Taeniogonalos gundlachii (Cresson)

Smith, David R., Janzen, Daniel H., Hallwachs, Winnie & Smith, M. Alexander, 2012, Hyperparasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Trigonalidae) reared from dry forest and rain forest caterpillars of Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 29, pp. 119-144 : 132-133

Taeniogonalos gundlachii (Cresson) Figs 15-20

Trigonalys Gundlachii Cresson 1865: 10.

Trigonalys (Lycogaster) costalis Cresson 1867: 352.

Trigonalis sulcatus Davis 1898: 349

Discussion.

This species is noted here because Costa Rican specimens of Taeniogonalos have been previously identified as belonging to this species. Carmean and Kimsey (1998) regarded Taeniogonalos gundlachii as a widespread, color-variable species occurring from Canada to Central America. They stated that "Specimens of ' Taeniogonalos costalis ' from North and Central America have less extensive yellow markings than Taeniogonalos gundlachii from Cuba, but specimens from Florida are intermediate." All specimens we have seen from Costa Rica are Taeniogonalos woodorum and Taeniogonalos fasciatipennis , both of which are separated from Taeniogonalos gundlachii of North America by morphology and DNA barcoding.

The color of Taeniogonalos gundlachii ( Figs 15-17 ) is very similar to Taeniogonalos fasciatipennis ( Figs 8-10 ) from Costa Rica, but we noted several morphological differences which appear consistent in specimens examined: lobes on female armature on sternum 2 in ventral view much longer and central emargination deeper ( Fig. 18 ) than in Taeniogonalos fasciatipennis ( Fig. 12 ); female armature in lateral view more rounded, and slightly protruding ventrally ( Fig. 17 ) than the squared appearance in Taeniogonalos fasciatipennis ( Fig. 11 ); male paramere slightly indented dorsally ( Fig. 19 ) rather than straight in Taeniogonalos fasciatipennis ( Fig. 13 ).

Specimens from the northern parts of the range of Taeniogonalos gundlachii , northeastern United States and Canada, are relatively uniform in color, black with yellow maculation as in Figs 15-17 . Specimens from Cuba, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas have a broader yellow band on the inner and outer orbits; legs all yellow with only coxae black; male with one yellow band on the metasoma, and female with 3-4 yellow bands. We have not seen specimens from the area between Texas and Guerrero, Mexico, and have seen only the type of Taeniogonalos fasciatipennis from Mexico and one specimen from El Salvador which appears to be Taeniogonalos fasciatipennis .

It is not our intent here to resolve the entire taxonomic problem and there is not enough material available from Cuba and intermediate ranges. Therefore, we continue to apply the name Taeniogonalos gundlachii to the specimens from Canada to Cuba, while suspecting that those from Canada and eastern U. S. eventually will again be called Taeniogonalos costalis . Though we cannot deny the possible presence of Taeniogonalos gundlachii in Costa Rica, the ACG dry forest specimens reared in this study are different from those from North America, and thus we refer them to Taeniogonalos fasciatipennis .

The DNA barcode for specimens from Virginia, West Virginia, and Mississippi is 8.6% divergent from Taeniogonalos woodorum and 7.49-7.75% divergent from Taeniogonalos fasciatipennisDHJ02 and Taeniogonalos fasciatipennisDHJ01, respectively.

Distribution.

Canada to Cuba, and west to Wisconsin and Texas.

Specimens examined.

200+; 25 DNA barcoded. Deposited in USNM.

Hosts and biology.

See Smith 1996, Carmean and Kimsey 1998, and Krauth and Williams 2006.

Figures

Figures 15 - 20. Taeniogonalos gundlachii. 15 Lateral view, female 16 Dorsal view, female 17 Metasoma, lateral view, female 18 Female armature, sternum 2, ventral view 19 Male paramere, lateral view 20 Male genitalia.

Figures 8 - 10. Taeniogonalos fasciatipennis, female. 8 Taeniogonalos fasciatipennisDHJ 01, lateral view 9 Taeniogonalos fasciatipennisDHH 01, dorsal view 10 Taeniogonalos fasciatipennisDHJ 02, lateral view.

Figures 11 - 14. Taeniogonalos fasciatipennis DHJ 01. 11 Metasoma, lateral view, female 12 Female armature, sternum 2, ventral view 13 Male paramere, lateral view 14 Male genitalia.