Table Of ContentPROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH.
98(3), 1996, pp. 592-596
HANSONIA, A NEW GENUS OF CARDIOCHILINE BRACONIDAE
(HYMENOPTERA) FROM COSTA RICA, WITH NOTES ON ITS BIOLOGY
P. C. DANGERFIELD, J. B. WHITFIELD, M. J. SHARKEY, D. H. JANZEN, AND I. MERCADO
(PCD) Department of Crop Protection, Waite Campus, University of Adelaide, Glen
Osmond, South Australia 5064, Australia; (JBW) Department of Entomology, University
of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, U.S.A.; (MJS) Biological Resources Divi-
sion/CLBRR, Agriculture Canada, K.W. Neatby Building, C.E.F, Ottawa, Ontario K1A
0C6, Canada; (DHJ) Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,
PA 19104, U.S.A.; (IM) Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College
Station, TX 77843, U.S.A.
Abstract.(cid:8212)Hansonia chavarriai Dangerfield, n. gen, n. sp., is described from speci-
mens reared from the apatelodid moth Hygrochroa firmiana (Stoll) in the dry forest of
the Guanacaste Conservation Area in northwestern Costa Rica. Its relationship to other
cardiochiline genera is discussed, as is the available information concerning its biology.
Key Words: Braconidae, Cardiochilinae, parasitoid, Lepidoptera, Apatelodidae
As part of an inventory of the Lepidop- key (1993). Morphological terminology
tera larvae and their parasitoids in the trop- largely follows that used in Huber and
ical dry forest of the Guanacaste Conser- Sharkey (1993), except some features of the
vation Area in northwestern Costa Rica wing venation, for which the reader is re-
(Janzen 1984, 1987, 1988, 1993; Gauld and ferred to Wharton and Marsh (in press).
Janzen 1994; Sharkey and Janzen 1995), an The descriptions of the new genus and spe-
unusual cardiochiline braconid wasp spe- cies should be attributed to the senior au-
cies was reared from field-collected apate- thor.
lodid larvae. Ongoing revisionary studies
DESCRIPTION
on the genera of Cardiochilinae by the se-
nior author (including Whitfield and Dan- Hansonia Dangerfield, NEw GENUS
gerfield, in press) clarified that this species
Type Species: Hansonia chavarriai Dan-
represents a genus new to science. Studies gerfield, new species.
by two of the other authors had come in- Generic diagnosis.(cid:8212)Among the world
dependently to the same conclusion based genera of Cardiochilinae, Hansonia might
on unreared specimens; thus we have com- be most easily confused with species of Bo-
bined efforts in this multiauthored report. hayella Belokobylskij, Retusigaster Dan-
Below we provide a description of the gerfield, Austin and Whitfield and Brevi-
new genus and species, along with notes on cardiochiles Dangerfield, Austin and Whit-
what is currently known of its biology. The field. It resembles Bohayella in its unusual
biology of the subfamily as a whole in Cos- elongate first metasomal tergite, but differs
ta Rica is reviewed by Shaw (1995); the in having two apical clypeal tubercles and
subfamily Cardiochilinae can be keyed us- weakly decurved to straight ovipositor
ing either Shaw (1995) or Wahl and Shar- sheaths. From Retusigaster and Brevicar-
VOLUME 98, NUMBER 3 593
diochiles it differs in having all three of the Legs. Hind tibia with slight apical pro-
above mentioned characters. The only other jection, non cup-like; hind basitarsus slight-
New World cardiochiline genus that pos- ly flattened basally but mostly cylindrical in
sesses similarly short ovipositors and even- cross-section; tarsal claws evenly pectinate.
ly sclerotized hypopygia is Toxoneuron Wings. Fore wing with Ir absent, 3r ab-
Say, from which it differs by the two apical sent, discal cell elongate, stigma 3.3(cid:8212)4.0X
clypeal tubercles, the narrow first metaso- as long as wide, 3Rs with 135° angle 0.2
mal tergite and in the cup-like apical pro- along length from base; hind wing with 2r(cid:8212)
jection of the hind tibia in Toxoneuron. m absent, 2A present in basal one fifth, 7
The known distribution of Hansonia is hamuli present.
from Jalisco, Mexico (based on question- Metasoma. T1 3.5(cid:8212)4.0X as long as
able conspecific material seen by IM), south broad; median field of T2 2.2 as long as
to Costa Rica. broad; laterotergites of T1(cid:8212)T3 at right an-
gles to tergites giving the metasoma an an-
Hansonia chavarriai Dangerfield, NEw teriorly compressed or petiolate appearance
SPECIES in dorsal view; ovipositor sheaths evenly
setose, 0.18-2.0X as long as hind tibia,
(Figs. 1(cid:8212)4)
0.25 as broad as long, weakly decurved
Description.(cid:8212)Body. Medium-sized, pale to straight along length; hypopygium acute-
yellow with black markings, relatively ly pointed at apex, evenly sclerotised
smooth; evenly infuscate wings with yellow throughout.
venation. Holotype.(cid:8212)Costa Rica: 1 female, Gua-
Head. Eyes with reduced pilosity repre- nacaste Province, Guanacaste Conservation
sented as sparse minute interommatidial Area, Sector Santa Rosa, Rio Cuajiniquil
spines; two clypeal tubercles present; head (N10°53(cid:8217), W85°37'), D. H. Janzen and W.
visible surrounding eyes in anterior view; Hallwachs, voucher specimen database (93-
clypeus 2.4(cid:8212)2.7X as broad as high; face SRNP-2988) (see (cid:8220)Host(cid:8221) and (cid:8220)Biology(cid:8221)
2.0X as broad as high; eye: temple ratio 1: sections below for further information as-
1.0(cid:8212)1:1.2; malar carina absent; glossa sociated with this voucher number). Depos-
short, weakly bilobed at apex; galea short ited at INBio, Costa Rica.
and broad; maxillary palp six-segmented, Paratypes.(cid:8212)Costa Rica: 2 females,
the basal segment reduced to a weakly- Guanacaste Province, Guanacaste Conser-
sclerotized plate; mandible bidentate; occi- vation Area, Sector Santa Rosa, Sendero
put 0.25(cid:8212)0.4X< as deep as length of head; Natural (N10°51(cid:8217), W85°37'), 26 June 1977,
antennae separated by 0.7(cid:8212)0.85x width of Malaise trap, D. H. Janzen; 2 females,
antennal socket; antenna with 48 flagello- Guanacaste Province, Guanacaste Conser-
meres; scape 1.6(cid:8212)1.7X as long as broad. vation Area, Sector Santa Rosa, Sendero
Mesosoma. Notauli crenulate, well-de- Natural (N10°51(cid:8217), W85°37'), 28 May 1978,
fined, meeting posteriorly; medial scutum Malaise trap, D. H. Janzen; 1 female, Gua-
smooth; scutellar sulcus relatively broad, nacaste Province, Santa Rosa National
1.9(cid:8212)2.7X as broad as long; apical scutellar Park, 300 m, Malaise SE-6-C, Bosque San
cup absent; lateral lobes of scutellum Emilio, deciduous forest 50 yr. old, 5 July
smooth; propodeal areola appears complete, 1986, full shade, I.D. Gauld (University of
but is composed of lateral carinae which do Wyoming). Deposited at INBio, USNM,
not meet anteriorly but continue to the an- BMNH, CNCI.
terior margin of the propodeum; propo- Host.(cid:8212)Hansonia chavarriai has been re-
deum without medial longitudinal furrow, peatedly reared from the last instar larvae
but with faint medial longitudinal carina of Hygrochroa (Apatelodes) firmiana
present; epicnemial carina absent. (Stoll) (Apatelodidae).
594 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
Figs. 1-4. Hansonia chavarriai, female paratype. 1, Dorsal habitus. Anterior head. 3, Fore and hind wings.
4, Lateral view of metasomal apex. Scale lines = 1 mm.
VOLUME 98, NUMBER 3 595
Etymology.(cid:8212)The genus Hansonia is pupae in their cocoons through the remain-
named in honor of Paul E. Hanson, Profes- der of the rainy season, all of the long dry
sor of Biology at the University of Costa season, and then eclose toward the end of
Rica, in recognition of his intensive and the first month of the next rainy season.
long-term efforts to make the parasitic Hy- This means that they are eclosing about the
menoptera of Costa Rica available for time that the first generation of their cater-
study. pillar hosts are middle- to late-instars
Hansonia chavarriai is named in honor (June). Hygrochroa firmiana generally has
of Luis Felipe Chavarria Diaz, in recogni- but one generation a year, with the adult
tion of his diligent pioneering efforts to de- moths eclosing at the beginning of the rains
velop and execute the biodiversity pros- (mid- to late May).
pecting program for INBio in the Guana- All certain rearings of Hansonia chavar-
caste Conservation Area. riai have been from Hygrochroa firmiana.
Of the 20 H. firmiana caterpillars found in
BIOLOGY
the wild in 1978-1995 (from a total of more
The larva of Hansonia chavarriai emerg- than 65,000 wild-caught larvae), 85% were
es from the last instar larva of Hygrochroa parasitized by a single larva of Hansonia
(Apatelodes) firmiana (Stoll) (Apatelodi- chavarriai. Nine of these Hansonia subse-
dae) as it lies on the surface of the litter, quently were eaten by as yet unidentified
where it has fallen after being killed by the perilampid hyperparasitoids and seven died
larva of the parasitoid. Death of the host of unknown causes as prepupae or pupae in
larva occurs many days to weeks after ovi- their cocoons, and the adults are thus un-
position. Only one parasitoid larva devel- available for study. The distinctive cocoon
ops per caterpillar. The parasitoid larva bur- enabled identification of the unemerged ma-
rows into the loose surface leaves of the terial. In two other cases of the total 131
litter, and spins a golden to light brown apatelodid caterpillars found (10 species), a
ovoid cocoon (5(cid:8212)20 mm long and 7-10 mm large wasp larva that could have been H.
diameter). The cocoon silk is lightly at- chavarriai (or Enicospilus gamezi Gauld)
tached to the leaves by its glue. The outer emerged from another species of apatelodid
wall of the cocoon is a thin, loose and bag- last instar larva but died without spinning a
gy irregular layer around the inner wall of cocoon.
the cocoon. The inner wall of the cocoon is Hygochroa firmiana eggs are laid in
extremely tough, about 2 mm thick, hard batches of 5(cid:8212)8 and the early instar larvae
and has very obvious shallow ridges ((cid:8220)(cid:8216)flut- feed as a small group until the penultimate
ing(cid:8217)(cid:8217)) running the length of the hard inner and ultimate instars, when they separate and
wall of the cocoon. The inside surface of go their own way. The caterpillars are cov-
the inner cocoon wall is extremely hard and ered with a dense coat of 3(cid:8212)4 mm very fine
polished, almost appearing to be gold foil. hairs that may be bright white, lemon yel-
The inner cocoon is reminiscent of a gigan- low, bright lavendar or silver gray. What-
tic Microplitis Foerster (Braconidae: Micro- ever the color-morph of the caterpillar, it is
gastrinae) cocoon in that it is hard, fluted flecked with widely-spaced tiny black dots
and ovoid. on the surface of the hairs. Owing to the
The dry forest habitat occupied by Han- brightly-colored (cid:8220)(cid:8216)fine-haired bottlebrush(cid:8221)(cid:8217)
sonia chavarriai has a six month rain-free appearance of the caterpillars, and their os-
dry season (December(cid:8212)May, Janzen 1993). tentatious behavior of walking around in
Wasp larvae emerge from first generation the daytime on the upper surface of their
apatelodid larvae toward the end of the first host plant leaves and branches, it is as-
half of the rainy season (July), spin their sumed that they are either chemically toxic
cocoons, and remain as dormant larvae or (they do not urticate) or Batesian mimics of
596 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
similar Megalopygidae caterpillars (which species of Cryptophion (Hymenoptera: Ichneu-
urticate strongly). monidae). Zoological Journal of The Linnean So-
ciety 110: 297-324.
Larvae collected as early as the antepen-
Huber, J. T. and M. J. Sharkey. 1993. Chapter 3.
ultimate instar have been found to be par-
Structure, pp. 13-59. In Goulet, H. and J. T. Hu-
asitized by Hansonia chavarriai larvae, but
ber, eds., Hymenoptera of the World: An Identi-
it is not known if the wasps also oviposit fication Guide to Families. Agriculture Canada,
in later instar larvae. At whatever instar Ottawa, 668 pp.
they oviposit, the wasp has to be able to Janzen, D. H. 1984. Two ways to be a tropical big
moth: Santa Rosa saturniids and sphingids. Ox-
cope with an extremely hairy larva.
ford Surveys in Evolutionary Biology 1: 85-140.
The parasitized larva abruptly stops feed-
Janzen, D. H. 1987. How moths pass the dry season
ing at full size but before it is a prepupa,
in a Costa Rican dry forest. Insect Science and its
dies, and falls to the litter. The cream-col- Application 8: 489-500.
ored wasp larva emerges through the body Janzen, D. H. 1988. Ecological characterization of a
wall of the caterpillar 3-5 days later. Were Costa Rican dry forest caterpillar fauna. Biotro-
the wasp larva to wait until the caterpillar pica 20: 120-135.
Janzen, D. H. 1993. Caterpillar seasonality in a Costa
is a prepupa before killing (consuming) the
Rican dry forest, pp. 448-477. In Stamp, N. E.
caterpillar, it would still be emerging into
and T. M. Casey, eds., Caterpillars: Ecological and
the litter (rather than into a cocoon), be- Evolutionary Constraints on Foraging. Chapman
cause the moth prepupa pupates naked in and Hall, New York.
the litter. Sharkey, M. J. and D. H. Janzen. 1995. Review of the
world species of Sigalaphus (Hymenoptera: Bra-
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS conidae: Sigalaphinae) and biology of Sigalaphus
Support to J. B. Whitfield, as a co-pri- romeroi, new species. Journal of Hymenoptera
mary investigator of the New World genera Research 4: 99-109.
Shaw, S. R. 1995. Chapter 12.2. Braconidae, pp. 431(cid:8212)
of cardiochiline wasps was provided by Na-
463. In Hanson, P. E. and I. D. Gauld, eds., The
tional Science Foundation grant DEB-
Hymenoptera of Costa Rica. Oxford Science Pub-
9300517. D. H. Janzen was supported by
lications, Oxford, 893 pp.
grants from the U.S. National Science Wahl, D. B. and M. J. Sharkey. 1993. Chapter 10.
Foundation and by many kinds of support Superfamily Ichneumonoidea, pp. 358-509. In
from INBio and the Guanacaste Conserva- Goulet, H. and J. T. Huber, eds., Hymenoptera of
tion Area, Costa Rica. We would like to the World: An Identification Guide to Families.
Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, 668 pp.
acknowledge the inspiration from Marjorie
Wharton, R. A. and P. M. Marsh, eds. In press. Iden-
Townes and the late Henry Townes to place
tification Manual to the New World Genera of the
out the first Malaise traps in 1978-1979 in
Family Braconidae (Hymenoptera). International
the Guanacaste Conservation Area, the Society of Hymenopterists.
traps that collected the first specimens of Whitfield, J. B. and P. C. Dangerfield. In press. Sub-
Hansonia chavarriai. family Cardiochilinae, (chapter). Jn Wharton, R.
A. and P. M. Marsh, eds., Identification Manual to
LITERATURE CITED the New World Genera of the Family Braconidae
Gauld, I. D. and D. H. Janzen. 1994. The classifica- (Hymenoptera). International Society of Hymen-
tion, evolution and biology of the Costa Rican opterists.
