Pteromalid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) associated with bark beetles, with the description of a new species from Kashmir, India

Abstract

Five species of pteromalid wasps (Cheiropachus quadrum [Fabricius, 1787], Macromesus harithus Narendran, 2001, Metacolus sinicus Yang, 1996, M. parasinicus sp. nov., and Roptrocerus mirus [Walker, 1834]) reared from branch cuttings of Pinus wallichiana A. B. Jackson (Pinaceae) infested with three species of bark beetles (Ips stebbingi Strohmeyer, 1908, Polygraphus major Stebbing, 1902, and Pityogenes scitus Blandford, 1893) are reported from Kashmir, India. A new species of Metacolus from Kashmir is described and illustrated. A key for the identification of the six known species of Metacolus Förster, 1856 is given. Roptrocerus mirus and M. sinicus are reported for the first time from the Indian subcontinent. New host–parasite associations are reported for three species of pteromalid wasps. Keywords: Bark beetles, India, Kashmir, New species, Pteromalidae