ESA Annual Meetings Online Program
Large-scale rearing and field sampling programs find many new species of Creagrura Townes (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from Central and South America
Creagrura Townes 1971 is a Neotropical genus of Cremastinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). The genus can be distinguished by a short hook-shaped ovipositor, scutellum with strongly raised longitudinal carinae, and twisted mandibles with a broad ventral flange. Members are parasitoids of larval Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Intraspecific variation has previously justified the recognition of only one species, Creagrura nigripes Townes 1971. Gauld (2000) stated that this one species is widespread throughout the Neotropics, but it is clear there are several more. Extensive collecting combined with morphological, molecular, and host data suggest that Creagrura nigripes is a combination of many cryptic species. These are currently in process of being described and named. C. nigripes, as described, was based upon specimens from Brazil, Ecuador, and Surinam. Types from the aforementioned areas were examined. New specimens were obtained from long-term sampling programs in Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazonia, Venezuela, and specimens reared from caterpillars in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Molecular data assessed for Costa Rican specimens was obtained through sequencing of COI, a mitochondrial protein-coding gene. Further molecular analysis of South American specimens is ongoing. Photographs of diagnostic morphological characters for each of the species are included. Interactive and traditional dichotomous keys are being developed. All data sets, trees, images, sequences, keys, etc. produced though this research will be deposited in the appropriate publicly accessible internet databases. These include, but are not limited to, the following: Encyclopedia of Life (EoL), GenBank, Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology (HAO), Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), DiscoverLife, TaxaBank, ZooBank, etc.
See more of: Student TMP Competition
