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First discovery of a long-tailed wasp from the Indian subcontinent (Hymenoptera: Megalyroidea: Megalyridae)

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Abstract

The genus Megalyra Westwood, commonly referred to as “long-tailed wasps,” is represented by 27 extant species. Regarded as a parasitoid of xylophagous beetles, Megalyra species are mostly native to the Australasian region; however, one species occurs naturally in Malaysia and Sumatra, and another has been reported as accidentally introduced into South Africa from Australia. Here we report on the first discovery of the wasp family Megalyridae from the Indian Subcontinent and provide a description, diagnosis, and illustrations of variations in Megalyra fasciipennis Westwood collected from Kerala, India. This incidence is thought to be an accidental introduction of the species, most likely from Australia sometime during the British Colonial Period.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. Kailash Chandra, Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, and Dr. P.M. Sureshan, Officer-in-Charge, Western Ghats Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode, authorities at Department of Zoology, University of Calicut and Post Graduate & Research Department of Zoology, Malabar Christian College, Kozhikode, Kerala India for encouragements. CB thankfully acknowledges University Grants Commission, Government of India for financial support by means of NFSC 2017-18. Research support for SRS was partly provided by McIntire-Stennis Grant Project number WYO-530-14, Studies of Parasitoid Wasps of Forest Ecosystems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Insect Ecology and Ethology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Calicut, Thenhipalam, Kerala, 673635, India

    C. Binoy & M. Nasser

  2. Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Malabar Christian College, Affiliated to University of Calicut, Kozhikode, Kerala, 673001, India

    C. Binoy & S. Santhosh

  3. Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, UW Insect Museum, University of Wyoming (3354), 1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, Wyoming, 82071, USA

    Scott R. Shaw

  4. Western Ghats Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Eranhipalam, Kozhikode, Kerala, 673006, India

    P. Girish Kumar

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  1. C. Binoy
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Correspondence to C. Binoy.

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Binoy, C., Shaw, S.R., Kumar, P.G. et al. First discovery of a long-tailed wasp from the Indian subcontinent (Hymenoptera: Megalyroidea: Megalyridae). Int J Trop Insect Sci 40, 751–758 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-020-00126-7

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