First records of Aulacus striatus Jurine, 1807 (Hymenoptera Aulacidae) and its host, Xiphydria picta Konow, 1897 (Hymenoptera: Xiphydriidae), from Türkiye

Abstract

This study was performed in the Yeşilırmak delta of Samsun province located in northern Türkiye to reveal the diversity of rare wasp species. For this purpose, specimens belonging to the family Aulacidae and Xiphydriidae were collected with Malaise traps from various localities in the study area between 2022 and 2023. As a result, the occurrence of the parasitoid wasp Aulacus striatus Jurine, 1807 (Hymenoptera: Aulacidae) was reported for the first time in Türkiye. This is also the first record of genus Aulacus Jurine, 1807 (Hymenoptera: Aulacidae) from the country. Additionally, two putative hosts of A. striatus, Xiphydria picta Konow, 1897 and Xiphydria prolongata (Geoffroy, 1785) have been collected. Of these species, X. picta is new to the Turkish fauna. With these new records, the number of aulacids in Türkiye is raised up to six species in two genera, while the number of xiphydriids is raised up to three within one genus.