ICHNEUMONIDAE: : Trathala Cameron 1899
Diagnosis:
Characteristics of Trathala include: 1. Body size <10mm; 2. Position of spiracle on T1 clearly behind the centre; 3. Aerolet in forewing open (essentially a straight line); 4. Colour of face not all black; 5. Metasoma compressed laterally; 6. Size of ocelli small; 7. Length of antennae shorter 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. Metasoma same colour throughout; 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 absent; 21. Sculpture on metasoma smooth with a semi-glossy or satin appearance at least on T2; 22. Propodeum reaching past coxal insertion, but not reaching halfway along metacoxae.Distribution in NZ
North Island: AK, BP, CL, HB, TK, TO, WI, WO, RI. South Island: NN, BR, MB, MC, CO, OL, FD, MK, SL.
Species in NZ
One endemic species: Trathala agnina (Kerrich, 1959).Biology & hosts
Trathala is a very large genus with most species occurring in the seasonally dry tropics (Gauld 1984). One species, T. flavoorbitalis (Cameron), has been introduced into several Pacific Islands to control pest Lepidoptera (see references in Gauld 1984).Little is known about the biology of Trathala agnina in New Zealand, and no host records are known, although it is most likely to be parasitoid of Lepidoptera.
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 pp.
Citation
Ward DF & Schnitzler FR. 2013. Ichneumonidae of New Zealand. Genus Trathala http://ichneumonidae.landcareresearch.co.nzAccessed: 2 May 2024