Observations of oviposition behaviour in the long‐tailed wasp Megalyra fasciipennis Westwood, 1832 (Hymenoptera: Megalyridae). (10th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mesaglio, Thomas; Shaw, Scott R.
• Is Part Of: Austral ecology. Volume 47:Number 4(2022)
• Page Start: 889
• Page End: 893
• Publication Date: 2022-03-10
• Subjects: Cerambycidae -- endoparasitoid -- Megalyridae -- oviposition -- urban biodiversity; Ecology -- Southern Hemisphere -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Australia -- Periodicals; 557
• DOI: 10.1111/aec.13163
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1442-9985

Abstract

Abstract: Megalyridae is a small family of mostly Southern Hemisphere parasitoid wasps, with the females of some species having ovipositors up to eight times their body length. The largest genus, Megalyra, is represented by 22 Australian species. Despite the conspicuous morphology of females, the biology of this family is relatively poorly known, with few published field observations. We opportunistically observed a female Megalyra fasciipennis Westwood, 1832, in urban bushland in south‐western Sydney, New South Wales, and extensively describe our observations of oviposition behaviour. Although our observations are largely consistent with historical accounts of oviposition in this species, we also describe previously unreported behaviours such as abdominal rotation. We speculate that M. fasciipennis employs both chemoreception and passive vibration detection to find hosts inside wood and note the importance of urban habitat and standing dead trees for preserving biodiversity.