The Pimplinae, Xoridinae, Acaenitinae and Lycorininae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Australia I. D. Gauld Department of Entomology, British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD Contents Synopsis 235 Introduction 235 Material examined 236 Checklist of Australian Pimplinae , Xoridinae , Acaenitinae and Lycorininae 237 Subfamily Pimplinae 238 Zoogeography 239 Biology 240 Key to genera of Pimplinae occurring in Australia 242 Tribe Ephialtini 244 Tribe Polysphinctini 254 Tribe Pimplini 268 Tribe Delomeristini 310 Tribe Rhyssini 316 Subfamily Xoridinae 319 Zoogeography 320 Biology 320 , Subfamily Acaenitinae 322 Zoogeography 322 Biology 322 Subfamily Lycorininae 327 Acknowledgements 331 References 331 Index to hosts 338 Index to Ichneumonidae 338 Synopsis The Australian species of the ichneumonid subfamilies Pimplinae, Xoridinae, Acaenitinae and Lycorini-nae are revised and keys provided to the 20 genera and 76 species occurring on the continent. A total of 35 species are newly described but four are not formally named as their status needs further investigation. The remaining 41 species are redescribed and their diagnostic features emphasized. Five new specific synonyms are proposed. For each species notes are given about geographical distribution, habitat preference and host range. Introductory sections for each subfamily include notes on zoogeography and a brief discussion of group biology. A checklist of Australian species, and indexes to hosts and parasitoids, complete the work. Introduction Amongst the most important of the natural enemies of insect pests are the parasitic Hymenop-tera, a very large group of animals whose larvae develop at the expense of other insects (Askew, 1971). Under normal circumstances the populations of many injurious insects are severely limited by the attacks of Parasitica and in several countries, including Australia, the ravages of accidentally imported pests have been curtailed by the introduction of one or more hymenopter-ans (Muldrew, 1967; Taylor, 1978). Other introduced pests have been severely attacked by Bull. Br. Mus. not. Hist. (Ent.) 49 (4): 235-339 Issued 20 December 1984
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