Kundakimuka queenslandica Cassis, 1995

Matsunaga, Janis N., Howarth, Francis G. & Kumashiro, Bernarr R., 2019, New State Records and Additions to the Alien Terrestrial Arthropod Fauna in the Hawaiian Islands, Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 51 (1), pp. 1-71 : 9-10

Kundakimuka queenslandica Cassis

NEW STATE RECORD

The 2 mm-long predaceous Kundakimuka queenslandica Cassis was discovered while looking for specimens of the leaf-tying moth, Choreutis sp. ( Lepidoptera : Choreutidae ), on Ficus benjamina and F. retusa . Specimens were found inside of leaves folded by Choreutis sp. , and in several cases, a dead, early-instar Choreutis sp. was present. Specimens of K. queenslandica were first collected in May 2002 in Waimanalo, Oahu, however, remained unidentified until an additional collection in 2009. The September 2009 discovery was serendipitous, found while looking for the recent immigrant, Apotomorhinus cribratus ( Coleoptera : Curculionidae ).

In December 2010, T.J. Henry identified the predator as close to the species Kundakimuka queenslandica Cassis. In January 2011 G. Cassis confirmed this identification. K. queenslandica was described from specimens collected from Australia , where it preys on larvae of the moth Neodrepta

luteotactella (Walker) ( Lepidoptera : Xyloryctidae ) that infest the paperbark tree, Melaleuca integrifolia .

Collection records: OAHU, Waimanalo, 15.V.2002, ex. Choreutis sp. larvae feeding on Ficus retusa foliage, coll. W. Nagamine, det. W. Nagamine, 3.I.2010; Kaimuki, 16.IX.2009, on Eugenia jambolana fruit, coll. W. Nagamine, det. G. Cassis, 12.I.2011. Vouchers at HDOA.