How to capture the most species: Assessing malaise trap sampling protocols

Monday, November 11, 2013: 11:01 AM
Meeting Room 9 AB (Austin Convention Center)
Shelby E. Stedenfeld , Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Michael J. Sharkey , Departement of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Updated title: Several tropical koinobiont species in one: a revision of Creagrura Townes (Ichneumonidae: Cremastinae).  The genus Creagrura Townes is a small Neotropical genus of Cremastinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) previously containing only one species, C. nigripes Townes. Intraspecific variation had justified this genus as monotypic.  This species was described as widespread across the Neotropics, but extensive collecting combined with morphological, molecular, and host data suggest that C. nigripes is actually 9 species, not one. This revision describes 8 new species from Central and South America.  The study gives further evidence to the notion that koinobiont ichneumonids are exceptionally more species-rich in the tropics than once assumed. 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.