Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Studies focus on the taxonomy and relationships of parasitic wasps (Chalcidoidea) that attack various pest insects, including whiteflies, aphids, armored scale, sharpshooters and ants. The specific objectives of the project are to: 1) complete a molecular analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of eucharitid ant parasites. 2) analyze host adaptations of Eucharitidae within this framework. 3) study the biology and biological control potential of eucharitids attacking fire ants. 4) continue developing a research program on the systematics of Aphelinidae. 5) analyze the relationships across Chalcidoidea using morphological and molecular data. 6) curate and develop the University of California at Riverside collection of Aphelinidae and Eucharitidae. Our target audience are students and researchers interested in understanding the parasitoid species attacking a wide variety of pest organisms. We disseminate information through scientific publication, our UCR web page (http://hymenoptera.ucr.edu), lectures to the public, and outreach events carried out during field work. Recently we have been developing a new interactive website (https://outreach.chalcid.org) to better inform teachers, master gardeners and extension personnel on parasitic wasps and in particular Chalcidoidea. Changes/Problems:Covid has affected our laboratory by restricting lab access, especially by undergrads. However many of our projects can be accomplished online, and the productivity of the lab has been overall maintained. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Over 2020, the relevant personnel included one research specialist (Roger Burks), three PhD graduate students (Austin Baker, Chrysalyn Dominguez, Robert Kresslein) and three undergraduate students. Burks conducted revisionary studies on various species groups of Orasema using both morphological and molecular markers. He is also conducting research on our grant on the phylogenetics of Chalcidoidea. Baker completed his revisionary projects on ant parasitoids in June. Dominguez is conducting research on Mymaridae, an important group of beneficial wasps. Kresslein is looking at the systematics of Aphelinidae. All lab members participate in regular lab meetings and give presentations of their research at scientific meetings. Two undergraduates, Evie Alberico, Alejandra Rocha and Esther Choi, have worked on various research projects in the lab. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Largely our results are disseminated through research publications and presentations at scientific meetings. We have a laboratory web page (http://hymenoptera.ucr.edu). We have been developing a new site (https://outreach.chalcid.org) that disseminates information and resources on Chalcidoidea, including presentations and potential research projects for students. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We have a grant from the NSF for a revised classification of the Chalcidoidea. Students and postdocs are continuing on their research projects. We have several manuscripts in progress on the taxonomy and relationships of various Chalcidoidea, including the eulophid tribe Cirrospilini, a group of leafminer parasitoids.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal A: Our lab research in this area is ongoing through surveys of Chalcidoidea in naive habitats and agricultural systems. Specialist Burks has been doing identifications for CDFA of parasitoids attacking an important seed control agent on Scotch Broom. We published several papers on ant-parasitoid wasps in the family Eucharitidae (Hymenoptera). Two of these papers were on species in the genus Orasema, which are parasitoids of fire ants in the genera Pheidole, Solenopsis and Wasmanni (Baker & Heraty and Heraty & Baker 2020). One of our most significant discoveries this year was the accidental introduction of Orasema minutissima to the island of Hawai'i. As a potential biological control agent against Wasmannia, this is an important find. We have found it in the early stages of spread, which allows for the documentation of its spread and impact on the ant. We also have in press a large revison of the eulophid genus Zagrammosoma, which are parasitoids of lepidopterous leafminers, including a significant number of pest species. We also published the first phylogenomic analysis of relationships in the family Eulophidae, which allows us to better predict evolutionary events and host relationships (Rasplus et al. 2020). Triapitsyn et al. (2020) documents the boundaries of two species of Mymaridae, which are like parasitoids of ground-dwellling Coleoptera. Goal B: We published the first transcriptome phylogeny of the Chalcidoidea (Zhang et al. 2020) as well as a phylogenetic study of Eulophidae (Rasplus et al. 2020). We also are using both standard Sanger-sequencing approaches (ribosomal and mitochondrial loci) as well as novel anchored enrichment approaches (more than 500 protein-coding loci) to look at relationships and species identification across the ant-parasitic Eucharitidae, as well as across all of Chalcidoidea. Four graduate students and two postdoctoral researchers have been trained on two National Science Foundation awards. We are currently working with an Argentinian researcher on the molecular and morphological recognition of ants attacking the Solenopsis saevissima complex, which includes the fire ant. We are continuing our research on leafminer parasitoids. One graduate student (Ryan Perry)completed a study of the taxonomy and relationships of the tribe Cirrospilini (Eulophidae), which include important parasitoids of the Citrus leafminer and the Citrus Peelminer. He also completed a study of of the genus Zagrammosoma on a worldwide basis, and placing this is a phylogenetic context. These wasps are niche generalists and attack a broad spectrum of insects mining leaves. His studies are trying to address the evolution of host breadth in the genus. Perry has already resolved that one of the most commonly collected species, Cirrospilis vittatus, is actually a complex of cryptic species (Perry and Heraty 2019). Current gradate students are focusing their studies on Aphelinidae, Eucharitidae and Mymaridae, all important parasitoids of other insects.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Baker, A.J., Heraty, J.M. 2020. The New World ant parasitoid genus Orasema (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae). Zootaxa 4888: 184.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Burks, R.A., Woolley, J.B., Kesbeh, S.O., Eldridge, D.S., Dal Molin, A. & Heraty, J.M. 2020. Discovery and description of the first known fossil Signiphoridae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 77, 219226.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Triapitsyn, S., Dominguez, C., Huber, J., Japoshvilli, G., Heraty, J.M. 2020. Morphological and molecular separation between Macrocamptoptera grangeri Soyka and M. metotars (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae). Journal of Natural History 54, 585596.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Rasplus, J.-Y. Blaimer, B.B., Brady, S., Burks, R., Delvare, G., Fischer, N., Gates, M., Gauthier, N., Gumovsky, A., Hansson, C., Heraty, J.M., Fusu, L., Nidelet, N., Pereira, R., Sane, L., Ubidallah, R. 2020. First phylogenomic hypothesis for Eulophidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea). Journal of Natural History 54, 597609.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Burks, R.A., Heraty, J.M. 2020. First described fossil representatives of the parasitoid wasp taxa Asaphesinae n.n. and Eunotinae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae sensu lato) from Eocene Baltic amber. Journal of Natural History 54, 801812.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Domer, T.C., Burks, R.A., Krogmann, L., Heraty, J.M. 2020. Patching up the past one fossil at a time: A new species of Eulophidae from Eocene Baltic Amber (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Tetrastichinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 79, 2742.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Heraty, J.M., Baker, A.J. 2020. New species of Orasema (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae) from Central and South America. Journal of Natural History 54, 735754.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Zhang, J., Lindsey, A.R.I. Peters, R.S., Heraty, J.M., Hopper, K.R., Werren, J., Martinson, E. O., Woolley, J.B., Yoder, M.J., Krogmann, L. 2020. Conflicting signal in transcriptomic markers leads to a poorly resolved backbone phylogeny of chalcidoid wasps. Systematic Entomology 45: 783802.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
4. Baker, A.J., Heraty, J.M. 2020. Larval morphology and life history of Eutrichosoma mirabile Ashmead and description of a new species of Eutrichosoma (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 75: 6785.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Murray, E.A., Heraty, J.M. 2020. Neotropical ant parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae): interpreting taxonomy, phylogeny, and divergent morphologies. Systematic Entomology 45: 464-480.
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Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Studies focus on the taxonomy and relationships of parasitic wasps (Chalcidoidea) that attack various pest insects, including whiteflies, aphids, armored scale, sharpshooters and ants. The specific objectives of the project are to: 1) complete a molecular analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of eucharitid ant parasites. 2) analyze host adaptations of Eucharitidae within this framework. 3) study the biology and biological control potential of eucharitids attacking fire ants. 4) continue developing a research program on the systematics of Aphelinidae. 5) analyze the relationships across Chalcidoidea using morphological and molecular data. 6) curate and develop the University of California at Riverside collection of Aphelinidae and Eucharitidae. Our target audience are students and researchers interested in understanding the parasitoid species attacking a wide variety of pest organisms. We disseminate information through scientific publication, our UCR web page (http://hymenoptera.ucr.edu), lectures to the public, and outreach events carried out during field work. Recently we have been developing a new interactive website (https://outreach.chalcid.org) to better inform teachers, master gardeners and extension personnel on parasitic wasps and in particular Chalcidoidea. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Over 2019, the relevant personnel included two research specialists (Roger Burks and Junxia Zhang), four PhD graduate students (Austin Baker, Chrysalyn Dominguez, Ryan Perry and Robert Kresslein) and one undergraduate students. Burks conducted revisionary studies on various species groups of Orasema using both morphological and molecular markers. He is also conducting research on our grant on the phylogenetics of Chalcidoidea. Zhang is doing bioinformatics associated with all of our molecular projects. She took an Associate Professor position at Hebei University in China but is continuing to work with us on various aspects of the project.. Baker is completing his revisionary projects on ant parasitoids. Dominguez is conducting research on Mymaridae, an important group of beneficial wasps. Perry (PhD) is studying the eulophid parasitoids of citrus leafminer and completed his dissertation in December 2019.. Kresslein (PhD) is looking at the systematics of Aphelinidae. All lab members participate in regular lab meetings and give presentations of their research at scientific meetings. One undergraduate, Tiffany Domer, completed a research paper on the description of the firs fossil of the family Eulophidae from Baltic amber (~45 mya). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Largely our results are disseminated through research publications and presentations at scientific meetings. We have a laboratory web page (http://hymenoptera.ucr.edu). We have been developing a new site (https://outreach.chalcid.org) that disseminates information and resources on Chalcidoidea, including presentations and potential research projects for students. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We are finishing a grant from the NSF for a revised classification of the Chalcidoidea. Students and two research specialists are continuing on their research projects. We have several manuscripts in progress on the taxonomy and relationships of various Chalcidoidea including the ant-parasitic genus Orasema.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal A: Our lab research in this area is ongoing through surveys of Chalcidoidea in naive habitats and agricultural systems. Specialist Burks has also beening doing identifications for CDFA of parasitoids attacking an important seed control agent on Scotch Broom. we looked at a group of eulophid wasps that attack leafmining Lepidoptera, including the Citrus Leafminer and the Citrus Peelminer (Perry & Heraty 2019). A new genus was recognized, Burkseus, that includes four species previously recongnized as the single widespread species, Cirrospilus vitattus. Our results strongly affect our evalaluation of local parasitoids and their impact on leafminers. Other studies were focused on a revision of a group an ant-parasitoids (Heraty et al. 2019) and a group of weevil attacking parasitoids based on fossils described from Baltic amber (Burks et al. 2019). Goal B: We are using both standard Sanger-sequencing approaches (ribosomal and mitochondrial loci) as well as novel anchored enrichment approaches (more than 500 protein-coding loci) to look at relationships and species identification across the ant-parasitic Eucharitidae, as well as across all of Chalcidoidea. Our results support an ancestral association with the ant genus Pheidole, followed by an ancient shift to the New World and diversification onto a wider variety of ant hosts, including Solenopsis, Wasmannia and other myrmicine ant hosts. Four graduate students and two postdoctoral researchers have been trained on two National Science Foundation awards. We are currently working with an Argentinian researcher on the molecular and morphological recognition of ants attacking the Solenopsis saevissima complex, which includes the fire ant. We are continuing our research on leafminer parasitoids. One graduate student (Ryan Perry) is studying the taxonomy and relationships of the tribe Cirrospilini (Eulophidae), which include important parasitoids of the Citrus leafminer and the Citrus Peelminer. His studies are currently focused on a revision of the genus Zagrammosoma on a worldwide basis, and placing this is a phylogenetic context. These wasps are niche generalists and attack a broad spectrum of insects mining leaves. His studies are trying to address the evolution of host breadth in the genus. Perry has already resolved that one of the most commonly collected species, Cirrospilis vittatus, is actually a complex of cryptic species (Perry and Heraty 2019).
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Heraty, J.M., Derafshan, H.A., Ghafouri, M. 2019. Review of the Philomidinae Ruschka (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Perilampidae), with description of three new species. Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny 77: 3956.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Baker, A.J., Heraty, J.M., Mottern, J., Zhang, J., Hines, H.M., Lemmon, A.R., Lemmon, E.M. 2020. Inverse dispersal patterns in a group of ant parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae: Oraseminae) and their ant hosts. Systematic Entomology 45: 119 DOI: 10.1111/syen.12371
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Perry, R.K., Heraty J.M. 2019. A tale of two setae: how morphology and ITS2 help delimit a cryptic species complex in Eulophidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). Insect Systematics and Biodiversity 3: 123.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Burks, R., Krogmann, L., Heraty, J.M. 2019. Chrysolampine wasps (Chalcidoidea: Perilampidae sensu lato) from Baltic Amber. Insect Systematics and Biodiversity 10: doi.org/10.1093/isd/ixz027
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Progress 04/28/18 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Studies focus on the taxonomy and relationships of parasitic wasps (Chalcidoidea) that attack various pest insects, including whiteflies, aphids, armored scale, sharpshooters and ants. The specific objectives of the project are to: 1) complete a molecular analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of eucharitid ant parasites. 2) analyze host adaptations of Eucharitidae within this framework. 3) study the biology and biological control potential of eucharitids attacking fire ants. 4) continue developing a research program on the systematics of Aphelinidae. 5) analyze the relationships across Chalcidoidea using morphological and molecular data. 6) curate and develop the University of California at Riverside collection of Aphelinidae and Eucharitidae. Our target audience are students and researchers interested in understanding the parasitoid species attacking a wide variety of pest organisms. We disseminate information through scientific publication, our UCR web page (http://hymenoptera.ucr.edu), lectures to the public, and outreach events carried out during field work. Recently we have been developing a new interactive website (https://outreach.chalcid.org) to better inform teachers, master gardeners and extension personnel on parasitic wasps and in particular Chalcidoidea. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Over 2018, the relevant personnel included two research specialists (Roger Burks and Junxia Zhang), four PhD graduate students (Austin Baker, Chrysalyn Dominguez, Ryan Perry and Robert Kresslein) and two undergraduate students. Burks conducted revisionary studies on various species groups of Orasema using both morphological and molecular markers. He is also conducting research on our grant on the phylogenetics of Chalcidoidea. Zhang is doing bioinformatics associated with all of our molecular projects. Baker is completing his revisionary projects on ant parasitoids. Dominguez is conducting research on Mymaridae, an important group of beneficial wasps. Perry (PhD) is studying the eulophid parasitoids of citrus leafminer. Kresslein is a new student looking at the systematics of Aphelinidae. All lab members participate in regular lab meetings and give presentations of their research at scientific meetings. Two undergraduates, Camille Domingo and Esther Choi, have worked on various research projects in the lab. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Largely our results are disseminated through research publications and presentations at scientific meetings. We have a laboratory web page (http://hymenoptera.ucr.edu). We have been developing a new site (https://outreach.chalcid.org) that disseminates information and resources on Chalcidoidea, including presentations and potential research projects for students. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We have a grant from the NSF for a revised classification of the Chalcidoidea. Students and postdocs are continuing on their research projects. We have several manuscripts in progress on the taxonomy and relationships of various Chalcidoidea including the ant-parasitic genus Orasema.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal A: Our lab research in this area is ongoing through surveys of Chalcidoidea in native habitats and agricultural systems. We have recently revised a group of parasitoids attacking pestiforous ants in the Old World (Burks et al. 2018). This revised all of the species in the Orasema straminiepes group, which include parasitoids of Pheidole and Wasmannia. We also helped with research on host specificity in parasitoids of the russion wheat aphid (Hopper et al. 2018). Graduate students are conducting projects on Aphelinidae, Eulophidae, Mymaridae and Eucharitidae, all of which impact our ability to assess potential biocontrol agents. Specialist Burks has also beening doing identifications for CDFA of parasitoids attacking an important seed control agent on Scotch Broom. Goal B: We are using both standard Sanger-sequencing approaches (ribosomal and mitochondrial loci) as well as novel anchored enrichment approaches (more than 500 protein-coding loci) to look at relationships and species identification across the ant-parasitic Eucharitidae, as well as across all of Chalcidoidea. Our results support an ancestral association with the ant genus Pheidole, followed by an ancient shift to the New World and diversification onto a wider variety of ant hosts, including Solenopsis, Wasmannia and other myrmicine ant hosts. Four graduate students and two postdoctoral researchers have been trained on two National Science Foundation awards. We are currently working with an Argentinian researcher on the molecular and morphological recognition of ants attacking the Solenopsis saevissima complex, which includes the fire ant. We are continuing our research on leafminer parasitoids. One graduate student (Ryan Perry) is studying the taxonomy and relationships of the tribe Cirrospilini (Eulophidae), which include important parasitoids of the Citrus leafminer and the Citrus Peelminer. His studies are currently focued on a revision of the genus Zagrammosoma on a worldwide basis, and placing this is a phylogenetic context. These wasps are niche generalists and attack a broad spectrum of insects mining leaves. His studies are trying to address the evolution of host breadth in the genus. Perry has already resolved that one of the most commonly collected species, Cirrospilis vittatus, is actually a complex of cryptic species. No publications have yet resulted from this research.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Peters, R.S., Niehuis, O., Gunkel, S., Bl�ser, M., Mayer, C., Podsiadlowski, L., Kozlov, A., Donath, A., van Noort, S. Liu, S., Zhou, X., Misof, M., Heraty, J., Krogmann, L. 2018. Transcriptome sequence-based phylogeny of chalcidoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) reveals a history of rapid radiations, convergence, and evolutionary success. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 120: 286296.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Janata, P., Cruaud, A., Delvare, G., Genson, G., Heraty, J., Kr�zkov�, B., Rasplus, R.-Y. 2018. Torymidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) revised: molecular phylogeny, circumscription and reclassification of the family with discussion of its biogeography and evolution of life-history traits. Cladistics 34: 627651. doi: 10.1111/cla.12228
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burks, R.A., Heraty, J.M., Dominguez, C. J. Mottern. 2018. Complex diversity in a mainly tropical group of ant parasitoids: Revision of the Orasema stramineipes species group (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eucharitidae). Zootaxa 44: 107 pp.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Chien, I., J.M. Heraty. 2017. Come and gone: Description of a new species of Eucharitidae (Hymenoptera) attacking Solenopsis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Texas. Insect Systematics and Diversity 2: 17. doi: 10.1093/isd/ixx012
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Burks, R.A., Krogmann, L., J.M. Heraty. 2018. Simultaneous discovery and taxonomic placement of new extant and fossil genera of Herbertiinae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae). Insect Systematics and Diversity 2: 17. doi: 10.1093/isd/ixy012
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Heraty, J.M., Burks, R.A., Mbanyana, N., van Noort, S. 2018. Morphology and life history of an ant parasitoid, Psilocharis afra (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae). Zootaxa: 4482: 491510.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Hopper, K.R., Oppenheim, S.J., Kuhn, K.L., Lanier, K., Hoelmer, K.A., Heimpel, G.E., Meikle, W.G., O'Neil, R.J., Voegtlin, D.G., Wu, K., Woolley, J.B., Heraty, J.M. 2018. Counties not countries: Variation in host specificity among populations of an aphid parasitoid. Evolutionary Applications DOI: 10.1111/eva.12759.
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