Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera, Apocrita) collection of the I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology NAS of Ukraine

Study Extent

The dataset contains the biodata of Ichneumonidae collection is kept in the funds of I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology NAS of Ukraine (SIZK_Ichneumonidae). All specimens are pinned or preserved in ethanol imago (adult). Ichneumonidae collection of SIZK covers the territory of Western Ukraine (part of the Carpathian Mountains situated in Ivano-Frankivsk and Transcarpathian Regions) and various natural forest habitat types. Identification of all species in the dataset was verified by comparison with the voucher specimens (both type and non-type) and confirmed by the leading taxonomists of Ichneumonidae.

Sampling

Successful identification to the species level in Ichneumonidae is usually possible based on careful studying of pinned female imago. In some well-studied groups, such as subfamily Pimplinae, identification is possible based on wet (preserved in ethanol) specimens of both sexes without preliminary pinning. Thus, a large part of material is stored in vials filled with ethanol. Ichneumonids or Darwin wasps are small to large (length of imago from 2 mm to 50 mm without ovipositor lenght). Their larvae usually act as parasitoids developing as ecto- or endoparasitoids, koino- or idiobionts, gregarious or solitary. Ichneumonids can be found in all terrestrial habitat types, but they are the most abundant in wet forests. The material was collected in a number of expeditions carried out during the field seasons of the years 2009 - 2018. Adult ichneumonids were collected with a sweepnet, Malaise and Mouricke traps. Collected parasitoids were stored in 2-50 ml vials containing 96 % ethanol. During preparation in the laboratory, the specimens were dryed and then pinned directly or glued on triangle with further pinning. For identification, specimens were studied with MBS-9 microscope. All of the material is kept in the funds of I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv (SIZK) as a part of Ichneumonidae collection containing the specimens collected in all parts of the world.

Quality Control

We were using the OpenRefine (https://openrefine.org/) for checking the data quality and GBIF species matching tool (https://www.gbif.org/tools/species-lookup) for the taxonomic checking opensource software.

Method steps

1. Selection of the sites.
2. Collection of material in the field.
3. Slides preparation in the laboratory.
4. Specimen identification.
5. Verifying the newly recorded species by comparison with voucher specimens during the workshop.
6. Cataloging identified specimens and dataset preparation.
7. Data checking and cleaning.
8. Publication biodata on the GBIF.

1. Animalia
   rank: kingdom
2. Arthropoda
   rank: phylum
3. Insecta
   rank: class
4. Hymenoptera
   rank: order
5. Ichneumonidae
   rank: family

The dataset covers a territory of the Ukrainian Carpathians.