Ganaspidium Weld, 1955

Noort, Simon van, Buffington, Matthew L. & Forshage, Mattias, 2015, Afrotropical Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera), ZooKeys 493, pp. 1-176 : 77-78

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Figitidae

Ganaspidium Weld, 1955

Remarks.

A New World genus that is rare in South Africa. Included here based on two individuals taken in the Western Cape.

Diagnosis.

Malar space and ventral clypeal margin with distinct conical protuberances. Notauli absent. Parascutal impression incomplete. Setal band at base of syntergum of metasoma complete. Superficially similar to Nordlanderia , but readily distinguished based on notauli being absent and the hairy ring of syntergum present; most similar to the New World genus Banacuniculus Buffington, but separated by the presence of two distinct tubercles anterior of the scutellar glandular pit (surrounded by a series of tubercles in Banacuniculus ).

Distribution.

A New World genus: Western United States, southwestern Canada, and Northern Mexico ( Buffington 2011). Here reported from the Old World for the first time based on two specimens from South Africa. Species of this genus are restricted to arid to semi-arid environments ( Buffington 2011).

Biology.

Attacks leaf-mining Agromyzidae in arid habitats ( Buffington 2011).

Species richness.

One undescribed species found in South Africa.