Extending the Australasian endemicity: first report of Neapterolelaps Girault and Thaumasura Westwood (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) from the Oriental Region with the description of new species from Southern Western Ghats, India

ABSTRACT

Two rare genera of Pteromalidae viz., Neapterolelaps Girault and Thaumasura Westwood are reported for the first time from the Oriental Region. Distribution of both the genera is currently confined to Australasian Region with majority of species reported from the Australian continent and surrounding island groups in the Indo-Australian region. Here we report the range extension of both the genera in the Oriental region with the description and illustrations of new species Neapterolelaps paraeneiceps Sureshan and Binoy sp. nov. and Thaumasura indica Sureshan and Binoy sp. nov. from Southern Western Ghats, India. Affinities of the new species with closely related conspecifics are discussed and a partial key of Neapterolelaps is provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5BDBD180-3ADE-4E03-B56E-CC4A92928EEF

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2BAC50DB-04DB-466E-B479-66C843D45F58

KEYWORDS:

• Pteromalidae
• Neapterolelaps
• Thaumasura
• new species
• India

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Kailash Chandra, Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, authorities at the Department of Zoology, University of Calicut and P.G and Research Department of Zoology, Malabar Christian College, Kozhikode for providing facilities and encouragement. First author thankfully acknowledges UGC for the financial support by means of NFSC 2017-18.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.