Taxonomic revision of Bracalba Dodd (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s.l.), a parasitoid wasp genus endemic to Australia

Abstract

The endemic Australian parasitic wasp genus Bracalba (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is revised. Sixteen species are recognized: B. cuneata Dodd, B. laminata Dodd and B. nigrescens (Dodd) are redescribed and thirteen new species are recognized; B. clavata Burks, sp. n., B. globosa Burks, sp. n., B. hesperia Burks, sp. n., B. intermedia Burks, sp. n., B. magnirubra Burks, sp. n., B. parvirubra Burks, sp. n., B. pinnula Burks, sp. n., B. plana Burks, sp. n., B. propodealis Burks, sp. n., B. sculptifrons Burks, sp. n., B. sparsa Burks, sp. n., B. tricorata Burks, sp. n., and B. tridentata Burks, sp. n. The genus is found continent-wide but mostly south of the Tropic of Capricorn, and with the highest species diversity occurring in the Pilbara and south-western regions of Western Australia. The hosts of Bracalba are unknown but specimens reared from eggs confirm that the genus is associated with orthopteran hosts. A preliminary phylogeny of species did not indicate that species groups were monophyletic, but they are retained despite paraphyly because they are convenient for specimen identification.