Monograph of the Afrotropical species of Scelio Latreille (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae), egg parasitoids of acridid grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae)

Parasitic wasps of the genus Scelio (Hymenoptera: Platygastri-dae) attack and destroy the eggs of short-horned grasshoppers (Acrididae). Included among these hosts are some of the most destructive of all insects, the plague locusts. As a result, species of Scelio are potential allies in the biological control of these pests. This paper is the first comprehensive examination of the species of Scelio of the Afrotropical region in over 50 years. A total of 62 species were found, 77% of which are new to science. Descriptions and keys for identification are provided, and each species is extensively illustrated. This work is a product of the Platygastroidea Planetary Biodiversity Program and was conducted using biodiversity informatics tools and applications developed as part of that project.

Contents:

Introduction.............................................................................................................. 5
Materials and methods.............................................................................................. 5
Results and discussion............................................................................................... 7
Key to Afrotropical species groups of Scelio....................................................... 14
Checklist and species-group placement of the Afrotropical Scelio species........... 15
Scelio ernstii species group................................................................................. 18
Scelio albatus Yoder, sp. n............................................................................ 21
Scelio aphares Yoder, sp. n............................................................................ 23
Scelio ardelio Yoder, sp. n............................................................................. 26
Scelio bayanga Yoder, sp. n........................................................................... 28
Scelio chapmani Nixon................................................................................ 30
Scelio copelandi Yoder, sp. n......................................................................... 32
Scelio dupondi Yoder, sp. n........................................................................... 34
Scelio exophthalmus Yoder, sp. n................................................................... 36
Scelio janseni Yoder, sp. n............................................................................. 38
Scelio mauritanicus Risbec........................................................................... 40
Scelio phaeoprora Yoder, sp. n....................................................................... 43
Scelio taylori Nixon...................................................................................... 45
Scelio howardi species group.............................................................................. 50
“white” subgroup............................................................................................ 56
Scelio fremo Valerio & Yoder, sp. n............................................................... 56
Scelio howardi Crawford.............................................................................. 58
Scelio igland Yoder, sp. n.............................................................................. 63
Scelio ructo Yoder, sp. n............................................................................... 67
Scelio scomma Yoder, sp. n........................................................................... 70
Scelio ululo Yoder, sp. n............................................................................... 72
Scelio zolotarevskyi Ferrière........................................................................... 74
“brown” subgroup........................................................................................... 78
Scelio balo Valerio & Yoder, sp. n................................................................. 78
Scelio bubulo Yoder, sp. n............................................................................. 80
Scelio cano Yoder, sp. n................................................................................ 82
Scelio crepo Yoder, sp. n............................................................................... 84
Scelio gemo Yoder, sp. n............................................................................... 86
Scelio grunnio Yoder, sp. n........................................................................... 88
Scelio latro Yoder, sp. n................................................................................ 91
Scelio mutio Yoder, sp. n.............................................................................. 93
Scelio susurro Yoder, sp. n............................................................................ 95
Scelio tono Yoder, sp. n................................................................................. 98
Scelio tristis Nixon..................................................................................... 100
Additional unplaced howardi-group species..................................................... 102
Scelio effervesco Yoder, sp. n........................................................................ 102
Scelio destico Yoder, sp. n........................................................................... 104
Scelio memorabilis Yoder, sp. n................................................................... 107
Scelio philippinensis Ashmead.................................................................... 109
Scelio pipilo Yoder, sp. n............................................................................. 111
Scelio ipomeae species group...................................................................... 113
Scelio aurantium Yoder, sp. n..................................................................... 115
Scelio impostor Yoder, sp. n........................................................................ 117
Scelio ipomeae Risbec................................................................................. 119
Scelio ntchisii Yoder, sp. n.......................................................................... 122
Scelio somaliensis Yoder, sp. n..................................................................... 124
Scelio transtrum Yoder, sp. n...................................................................... 124
Scelio irwini species group......................................................................... 127
Scelio harinhalai Yoder, sp. n..................................................................... 129
Scelio irwini Yoder, sp. n............................................................................ 132
Scelio obscuripennis Johnson, new name..................................................... 133
Scelio parkeri Yoder, sp. n.......................................................................... 138
Scelio simoni species group........................................................................ 141
Scelio simoni Yoder, sp. n........................................................................... 142
Scelio simonolus Yoder, sp. n....................................................................... 145
Scelio vannoorti Valerio & Yoder, sp. n....................................................... 145
Scelio walkeri species group............................................................................. 148
Scelio afer Kieffer....................................................................................... 152
Scelio apospastos Yoder, sp. n...................................................................... 156
Scelio clypeatus Yoder, sp. n........................................................................ 158
Scelio concavus Yoder, sp. n........................................................................ 160
Scelio erugatus Yoder, sp. n......................................................................... 162
Scelio modulus Yoder, sp. n........................................................................ 164
Scelio pilosilatus Yoder, sp. n...................................................................... 167
Scelio quasiclypeatus Yoder, sp. n................................................................ 169
Scelio remaudierei Ferrière.......................................................................... 171
Scelio retifrons Yoder, sp. n......................................................................... 173
Scelio striatus Priesner................................................................................ 175
Scelio tritus Yoder, sp. n............................................................................. 178
Acknowledgments................................................................................................. 180
References............................................................................................................. 181
Appendix 1............................................................................................................ 183
Appendix 2............................................................................................................ 183
Appendix 3............................................................................................................ 184
Endnotes............................................................................................................... 184