Biosystematic studies of Ceylonese wasps
| dc.contributor.author | Krombein, Karl V. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-09-09T07:23:48Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-09-09T07:23:48Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1979 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Sclerogibba embiidarum (Kieffer), 1925, from Sri Lanke is redescribed, as well as two new species, S. taprobanana from Sri Lanka and S. aridicola from Sri Lanka and South India. 1. The preceding number in this series is "A Monograph of the Ampulicidae (Hymenoptera: Spheccidea)," IN PRESS, Smithson. Contrib. Zool. 298, Members of the Sclerogibbidae ee amigue among Chrysidoidea (olim ethyloidea) in having many more antennal segments than the normal 12 Se 3 and in having nymphs of Embioptera as their hosts. Fenstes (figs. 1-3) annot be confused with those of any other family of aculeate wasps. The seg-eaanenbed antennae and enormously expanded fore femora are unique. 1e winged males are also readily recognized, for they have many-segmented itennae and the fore femora are enlarged though not so greatly as in females. The only sclerogibbid described from Ceylonis Mystrocnemis embiidarum effer, 1925. During my field work in Sri Lanka we collected both sexes of e new species and females of a second new species. Richards (1939) placed five genera in the synonymy of Sclerogibba. obably some of these will have to be resurrected as valid genera when generic reclassification is based on the numerous and as yet unstudied lerogibbids reared by E.S. Ross. Two genera are represented among the Ceylonese species, but I am . icribing all in Sclerogibba because of the uncertain status of Mystrocnemis ‘ffer. Two species known only from females, S. embiidarum and S. taprobanana, belong to typical Sclerogibba Rigg. and Stef.-Perez; both have simple (i.e., dentate) tarsal Claws a bidentate mandibles, and lack a pair of antero- eral pits on the scutum. S. aridicola may belong to Mystrocnemis, a genus ced in synonymy by Richards, but until the unique holotype can be relocated topotypic material made available, certain ambiguities in Kieffer's ginal description cannot be clarified. ‘Both sexes of S. aridicola have ubapical tooth on all tarsal claws, females have tridentate mandibles a pair of anterolateral scutal pits, and males have a small discoidal 1, meking a total of six closed cells in the forewing. The male of crassifemorata Rigg. and Stef.-Perez, the type-species of Sclerogibba,has Simple tarsal claws: and tive closed cells in the forewing, the discoidal cell lacking. The holotype of 6. ehbiYdarn was reared from a specimen of Oligotoma greeniana Enderlein from Colombo, a locality where the annual rainfall is 100-150 inches. My two species were collected in several localities in the Dry Zone where the annual rainfall ranges from 50 to 75 inches. The two males of S. aridicola were collectéd ina Malaise trap, and the females ofS. taprobanana andS. aridicola were found crawling on the ground among leaf litter. Three species of Embioptera were collected - a yellow pan trap placed among leaf litter at Palatupana, where both female species were collected. The former were Oligotoma humbertiana (Saussure), QO, saundersii (Westwood) and Apothonia ceylonica (Enderlein); all of these are otentialoy 3 Pp hosts of the two sclerogibbids. Considering the cryptic habitats preferred.by sclerogibbids, I believe that other species still remain to be collected in Sri Lanka, particularly in the Wet Zone areas of much higher rainfall. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir.lib.pdn.ac.lk/handle/20.500.14444/775 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of Peradeniya | |
| dc.subject | Zoology | |
| dc.subject | Wasps | |
| dc.subject | Sri Lanka | |
| dc.title | Biosystematic studies of Ceylonese wasps | |
| dc.type | Thesis |