The taxonomic status of the parasitoid guild associated with the larvae of Southern Eucalypt Beetle (Chrysophtharta agricola Chapuis) in Tasmania is discussed. The primary larval parasitoid complex comprised the tachinid flies Balde striatum gen. n., sp. n. and Paropsivora australis (Macquart) (Diptera: Tachinidae: Goniinae: Blondeliini), and Eadya paropsidis Huddleston & Short (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), while the hymenopteran hyperparasitoids included Perilampus tasmanicus (Cameron) (Perilampidae), Mesochorus sp. (Ichneumonidae) and possibly Meteorus sp. (Braconidae). Keys are provided to the three adult primary parasitoids and two adult hyperparasitoids, and to the pupae of primary parasitoids. Balde striatum gen. n., sp. n. is described, and P. australis is redescribed. Brief notes on biology are included.
The lower developmental thresholds and thermal constants (day-degree requirements) for three larval parasitoids and one hyperparasitoid were estimated and compared with those of their host, the eucalypt defoliating leaf beetle, Paropsisterna (=Chrysophtharta) agricola Chapuis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Paropsini). The lower developmental thresholds and thermal constants for the primary parasitoids Eadya paropsidis Huddleston and Short (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae), Paropsivora australis Macquart and Balde striatum Rice (Diptera: Tachinidae: Blondeliini) were estimated at 5.9°C, 294 DD (egg to pupa), 6.2°C, 385 DD (egg to adult), and 6.3°C, 345 DD (larva to adult) respectively. Developmental thresholds of all three parasitoids were lower than their host, and all three required fewer day-degrees for generational development than their host. The developmental threshold for Mesochorus sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Mesochorinae), a hyperparasitoid of the tachinid fly, B. striatum, was 9.7°C which is higher than B. striatum, the primary host and P. agricola, the secondary host. The thermal constant of 333 DD for Mesochorus sp. is also lower than its primary and secondary host.
Procontarinia pustulata sp. n. is described from northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. Larvae feed on mango Mangifera indica causing blister-like galls on leaves. The new species pupates in the soil. The genus Procontarinia Kieffer & Cecconi contains 15 named and several unnamed species, all of which feed on mango, with several being pests of cultivated mango worldwide. Procontarinia pustulata sp. n. differs from its congeners in morphology and gall anatomy as well as DNA sequence of COI. A simple technique is presented for rearing soil-pupating gall midges in tropical region.
Examination of Delphacini holdings in Australian insect collections and comparison with material from overseas collections has revealed several species not previously recorded from Australia, Timor Leste and/or Papua New Guinea. Newly recorded species from Australia are Anchodelphax olenus Fennah, Cemus sauteri (Muir), Falcotoya aurinia Fennah, Hagamiodes fuscicaudata (Muir), Horcoma colorata lacteipennis (Muir), Latistria placitus (van Duzee), Nemetor sabinus Fennah, Nilaparvata bakeri (Muir), Nilaparvata myersi (Muir), Numata corporaali (Muir), Nycheuma coctum (Yang), Perkinsiella bakeri (Muir), Rhombotoya pseudonigripennis (Muir), Tagosodes pusanus (Distant), Toya bridwelli (Muir). Newly recorded species from Timor Leste are Falcotoya aurinia, Horcoma colorata lacteipennis, Latistria placitus, Nycheuma coctum and Tagosodes pusanus. Newly recorded species from Papua New Guinea are Hagamiodes fuscicaudata and Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén). An updated checklist of Australian Delphacini is provided. [Correction added on 19 December 2013, after first online publication: 'Laodelphax striatellus' has been removed from the list of newly recorded species.]
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