Friday, January 17, 2020

[Entomology • 2020] Review of the New World Genus Acrotaphus Townes, 1960 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae), with Descriptions of Fifteen New Species


Acrotaphus sp.

in Pádua, Sääksjärvi, Monteiro & Oliveira, 2020.

Abstract
Acrotaphus Townes, 1960 is a moderately large New World genus of spider attacking parasitoid wasps. Previously, it comprised 11 species. The present study aims to review the genus, and includes descriptions of 15 new speciesA. amajari sp. n., A. amazonicus sp. n., A. bodoquenaensis sp. n., A. cuzconus sp. n., A. dolichopus sp. n., A. homeofranklini sp. n., A. jackiechani sp. n., A. kourou sp. n., A. micrus sp. n., A. monotaenius sp. n., A. nambilloensis sp. n., A. pseudoamazonicus sp. n., A. pseudomexicanus sp. n., A. venezuelanus sp. n. and A. zampieronae sp. n.. In addition, we present new characters for the study of the genus and describe the male genitalia for the first time. An illustrated key and maps to the species of the genus are provided. Acrotaphus franklini Gauld, 1991 and A. pseudoamazonicus sp. n. were recorded from the nests of Trypoxylon (Trypargilumlactitarse Saussure, 1867 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae).

Keywords: Hymenoptera, Amazonia, biodiversity, koinobiont, Neotropical, parasitoids, Polysphincta genus group, rain forest, spiders, South America, taxonomy




Acrotaphus wiltii (Cresson, 1870)


Diego G. Pádua, Ilari E. Sääksjärvi, Ricardo F. Monteiro and Marcio L. Oliveira. 2020. Review of the New World genus Acrotaphus Townes, 1960 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae), with Descriptions of Fifteen New Species. Zootaxa.  4719(1); 1-62. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4719.1.1

15 new species of parasitic wasp discovered that "zombify" spiders newatlas.com/science/new-species-parasitic-wasp-zombify-spiders/