Psyttalia rhagoleticola (Sachtleben, 1934)
Taxonomic History / Nomenclature
Originally described in the genus Opius, and placed by Fischer (1972) in the subgenus Psyttalia. Psyttalia was subsequently elevated to generic rank by Wharton (1987). The combination Psyttalia rhagoleticola (Sachtleben, 1934) was first used by Wharton (1988).
Remarks
Psyttalia rhagoleticola occurs from western Europe to Kazakhstan, where it attacks various species of Rhagoletis, including Palaearctic cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cerasi. It also attacks larvae of Myoleja lucida (Fallén) (Wiesmann 1936, Wiesmann 1937, Hoffmeister 1992).
For additional information, see the Psyttalia page.
In Belokobylskij et al. (2003), a suggestion is made that P. carinata is a senior synonym of P. rhagoleticola, but I have not had an opportunity to verify this and thus retain the two as valid (as do Fischer and Koponen 1999).
Distribution
Native
Europe (Tobias, V. I. 1977.; Papp, J. 1979.)
Kyrgyzstan (Fischer, M. and Koponen, M. 1999.)
Lithuania (Jakimavicius, A. B. 1983.)
Armenia (Fischer, M. and Koponen, M. 1999.)
Carinthia (Fischer, M. 1977.; Fischer, M. 1980.; Fischer, M. 1981.)
Hungary (Fischer, M. 1981.; Fischer, M. 1997.; Papp, J. 1981.; Papp, J. 1979.)
Kirgizia (Tobias, V. I. 1977.; Tobias, V. I. 1977.)
Russia (Fischer, M. and Koponen, M. 1999.)
Far East Russia (Tobias, V. I. 2000.)
North Caucasus (Tobias, V. I. 1977.; Tobias, V. I. 1977.)
West Siberia (Tobias, V. I. 1977.; Tobias, V. I. 1977.)
Biology and Behavior
This species was one of the more important parasitoids in a multiple year study of the community dynamics of parasitoids of Rhagoletis cerasi in Northern Germany (Hoffmeister 1990).
Biological Control
Brought into Canada for possible use against cherry fruit fly pests, but I do not know whether it was ever released.
Map
There are no specimens currently determined for this OTU, or those specimens determined for this OTU are not yet mappable.
