Exotela Förster, 1863

Godfray, Charles J. & Achterberg, Cornelis Van, 2024, Annotated Checklist of the European Dacnusini and the Dapsilarthra genus group of the Alysiini (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Alysiinae), Zootaxa 5513 (1), pp. 1-73 : 55-57

Exotela Förster, 1863

Type species: cyclogaster Förster.

MESORA Förster, 1863 (type species: gilvipes Haliday )

TOXELEA Nixon, 1943 (type species: gilvipes Haliday )

Literature: Griffiths I-862.

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoids of leaf-mining Agromyzidae . Evidence— Rearing records summarized below.

Notes: Griffiths used a wider concept of Exotela including Antrusa (see under that genus for why separated here). Griffiths defines a cyclogaster species group ( cyclogaster , senecionis , sonchina , spinifer , tartrica) and species with expanded mandibles associated with Fabaceae ( dives , lathyri , viciae ) could be placed in a dives species group (species boundaries in this poorly-sampled group need more research). 27 described species globally (Taxapad), 21 in Europe.

aconiti Griffiths, 1967

Literature: Griffiths III-784 (K III-878).

Hosts: Hypothesis —Parasitoid of Phytomyza aconitella leaf-mining Aconitum plicatum (= callibotrys [sic]) (Ranuculaceae). Evidence —Griffiths (2).

arunci Griffiths, 1967

Literature: Griffiths II-556 (K III-877).

Hosts: Hypothesis —Parasitoid of Agromyza spiraeoidearum ( = arunci ) leaf-mining Aruncus? dioicus (silvester in Griffiths) and the introduced Spiraea chamaedryfolia ( = ulmifolia ) ( Rosaceae ). Evidence —Griffiths (18).

chromatomyiae Griffiths, 1984

Literature: Griffiths VII-346.

Hosts: Hypothesis —Parasitoid of Phytomyza (= Chromatomyia ) periclymeni leaf-mining Lonicera xylosteum ( Caprifoliaceae ). Evidence —Griffiths (3).

cyclogaster Förster, 1863

Synonymy: bellina ( Nixon, 1937, Dacnusa ); umbellina ( Nixon, 1954, Toxelea ).

Literature: Nixon 1937 -56; Nixon 1954 -276; Griffiths III-789 [VII-346] (K III-878).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Phytomyza spp. on Apiaceae . Evidence— Griffiths (104); NMS (233). Comment —Griffiths records a few specimens from Phytomyza on Asteraceae but molecular confirmation they are cyclogaster (as opposed to sonchina or another species) is desirable.

DNA Barcode: Yes; BIN structure unstable with single BIN recently split into three sister BINs.

Notes: Griffiths (III-789) divided cyclogaster into three subspecies: nominate cyclogaster , umbellina and sonchina . Tobias (1986) later treated these as separate species although Godfray (1984) argued that umbellina and cyclogaster are variants associated with different hosts. DNA barcodes support the synonymy of umbellina with cyclogaster and that sonchina bred from Asteraceae is distinct. E. cyclogaster , as defined here, is one of the most common Dacnusini .

dives ( Nixon, 1954, Toxelea )

Literature: Nixon 1954 -277; Griffiths II-557 (K III-878).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Agromyza viciae leaf-mining Vicia ( Fabaceae ). Evidence— Griffiths (1) though some uncertainty if single wasp bred from this host is true dives .

DNA Barcode: Possibly: unclear if BIN represents E. dives or viciae .

facialis ( Thomson, 1895; Dacnusa )

Literature: Griffiths (K III-877).

Hosts: Hypothesis —Parasitoid of Agromyzidae leaf-mining Lonicera xylosteum ( Caprifoliaceae ). Evidence — NMS (5).

DNA Barcode: Yes; 3 & 2 individuals in sister BINs; a related further BIN probably an undescribed species near E. facialis .

Notes: Previously known from the male holotype and distinguished from other European Exotela by its yellow face. Five recently reared specimens from Finland include four yellow-faced males and a dark-faced females .

gilvipes (Haliday, 1839; Alysia )

Synonymy: albilabris ( Thomson, 1895, Dacnusa ).

Literature: Nixon 1937 -57; Nixon 1954 -278; Griffiths III-785 (K II-588).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Phytomyza spp. on Ranunculus spp. ( Ranunculaceae ). Evidence— Griffiths (6); NMS (6). Comment —Recorded hosts: P. ranunculi and P. notata . Report from P. milii ( Alekseev et al 2019) likely incorrect.

DNA Barcode: Yes; in two sister BINs.

hera ( Nixon, 1937; Dacnusa )

Literature: Nixon 1937 -55; Nixon 1954 -275; Griffiths II-560 (K III-878).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Agromyza spp. leaf-mining Urtica dioica ( Urticaceae ). Evidence— “I once swept this species in abundance from nettle”, Nixon (1954); Griffiths (18); NMS (114). Comment — Recorded hosts: A. reptans , A. pseudoreptans , A. anthracina .

DNA Barcode: Yes; sister BIN likely undescribed species near E. hera .

lathyri Griffiths, 1984

Literature: Griffiths VII-345.

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Agromyza orobi leaf-mining Lathyrus vernus ( Fagaceae ). Evidence— Griffiths (2).

lonicerae Griffiths, 1967

Literature: Griffiths III-787 (K III-877).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Aulagromyza (= Paraphytomyza ) hendeliana on Lonicera periclymenum ( Caprifoliaceae ). Evidence— Griffiths (15); NMS (18). Comment— Not recorded from other Agromyzidae on Lonicera .

DNA Barcode: Yes; a specimen in a nearby BIN likely belongs to an undescribed species.

minuscula Griffiths, 1967

Literature: Griffiths III-788 (K III-877).

Hosts: Hypothesis—Parasitoid of Aulagromyza luteoscutellata (= Paraphytomyza xylostei ) leaf-mining Lonicera xylosteum ( Caprifoliaceae ). Evidence—Griffiths (3).

nowakowskii Griffiths, 1967 [1966]

Literature: Griffiths II-560 (K III-877).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Agromyza idaeiana ( = spiraeae ) leaf-mining Rubus idaeus (Roscaceae). Evidence— Griffiths (5). Comment—Report from the Poaceae-feeding A. phragmitidis ( Alekseev et al 2019) needs confirmation.

obscura Griffiths, 1967

Literature: Griffiths III-795 (K III-877).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Phytomyza spp. leaf-mining Apiaceae . Evidence— Griffiths (79); NMS (12). Comment —Recorded hosts: P. aegopodii , P. angelicae (including P. laserpitii ), P. pubicornis .

DNA Barcode: Yes.

phryne ( Nixon, 1954; Toxelea )

Literature: Nixon 1954 -277; Griffiths III-561 (K III-877)

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Agromyza alnivora on Alnus ( Betulaceae ). Evidence— Griffiths (3); NMS (11). Comment— A. alnivora was recently separated from A. alnibetulae which feeds on Betula and may also be a host.

DNA Barcode: Yes.

senecionis Griffiths, 1967

Literature: Griffiths III-797 (K III-878).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Phytomyza spp. Asteraceae . Evidence— Griffiths (16). Comment— Recorded hosts: P. alpina , P. homogyneae , P. senecionis .

DNA Barcode: No; a BIN with a single specimen probably represents an undescribed species near E. senecionis .

sonchina Griffiths, 1967

Literature: Griffiths III-790 (K III-878).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Phytomyza marginella on Asteraceae . Evidence— Griffiths (32); NMS (23). Comment— A British specimen from Phytomyza thysselini on Peucedanum palustre ( Apiaceae ) that keys to this species needs further research as do a few continental European records from other Phytomyza spp. on Asteraceae & Apiaceae .

DNA Barcode: Yes.

Notes: See E. cyclogaster .

spinifer ( Nixon, 1954; Toxelea )

Literature: Nixon 1954 -275; Griffiths III-798 [VII-346] (K III-878).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Phytomyza spp. ( albiceps group, sensu Winkler et al. 2009 ) on Asteraceae . Evidence— Griffiths (13); NMS (37). Comment —Recorded hosts: P. cirsii , P. alpina , P. albiceps ( = rydeniana ), P. conyzae , P. lappae (= lappina).

DNA Barcode: Yes.

sulcata ( Tobias, 1962; Pachysema )

Literature: Griffiths III-786 (K III-877)

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Phytomyza spp. on Caltha palustris ( Ranunculaceae ). Evidence— Griffiths (91); NMS (6). Comment —Recorded hosts: P. calthivora , P. calthophila .

DNA Barcode: Yes.

tatrica Griffiths, 1967

Literature: Griffiths (K III-877).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Phytomyza aronici mining leaves of Doronicum clusii . Evidence— Griffiths (2).

viciae Griffiths, 1984

Literature: Griffiths VII-345 (K VII-348).

Hosts: Hypothesis— Parasitoid of Agromyza vicifoliae on Vicia cracca ( Fabaceae ). Evidence— Griffiths (3); NMS (1).

DNA Barcode: Possibly: unclear if BIN represents E. dives or viciae .