ICHNEUMONIDAE: : Campoletis Förster 1869

Diagnosis:

Characteristics of Campoletis include: 1. Body size <10mm; 2. Position of spiracle on T1 clearly behind the centre; 3. Shape of aerolet in forewing petiolate; 4. Colour of face only black; 5. Metasoma compressed laterally; 6. Size of ocelli small; 7. Length of antennae as long, or longer than body; 8. Length of ovipositor distinct but not longer than body; 9. Wings present; 10. Colour of wings hyaline (clear); 11. Sternaulus absent; 12. Shape of face in lateral view flat or only weakly bulging; 13. Sternite on T1 (viewed laterally) not extending past spiracle; 14. Shape of T1 (viewed laterally) evenly curved; 15. Number of teeth in mandibles 2; 16. Patterns on metasoma usually the same throughout but maybe bicoloured red/black; 17. Length of T1 vs T2:subequal in length; 18. Sculpture on mesoscutum:finely pitted, many hairs; 19. Width of T1 (viewed dorsally):anterior part slender often parallel, strongly widening behind spiracle; 20. Glymma on T1:present, (deep pit); 20. Glymma on T1:groove (not pit); 21. Sculpture on metasoma:smooth with a semi-glossy or satin appearance at least on T2; 22. Propodeum length:Propodeum reaching past coxal insertion, but not reaching halfway along metacoxae).

Similarity to Other Taxa

Campoletis is most likely to be confused with other genera of Campopleginae.

Compare

Distribution in NZ

North Island: ND, AK, BP, CL, HB, TO, WO. South Island: NN, BR, MB, MC, CO, OL, FD, SI, MK, SL.

Species in NZ

One endemic species: Campoletis obstructor (Smith, 1878).

Biology & hosts

Campoletis is a very large cosmopolitan genus. In the Australasian region it is not diverse in terms of species but it can be very abundant (Gauld 1984). They are parasitoids of Lepidoptera, usually Noctuidae. Nothing is known about the biology of the New Zealand species.

Sources of information

Gauld ID. 1984. An Introduction to the Ichneumonidae of Australia. London, British Museum (Natural History). 413 p.
Valentine EW & Walker AK. 1991. Annotated Catalogue of New Zealand Hymenoptera. DSIR Plant Protection Report 4. General Printing Services, 84 p.

Citation

Ward DF & Schnitzler FR. 2013. Ichneumonidae of New Zealand. Genus Campoletis http://ichneumonidae.landcareresearch.co.nz
Accessed: 2 May 2024

Revised

v1.0. Ward DF & Schnitzler FR. 2013