Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Florida

 

Title

New Phycitiplex Porter (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Subandean Desert in northwest Argentina  

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

12-2008

Comments

Published in INSECTA MUNDI: A Journal of World Insect Systematics, #0056 (2008). Published by the Center for Systematic Entomology, Inc., Gainseville, FL. http://www.centerforsystematicentomology.org/ Copyright © 2008 by the authors.

Abstract

Abstract. Six new species of Phycitiplex (P. obscurior, P. tricinctus, P. unicinctus, P. peralta, P. trichroma, and P. lepidus) are described from material taken by Malaise trap in a humid ravine at Santa Vera Cruz in the Subandean Desert (Monte) of La Rioja Province (Argentina). These are keyed along with several closely related described species. Except for P. eremnus from central Chile, this genus is known only from the semiarid Chaco and Subandean biogeographic provinces in the northern half of Argentina. The only available host record is of Phycitiplex doddi (Cushman) reared from larvae of Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg), a phycitid moth that attacks prickly pear cacti.

Resumen. Se describen seis especies nuevas de Phycitiplex (P. obscurior, P. tricinctus, P. unicinctus, P. peralta, P. trichroma, y P. lepidus). Todas fueron coleccionadas en una trampa Malaise colocada en una quebrada húmeda cerca de Santa Vera Cruz en el Desierto Subandino (Monte) de la Provincia de La Rioja (Argentina). Se proporciona una clave de éstas junto con varias especies descritas muy afines. Aparte de P. eremnus en Chile central, este género se conoce sólo de las provincias biogeográficas semiáridas del Chaco y Desierto Subandino en la mitad norte de la Argentina. Phycitiplex doddi (Cushman) parasita larvas de Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) que viven en cactáceas del género Opuntia.