Sycophila flavicollis (Walker 1834)

(Figures 4C, 5C, 6C, 7C, and 8C)

Description

Body length 1.2 mm (range 1.1–1.3; n = 11); body width 0.6 mm (0.5–0.67) (Figures 4C and 5C); body barrel-shaped, depressed dorsoventrally, tapering slightly posteriorly and with lateral margins of abdominal segments 1–6 almost straight; ratio L/W = 2.14; ventral margin of body segments 4–8 in lateral view straight or slightly convex; anterodorsal protuberances absent, the intersegmental membranes not protruding.

Dorsal margin of the vertex straight or slightly concave; ratio SA/DAV = 1.1; relative distance between the anteromedial setae of vertex about as long as the distance between antennae; anteromedial setae of vertex situated midway between anterior margin of vertex and the antennae; ventral margin of clypeus indistinct (Figure 6C); labrum with deep divisions almost reaching the level of labral setae, showing seven clearly differentiated lobes; maxillae well-differentiated from labium (Figure 7C).

Mandibles with two teeth, ratio L/W 1T = 2.4 (Figure 8C); apex of the second tooth slightly blunt; inner margin of mandible from the base of second tooth straight, not interrupted.

Remarks

Relatively similar in shape of body to the larva of S. mayri . Both species can be separated by the characters such as the ventral margin of clypeus and the shape of the apex of second tooth.

Biology

The species S. flavicollis is a polyphagous endoparasitoid reared from galls of different species of gall wasps on Quercus (Fagaceae) . It is usually associated with twig galls in subterranean or semi-subterranean locations. Specimens for this study were reared from sexual generation galls of Andricus quercusradicis (Fabricius) on Quercus faginea Lam. (Fagaceae) (Figure 9F).

Material examined

ex Andricus quercusradicis (sex.): Spain, Madrid: Dehesa de Arganda, 14 December 2003, J.L. Nieves leg, (n = 11) .