List of Fact Sheets | Glossary

Nomenclature

Gonatocerus Nees, 1834: 192. Type species: Gonatocerus longicornis Nees, by monotypy.
Lymaenon Walker, 1846: 49. Type species: Lymaenon acuminatus Walker, by subsequent designation (Gahan and Fagan, 1923): 82). Synonymy by Forster (1856:118).
Rachistus Forster, 1847: 203. Type species: Ooctonus litoralis Haliday, by subsequent designation (Gahan and Fagan, 1923: 128). Synonymy by Forster (1856: 119).
Cosmocomoidea Howard, 1908: 68. Type species: Cosmocomoidea morrilli Howard, by monotypy. Synonymy by Boucek and Graham (1972: 127); originally a subgenus of Lymaenon.
Oophilus Enock, 1909: 458. Type species: Oophilus longicauda Enock, by monotypy. Synonymy by Girault (1911a [89]: 133).
Agonatocerus Girault, 1913 [149]: 276. Type species: Agonatocerus humboldti Girault, by original designation. Synonymy by Girault (1915 [228]: 156).
Gonatoceroides Girault, 1913 [155]:255. Type species: Gonatocerus (Gonatoceroides) australicus Girault, by original designation. Synonymy by Girault (1915 [228]: 156).
Gastrogonatocerus Ogloblin, 1935: 65. Type species: Gonatocerus membraciphagus Ogloblin by original designation. Subgenus of Gonatocerus.

Diagnosis

Gonatocerus belongs to the Gonatocerus group of genera and can be identified by the following characters.

• Female antenna (Fig. 10) with funicle 8-segmented, clava entire
• Face usually with subantennal sulci distinct, convergent ventrally
• Pronotum without a transverse ridge
• Anterior scutellum transverse, shorter than posterior
• Marginal vein with hypochaeta about midway between proximal and distal macrochaetae
• Propodeum with a median carina or two submedian carinae or grooves
• Mesophragma not projecting into gaster, petiole short.

Geographic Distribution

Cosmopolitan.

View Distribution map of Gonatocerus in a larger map

Hosts and habitat

Cicadellidae and Membracidae (Lin et al., 2007).

Noyes (2012) lists associated insects belonging to Cicadellidae, Membracidae, Delphacidae, Diaspididae, Coccidae, Eriococcidae,Miridae (Hemiptera), Apionidae (Coleoptera), Agromyzidae, Ephydridae, Tephritidae (Diptera), Tenthredinidae (Hymenoptera), Pyralidae and Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) (Noyes, 2013).

Species in India

1. asulcifrons Zeya , 1995 (Zeya and Hayat, 1995, original description and new species group proposed); Manickavasagam and Rameshkumar (2012) (key) (Distribution: Assam)

2. ater Förster, 1841 (original description); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and synonymization); Matthews, 1986 (extralimital synonymy); Rameshkumar et al., 2011a (distribution); Anwar and Zeya (2012) (distribution) (Distribution: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Kerala, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh)

3. bakrotus Mani & Saraswat, 1973 (original description); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key); Rameshkumar et al., (2011b), Anwar and Zeya (2012) (distribution) (Distribution: Himachal Pradesh, Kerala)

4. bashai Zeya, 1995 (original description and key); Rameshkumar et al., 2011a and b (distribution) (Distribution: Assam, Kerala, Pudhucherry)

5. berijamus Mani & Saraswat, 1973 (original description); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key); Rameshkumar et al., 2011a (distribution) (Distribution: Kerala, Tamil Nadu)

6. bialbifuniculatus Subba Rao, 1989 (original description); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription) (Distribution: Tamil Nadu)

7. bicoloriventris Zeya, 1995 (original description); Anwar and Zeya (2012) (distribution) (Distribution: Bihar, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh)

8. bouceki Zeya, 1995 (original description); Rameshkumar et al., 2011a and b (distribution) (Distribution:Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Kerala, Pudhucherry, Uttar Pradesh)

9. brevifuniculatus Subba Rao, 1970 (original description); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key) (Distribution: Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu).

10. breviterebratus Subba Rao , 1989 (original description); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key); Manickavasagam and Rameshkumar (2011) (distribution) (Distribution: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu)

11. delhiensis (Narayanan & Subba Rao, 1961) (original description); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key); Rameshkumar et al., 2011b, 2013 (distribution) (Distribution: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Pudhucherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh).

12. devikulamus Mani & Saraswat, 1973 (original description); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription); Manickavasagam and Rameshkumar (2012) (key) (Distribution: Tamil Nadu)

13. devitatakus Mani & Saraswat , 1973 (original description); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key) (Distribution: Tamil Nadu)

14. edentulus Zeya, 1995 (original description) (Distribution: Bihar)

15. fulvipodus Subba Rao, 1989 (original description); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription) (Distribution: Kerala)

16. garyiManickavasagam and Rameshkumar (2012) (original description)

17. gunathilagarajiManickavasagam and Rameshkumar (2012) (original description)

18. hayati Zeya and Khan, 2012 (original description) (Distribution: West Bengal)

19. heratyiManickavasagam and Rameshkumar (2012) (original description)

20. huberi Zeya, 1995 (original description) (Distribution: Kerala)

21. kashipurensis Zeya and Khan, 2012 (original description) (Distribution: Uttarkhand)

22. kodaianus (Mani & Saraswat, 1973) (original description); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key); Rameshkumar et al., 2011a (distribution); Manickavasagam et al., 2011, Zeya and Khan (2012) (distribution) (Distribution: Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu)

23. longicornis Nees, 1834 (original description); Matthews (1986) (extralimital synonymy); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (synonymy); Anwar and Zeya (2012) (distribution) (Distribution: Assam, Delhi, Jammu Kashmir, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh)

24. longicrus Kieffer, 1913 (original description); Subba Rao and Hayat (1986) (distribution) (Distribution: Orissa)

25. longior Soyka, 1946 (original description); Matthews (1986) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key)

26. longiterebratus Subba Rao, 1989 (original description); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key) (Distribution:Kerala)

27. maculatus Zeya, 1995 (original description) (Distribution: Uttar Pradesh)

28. malanadensis Subba Rao, 1989 (original description); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key) (Distribution: Karnataka)

29. meghalayanus Zeya, 2011 (original description as G. orientalis); Zeya (2011) (new name) (Distribution: Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Pudhucherry, Tamil Nadu)

30. monticolus Zeya, 1995 (original description); Zeya and Khan (2012) (distribution) (Distribution: Uttar Pradesh)

31. munnarus Mani & Saraswat, 1973 original description); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key); Anwar and Zeya (2012) (distribution); Manickavasagam et al., 2011 (distribution) (Distribution: Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh)

32. narayani (Subba Rao & Kaur, 1959) (original description as Lymaenon narayani); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key); Rameshkumar et al., 2011b (distribution); Manickavasagam et al., 2011 (distribution) (Distribution: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Pudhucherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh)

33. pahlgamensis (Narayanan, 1961) (original description of Lymaenon pahlgamensis); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983) (catalogue); Subba Rao and Hayat (1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription, synonymy and key); Rameshkumar et al., 2011b (distribution) (Distribution: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Pudhucherry, Tamil Nadu)

34. ramakrishnai (Subba Rao & Kaur, 1959) (original description as Lymaenon ramakrishnai); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key) (Distribution: Delhi)

35. sahadevani (Subba Rao & Kaur, 1959) (original description, as Lymaenon sahadevani); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key); Anwar and Zeya (2012) (distribution); Zeya and Khan (2012) (distribution) (Distribution:Bihar, Delhi, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh)

36. sergueii Manickavasagam and Rameshkumar (2012) (original description and key)

37. shamimi Subba Rao & Hayat, 1986 (original description); Anwar and Zeya (2012) (distribution); Rameshkumar et al., (2011a) (distribution) (Distribution:Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh)

38. similis Gupta & Poorani, 2008 a. Gupta and Poorani (2008) (original description); Manickavasagam and Rameshkumar (2012) (key) (Distribution: Karnataka)

39. spectabilis Zeya, 1995 (original description) (Distribution: Uttar Pradesh)

40. sulphuripes Foerster, 1847 (original description, as Rachistus sulphuripes); Matthews (1986) (synonymy); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key)

41. tamilanus Mani & Saraswat, 1973 (original description); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key); Rameshkumar et al., 2011b (distribution) (Distribution: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Kerala, Pudhucherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh)

42. tarae (Narayanan & Subba Rao, 1961) (original description as Lymaenon tarae); Subba Rao and Hayat (1983, 1986) (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key); Rameshkumar et al., (2011b) (distribution); Anwar and Zeya (2012) (distribution) (Distribution: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Orissa, Pudhucherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh)

43. trialbifuniculatus Subba Rao, 1989 (original description); Manickavasagam et al., (2011) (distribution); Anwar and Zeya (2012) (distribution); Zeya and Khan (2012) (distribution )
(Distribution: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu)

44. udakamundus Mani & Saraswat, 1973 (original description); Subba Rao and Hayat, 1983, 1986 (catalogue); Mani (1989) (redescription); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescripiton and key) (Distribution: Tamil Nadu)

45. unicoloratus Subba Rao, 1989 (original description); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key) (Distribution: New Delhi)

46. utkalensis Subba Rao, 1989 (original description); Zeya and Hayat (1995) (redescription and key)
(Distribution: Assam, Orissa)

47. venustus Zeya, 1995 (original description); Rameshkumar et al., 2013 (distribution) (Distribution: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu)

Zeya and Hayat (1995) reviewed the Indian species, recognized 39 valid species, provided keys to three species groups and also proposed a new species group (asulcifrons group) representing two Indian species.

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References

Anwar, P. T. and Zeya, S. B. 2012. Record of some species of Mymaridae from different states of India (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). Bionotes, 14(2): 52-53.

Foerster, A. 1847. Uber die Familie de Mymariden. Linn. Ent., 2: 195-233.

Foerster, A., 1841. Beitrage zur Monographie der Pteromalinen Nees. Aachen, 46pp.

Gupta, A. and Poorani, J. 2008. A new species of Gonatocerus Nees (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Mymaridae) from Karnataka, India. Biosystematica, 2(1): 59-62.

Kieffer, J. J. 1913. Description d'un nouveau Mymaridae des Indes Orientales. Records of Indian Museum, 9: 201-202.

Mani, M. S. 1989. The Fauna of India and the adjacent countries. (Chalcidoidea: Hymenoptera). Part I. Zoological Survey of India. Government of India. xxvi +1067pp.

Mani, M. S. and Saraswat, G. G. 1973. On some Chalcidoidea from India. Memoirs of School of Entomology. St. John's College, Agra, No. 2: 78-125.

Manickavasagam, S., Rameshkumar, A. and Rajmohana, K. 2011. First report of four species of fairyflies from India, Key to Indian species of four genera and additional distributional records of mymaridae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). Madras Agricultural journal, 98(10-12): 393-408.

Manickavasagm, S. and Rameshkumar, A. 2013. Four new species of Gonatocerus Nees (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) and a key to the species of asulcifrons group from India. Oriental Insects, 47 (1): 86-98.

Matthews, M. J. 1986. The British species of Gonatocerus Nees (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), egg parasitoids of Homoptera. Systematic Entomology, 11: 213-229.

Narayanan, E. S. 1961. New record and descriptions of new species of parasites on San Jose scale. Proceedings of National Institute of Science, India, 26(B): 20-29.

Narayanan, E. S., and Subba Rao, B. R. 1961. Studies on Indian Mymaridae III. Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). Beitrage zur Entomologie, 11: 655-671.

Nees Von Esenbeck, C. G. 1834. Hymenopterorum Ichneumonibus affinium monographiae, genera europaea et species illustrantes. 2. Stuttgart & Tubingen. 448pp.

Rameshkumar, A., Manickavasagam, S. and Jebanesan, A. 2011a. Diversity and new distributional records of fairyflies (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Mymaridae) from the state of Kerala, India. Plant Archives, 11(2): 769-774.

Rameshkumar, A., Manickavasagam, S. and Jebanesan, A. 2011b. New distributional records of fairyflies (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Mymaridae) from Pudhucherry, India. Madras Agricultural Journal, 98 (7-9): 279-281.

Rameshkumar, A., Manickavasagam, S. and Rahman, S. J. 2013. Records of some Mymaridae and Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) from Andhra Pradesh, India. The Journal of Research ANGRAU, (In press).

Soyka, W. 1946. Revision einiger Mymaridengattungen. Zentbl. Gesamtgeb. Ent., 1: 33-44.

Subba Rao, B. R. 1970. Description of new genera and species of Mymaridae (Hymenoptera) from the Far East and the Ethiopian Region. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 59: 659-670.

Subba Rao, B. R. 1989. On a collection of Indian Mymaridae (Chalcidoidae: Hymenoptera). Hexapoda, 1: 139-186.

Subba Rao, B. R. and Hayat, M. 1983. Key to the genera of Oriental Mymaridae, with a preliminary catalog (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). Contributions of the American Entomological Institute, 20: 125-150.

Subba Rao B. R. and Hayat, M. 1986. Family Mymaridae. In: Subba Rao, B.R. and Hayat, M. (eds.), The Chalcidoidea (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of India and the adjacent countries (Part II). Oriental Insects, 20: 179-191.

Subba Rao, B. R. and Kaur, G. G. 1959. Studies on Indian Mymaridae Part I. Proceedings of Indian Academy of Science, 49(B): 227-238.

Zeya, S. B. 2011. A new name for Gonatocerus orientalis Zeya (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae). Bionotes, 13: 33.

Zeya, S. B. and Hayat, M. 1995. A revision of the Indian species of Gonatocerus Nees (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Mymaridae). Oriental Insects, 29: 47-160.

Zeya, S. B. and Khan, F. R. 2012. The genus Gonatocerus Nees (Chalcidoidea: Mymaridae) from India with descriptions of two new species. Oriental Insects, 46(1): 53-62.

Ramesh Kumar et al., 2013