FNZ 15 - Ambositrinae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) - Biology
Naumann, ID 1988. Ambositrinae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Diapriidae). Fauna of New Zealand 15, 168 pages.
(
ISSN 0111-5383 (print),
;
no.
15.
ISBN 0-477-02535-8 (print),
).
Published 30 Dec 1988
ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/References/A36FCA5A-BCD6-47DE-9DBC-39D98FBEF1B4
Biology
Despite the abundance of adult Ambositrinae only two species have been reared to provide definite host associations. Betyla fulva is a solitary parasite of the glow-worm Arachnocampa luminosa, the adult wasp emerging from the pupa of the fly (Hudson 1892). Diphoropria sinuosa n.sp. has been reared from an unidentifiable mycetophilid pupa. Adult ambositrines (and other diapriids) are most commonly collected in moist, shaded habitats from litter, moss, and low vegetation. With very few exceptions, those diapriids for which hosts are known are parasites of the immature stages of Diptera. Given this, it is reasonable to assume that all ambositrines are also parasites of Diptera, most likely nematocerous flies, which usually are extremely abundant in typical ambositrine habitats. Adult ambositrines have been collected in and at the margins of the following habitats and vegetation types:
- Nothofagus (various species) forests;
- Nothofagus / podocarp / broadleaf forest;
- Agathis (kauri) forest;
- Agathis / podocarp forest;
- podocarp / broadleaf forest;
- punga (Alsophila) / broadleaf forest;
- rimu (Dacrydium) forest;
- Dracophyllum forest;
- podocarp / broadleaf / nikau palm (Rhopalostylis) forest;
- Fuchsia / Weinmannia bush;
- Podocarpus bogs;
- subalpine grassland bogs;
- Scirpus swamps;
- paddocks; domestic gardens.