Gonatocerus fasciatus Girault, 1911

(Figs 17, 18)

Type locality

Arlington, Arlington Co., Virginia, USA.

Material examined

USA. CALIFORNIA, Siskiyou Co., Hwy. 3, 4.7 km SW of Yreka, 41°40’39’’N, 122°43’23’’W, 1.v.2005, R.A. Rakitov [1 female, 1 male, UCRC]. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Washington, Rock Creek Park, 38°55’23’’N, 77°02’55’’W, 25.v.2004, E.F. Drake [2 females, 1 male, UCRC]. FLORIDA: Jefferson Co., Monticello, 1.xi.2001, R. Mizell, III [1 female, UCRC]. GEORGIA: Houston Co., near Centerville, 32°38’03.3’’N, 83°43’06.4’’W, 131 m, 21.vi.2004, S.V. Triapitsyn, T. Cottrell [1 female, UCRC]. Peach Co., Byron, 22.vi.2004, S.V. Triapitsyn (emerged 24–30.vi.2004 at UCR quarantine from eggs of H. coagulata and O. orbona on leaves of crape myrtle, magnolia, etc.) [numerous females and males, UCRC]. ILLINOIS, Hardin Co., Elizabethtown, 5.viii.1932, H.L. Dozier [2 females, USNM]. KENTUCKY, Breckenridge Co., Axtel, 30.v–2.vi.2003, A. Ray, M. Buffington [2 females, UCRC]. MARYLAND: Frederick Co., Thurmont, 39°37’28’’N, 77°26’17’’W, 100’, 28.v.2004, E.F. Drake [1 male, UCRC]. Wicomico Co., Parsonsburg, 11–20.viii.2000, S. & M. Gondal [4 females, UCRC]. MISSISSIPPI, Washington Co., nr. Stoneville, Delta Exp. Forest, 33°29’N, 90°55’W, 20.iv–3.v.1999, N.M. Schiff [1 female, UCDC]. NORTH CAROLINA, Carteret Co., Morehead City, 20–27.viii.2000, M. Wuenschel [2 females, UCRC]. OHIO, Clermont Co., Williamsburg, 39°05’N, 84°02’W, 11–17.v.1997, D.E. Russell [1 female, UCDC]. PENNSYLVANIA, Montgomery Co., Lansdale, 30.vi–5.vii.2001, R. Kaufhold [1 female, UCRC]. TEXAS, numerous specimens of both sexes collected in various years during April­June in Bosque, Brazos, Polk, and Tyler Counties [TAMU].

Diagnosis

Body length 560–1320 (Triapitsyn et al. 2003). The main distinguishing features of this species are as follows (mostly after Huber 1988). Head and mesosoma brown to dark brown, gaster mostly yellow or pinkish (often in live or freshly preserved specimens) with brown bands on terga. Longitudinal sensilla present only on F5–F8 of the female antenna. Submedial carinae on the propodeum incomplete, not reaching the dorsellum. Forewing (Fig. 17) with a faint uniform brown tinge beyond venation and a distinct brown fascia between the stigmal vein and the wing’s posterior margin; cubital row of microtrichia complete, extending to base of marginal vein. Habitus of the female is shown in Fig. 18.

Distribution

USA (northern California [new record], District of Columbia [new record], Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky [new record], Louisiana, Maryland [new record], Mississippi [new record], Missouri, North Carolina [new record], Ohio [new record], Pennsylvania [new record], South Carolina [new record], Tennessee, Texas, Virginia). The species was first introduced into California from Louisiana (Triapitsyn et al. 2003) and later released there against H. coagulata (Pilkington et al. 2005) .

Hosts

Homalodisca coagulata (Say), Oncometopia orbona (Fabricius) (Triapitsyn et al. 2003), and Paraulacizes irrorata (Fabricius) (Tipping et al. 2006) . Some aspects of the biology of G. fasciatus were studied by Irvin and Hoddle (2005a, b).

Comments

This is the only known gregarious species among the North American Gonatocerus egg parasitoids of Proconiini (Triapitsyn et al. 2003). Its exit holes can be easily recognized by their number (two, rarely three) and position (at the opposite ends of the host egg if only two holes are present) per each host egg (Fig. 19). By finding old, parasitized egg masses of Proconiini with such exit holes I was able to document during August 2004 presence of G. fasciatus in Yamassee, South Carolina (in eggs of H. coagulata and O. orbona on crape myrtle) and also at several locations in North Carolina: Garner (in eggs of H. coagulata on crape myrtle), near Greensboro (in eggs of O. orbona on crape myrtle), and near Warsaw (in eggs of H. coagulata on an undetermined tree).

The recent discovery of G. fasciatus in northern California among the specimens collected near Yreka, Siskiyou Co. by R.A. Rakitov at a site where a native sharpshooter, Cuerna unica Nielson, occurs (R.A. Rakitov, personal communication), suggests that this species is native there (also because it is very far away from the areas of southern California where it was released against H. coagulata).