147 

A NEW SPECIES OF PROCTOTRUPES REARED FROM THE FERN WEEVIL 

(HYMENOPTERA, PROCTOTRUPIDAE). 

By E. F. RiEK. 

[Read 25th May, 1955.] 

8ynoi)sis. 
There is only one previous host record for an Australian representative of the family 
Proctotrupidae. A new species of Proctotrupes, vi'hich vi^as reared from the fern weevil 
(Spagrius fiilvitarsus Pascoe), is described in this paper. 

Practically nothing is known of the biology of the Australian representatives of the 
family Proctotrupidae, so it is of interest to record at least the host of one of the species. 
The only other host record is for Proctotrupes janthinae (Dodd) which was bred from 
the larva of the fungus beetle, Thallis janthina (family Erotylidae). 

Pemberton (1921) in a search for parasites of the fern weevil (Syagrius fulvitarsis 
Pascoe) in coastal New South Wales reared only the ichneumonoid Ischiogonus syagrii 
and the chalcidoid Eupelniiis sp. The material on which the present study is based was 
not reared till 1929 and 1931 and nothing is known of the circumstances of its collection. 

The weevil is known to attack the stems of many ferns including tree-ferns and 
bracken. 

The parasite pupates in the skin of the host larva (note by L. Gallard). 

Proctotrupes syagrii, sp. nov. 

Female. Shining black; legs including coxae all red, scape and pedicel pale and 
flagellum below pale, tegula pale. 

Head, scutum and scutellum smooth, with fine pubescence; propleuron smooth, with 
a few fine, weak, irregular rugae at middle of anterior margin, otherwise glabrous 
laterally; mesopleuron all glabrous; parapsidal furrows distinct only anteriorly; 
propodeum rugoso-foveate over caudal half, anterior half with a strong median carina 
bordered by irregular foveae, laterad mostly glabrous; petiole very short; abdomen 
abruptly conyex above from its base (in lateral view), ovipositor only about half as 
long as segment 2 of abdomen; forewing long, broad, slightly infuscated; pterostigma 
as wide as long, radial cell distinct, broadening at apical half; scape not quite as long 
as first funicle, pedicel quadrate, first funicle at least three times as long as wide, 
second subequal to first, succeeding segments decreasing, penultimate about one and a 
half times as long as wide, apical segment distinctly longer than scape. 

Male. Legs all pale, scape and pedicel pale but flagellum all dark, tegula pale. 

Similar to female but declivous portion of propodeum relatively larger and more 
coarsely and irregularly rugoso-foveate; antenna similar but funicle segments a little 
longer. 

Types. Holotype 5- allotype J' and 5 paratypes in the Entomology Branch Collection 
of the New South Wales Department of Agriculture. One paratype $ and one paratype J" 
in the C.S.I.R.O., Division of Entomology Museum. 

Type Locality. Helensburgh, N.S.W. (3 ?$, 3 c^c^) (July, 1931). 

Locality records. New South Wales: Thirroul (23-1-1929, L. Gallard), 1 2; Coalcliff 
(23-1-1929, L. Gallard), 1 $; Coaldale (12-xi-1929), 1 c^. 

The glabrous propleuron without longitudinal rugae or sulci is most distinctive, as 
too are the completely pale legs. All other Australian species have some strong 
markings on the propleuron, and the legs are partly dark. 

Reference. 
Pemberton, C. E., 1921. — The Pern Weevil Parasite. Its life history and introduction to 
Hawaii. The Hawaii. Plant Rec, 25: 196-201.