissell and Desjardins. A lectotype is designated for B. gigantea. The holotype of B. neocaledonica is reported missing. An illustrated key is given for all species. Seven of the 12 known nspecies have been reared from seeds of Pandanus and 1 was collected on Pandanus. Although hosts are unknown for the other 4 species it is likely that they are associated with the same host plant. Species of Bootania are Australasian, ranging from Bhutan, Burma, and Sri Lanka in the northwest, eastward to Republic of China and southward through Borneo/Sarawak, the Solomons, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Fiji, Moorea, and eastern Australia.