Revision of the proctotrupoid genus Pelecinus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Pelecinidae)

Abstract

The extant Pelecinidae consist of the single genus Pelecinus Latreille. This group is restricted to the continental New World; miscellaneous reports and specimens from Jamaica, Australia, India and Malaysia are errors. Three species are recognized: the widespread Pelecinus polyturator (Drury), found from the southern portions of the eastern provinces of Canada, the eastern USA (west to North Dakota, Colorado and New Mexico) and Mexico south to northern Argentina; Pelecinus thoracicus Klug revised status, from western Mexico; and Pelecinus dichrous Perty revised status from northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and south-eastern Brazil. Pelecinus rufus Klug, 1841 and Pelecinus annulatus Klug, 1841 are treated as junior synonyms of Pelecinus dichrous Perty, 1833. The status of Pelecinus polyturator var. apicalis Roman is discussed and the name is treated as a synonym of P. polyturator. The only recorded host species for the genus are for P. polyturator: Phyllophaga anxia (LeConte), P. drakei Kirby, P. futilis (LeConte), P. rugosa (Melsheimer) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae); and Podischnus agenor Olivier (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae).