BioOne.org will be down briefly for maintenance on 17 December 2024 between 18:00-22:00 Pacific Time US. We apologize for any inconvenience.
How to translate text using browser tools
4 September 2024 New Invasive Leaf Gall-Inducing Wasps Ophelimus cracens sp. nov. and Epichrysocharis burwelli on Eucalypts in Taiwan
Liang-Yu Pan, Kazunori Matsuo, Gene-Sheng Tung
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

We identified two gall-inducing wasp species infesting eucalypts leaves, including an undescribed species, Ophelimus cracens sp. nov., and Epichrysocharis burwelli, which is a new record for Taiwan. The major hosts of O. cracens were Eucalyptus grandis, Eu. urophylla, and Eu. camaldulensis (Myrtaceae). We observed failed galls of O. cracens at an early stage on Eu. amplifolia and Corymbia maculata. All O. cracens adults discovered on infected leaves were females, and four parasitoid species were identified in samples collected from two cities, three counties, and four municipalities across Taiwan. Epichrysocharis burwelli was exclusively found on C. citriodora in Hsinchu, Nantou, and Tainan Cities. This marks the first record of Ep. burwelli in Asia, accompanied by the identification of one parasitoid species. The adult longevity of adults which emerged from their major hosts, when provided with honey-water solution, was 5.5 days for O. cracens and 5.7 days for Ep. burwelli. Recognizing the potential damage by these wasps on Eucalyptus production areas in the absence of parasitoids, further investigations of their biology and control are warranted.

Liang-Yu Pan, Kazunori Matsuo, and Gene-Sheng Tung "New Invasive Leaf Gall-Inducing Wasps Ophelimus cracens sp. nov. and Epichrysocharis burwelli on Eucalypts in Taiwan," Zoological Science 41(5), 479-488, (4 September 2024). https://doi.org/10.2108/zs230124
Received: 22 December 2023; Accepted: 18 June 2024; Published: 4 September 2024
KEYWORDS
Eucalyptus gall
Eulophidae
invasive pest
native parasitoid
Parthenogenesis
Plantation forestry
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top