Tiny wasps, huge diversity – A review of German Pteromalidae with new generic and species records (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea)
Citation
Haas M (2021). Tiny wasps, huge diversity – A review of German Pteromalidae with new generic and species records (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). Biodiversity Data Journal. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.3897/bdj.9.e77092 accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-13.Description
Despite their ecological and economic importance, hymenopteran parasitoids are severely understudied. Even in countries with a long taxonomic history such as Germany, dating back to the 18th century and including prolific figures like Christian Gottfired Nees von Esenbeck and Otto Schmiedeknecht, those species-rich groups are seldom the subject of comprehensive research efforts, leaving their true diversity unknown. This is often due to their small size of a few millimetres on average, leading to difficulties in their identification and examination. The chalcidoid family Pteromalidae is no exception to this neglect. So far, 735 species have been reported from Germany. Estimating the diversity of this group is not possible, but it has to be assumed that many more species are still to be discovered in Germany.With this study, we improve the knowledge on pteromalid diversity and present new records of 17 genera and 41 species, previously unknown to occur in Germany. We also match and describe previously unknown sexes of two species, based on DNA barcode data. The results of this study were generated as part of the German Barcode of Life Project. The newly-recorded species are illustrated and notes on the biology and distribution are given. The ecological significance of Pteromalidae and potential value as indicators for nature conservation efforts are briefly discussed.Taxonomic Coverages
Geographic Coverages
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
Michael Haasoriginator
position: Mr
Entomology, State Museum of Natural History
Stuttgart
DE
email: michael.haas@smns-bw.de
Michael Haas
metadata author
position: Mr
Entomology, State Museum of Natural History
Stuttgart
DE
email: michael.haas@smns-bw.de
Michael Haas
administrative point of contact
position: Mr
Entomology, State Museum of Natural History
Stuttgart
DE
email: michael.haas@smns-bw.de