Callaspidia notata (Boyer de Fonscolombe) (=C. rufithorax (Cameron))

Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae

Male: Head black, antennae, thorax and legs dark reddish brown, hind legs slightly darker than other pairs, gaster (abdomen) shiny black and smooth. Antenna filiform, 14-segmented, third segment with outer margin distinctly curved. Scutellum with prominent ridges and pits. Gaster distinctly petiolate, laterally compressed, gastral tergites nearly contiguous ventrally.

Female: Head, antennae, thorax and legs reddish brown, abdomen shiny black. Antenna 13-segmented, third segment with outer margin straight. Otherwise similar to male.

Commonly collected parasitising syrphids.

 Male antenna
   Head and thorax - dorsal and lateral view

 Puparia of Ischiodon scutellaris (F.) with emergence holes
     Adult male, dorsal view
   Adult female, lateral view

Commonly distributed all over India.

Callaspidia spp. are primary, solitary endoparasitoids, mainly of larvae and pupae of Syrphidae (hover flies). Parasitised pupae turn dark brown to black. C. rufithorax is commonly collected as a parasitoid of syrphids such as Ischiodon scutellaris (F.).