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Distribution |
Afrotropical region: South Africa, Tanzania. |
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Biology |
Parasitoid of
Quadrastichus erythrinae Kim an
invasive gall
former on the leaves, petioles and twigs of Coral trees (Erythrina
species, Fabaceae) and of
Quadrastichus
ingens
Prinsloo & Kelly associated with Erythrina latissima.
Two other described species of Aprostocetus and 3 other
described species of Quadrastichus are associated with
Erythrina galls (Prinsloo & Kelly 2009). In addition the species
Eurytoma erythrinae is believed to be a parasitoid of the eulophid
gall inducers (Gates & Delvare 2008). Together with the Eurytoma
species, Aprostocetus exertus has the potential to be a
biocontrol agent of the Erythina Gall Wasp
Quadrastichus
erythrinae,
which is rapidly spreading around the world (La Salle
et al. 2009). |
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References |
Gates, M. & Delvare, G. 2008.
A new species of Eurytoma
(Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) attacking Quadrastichus spp.
(Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) galling Erythrina spp. (Fabaceae), with
a summary of African Eurytoma biology and species checklist.
Zootaxa 175: 1–24.
Kim, I.-K., Delvare, G. & La Salle, J. 2004. A new species of
Quadrastichus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae): a gall inducing pest on
Erythrina spp. (Fabaceae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research
13: 243–249.
La Salle, J., Ramadan, M. & Kumashiro, B.R. 2009.
A new
parasitoid of the Erythrina Gall Wasp, Quadrastichus erythrinae Kim
(Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Zootaxa 2083: 19–26.
Prinsloo, G. L. & Kelly, J.A. 2009.
The tetrastichine
wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae) associated with galls on
Erythrina species (Fabaceae) in South Africa, with the description of five
new species. Zootaxa 2083: 27–45. |
Credits
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Photographs
of museum specimens including SEM images ©
Nicole Fisher (CSIRO); photographs of
living specimens including larva ©
Mohsen Ramadan (Hawaii Department of Agriculture). Bottom photograph of
adult female © Gerhard Prinsloo &
Janine Kelly (ARC).
Map illustration ©
Simon van Noort (Iziko Museums of South Africa).
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