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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #370487
Research Project: Systematics of Parasitic and Herbivorous Wasps of Agricultural Importance

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Description of two new Quadrastichus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) reared from Litchiomyia chinensis (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on commercial Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn; Sapindaceae) in Taiwan

Author
item Gates, Michael
item LIN, SHENG-FENG - Chung Hsing University
item YANG, MAN-MIAO - Chung Hsing University
item CHAO, YI-MIN - Chung Hsing University

Submitted to: Journal of Natural History
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/22/2020
Publication Date: 9/23/2020
Citation: Gates, M.W., Lin, S., Yang, M., Chao, Y. 2020. Description of two new Quadrastichus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) reared from Litchiomyia chinensis (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on commercial Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn; Sapindaceae) in Taiwan. Journal of Natural History. 54:635-646.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2020.1779367

Interpretive Summary: The Lychee gall midge is a damaging pest in lychee production in southeast Asia and contributes to yield losses in a crop worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually. We describe two new parasitic wasps that attack the gall midge in Taiwan and contribute to the natural control of this pest. This information will be used by biological control workers, entomologists, and those involved in the production of lychee.

Technical Abstract: The lychee gall midge, Litchiomyia chinensis Yang and Luo (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), invaded Taiwan in 2008. This fly induces blister-galls on the leaves of lychee, Litchi chinensis Sonn (Sapindaceae), and causes significant yield losses. At present, its natural enemy complex is largely undocumented, thus the overall aim of ongoing research is to investigate the natural enemies of L. chinensis in different areas and seasons in Taiwan. We describe two species that parasitize this gall midge: Quadrastichus lasallei, n. sp. and Quadrastichus johnlasallei, n. sp. that demonstrate biocontrol potential of this pest.