TACHINIDAE: Tachininae: Proscissionini: Gracilicera Miller, 1945

Engycera politiventris Malloch, 1938, orig. des. [NZAC].

Diagnosis

Characteristics of Gracilicera include: 1. Body size 6.5mm – 12.5mm; 2. Last section of wing vein CuA1 less than half as long as penultimate section; 3. Wing cell r₄₊₅ closed and with a petiole ending at least as far from wing tip as length of petiole; 4. pedicel as long or longer than postpedicel. I have seen 2 specimen with a long pedicel, but 1 specimen with r₄₊₅ open and squama almost tongue shaped, the other specimen with r4+5 closed but not petiolate

Distribution in NZ

North Island: BP, ND, RI, TO, WA, WN; South Island: BR, CO, DN, FD, KA, MB, MC, MK, NC, NN, OL, SL WD.

Species in New Zealand

Gracilicera politiventris (Malloch, 1938); G. monticola (Malloch, 1938); G. pallipes (Malloch, 1938); G. politiventris var. setosa (Malloch, 1938); 2 undescribed spp.?.

Biology and Hosts

Grass feeding Lepidoptera larvae. Crambus sp. (Crambidae); Tauroscopa sp. (Crambidae); Persectania aversa (Walker ) (Noctuidae).

Citation

Schnitzler F-R 2016. Tachinidae of New Zealand. Genus Gracilicera
http://tachinidae.landcareresearch.co.nz
Accessed: 6 November 2024

Revised

v1.0. Schnitzler F-R. 2016