Tago pincer wasp (Gonatopus tagoi) and reassignment Agonatopus gracilis as Gonatopus gigantostratiotes

NEWS - A new name, Gonatopus tagoi from Japan, previously known as Agonatopus gracilis (Esaki & Hashimoto, 1932), has been redescribed based on a newly collected female. A. gracilis has been included in Gonatopus, but the name G. gracilis is still used as Kieffer (1905) and is now Gonatopus gigantostratiotes as a replacement name.

The pincer wasp (Gonatopus Ljungh, 1810, Hymenoptera, Dryinidae, Gonatopodinae) is a parasitoid and predator of Auchenorrhyncha (Hemiptera). In Japan, there are 16 known species, most of which are 2.0–4.5 mm in size, but Toshiharu Mita of Kyushu University found a series of females in Honshu and Kyushu exceeding 4.5 mm in length.

G. tagoi has a total body length of 4.70 mm, head length 0.57 mm and width 1.22 mm, antenna 2.72 mm, mesosoma 2.43 mm, procoxa 0.90 mm, protrochanter 0.67 mm, profemora 1.38 mm, protibia 1.27, T5 0.75. The etymology comes from Toshihiro Tago, a holotype collector, by raking nets from grasslands in the dry riverbed of the Edo-gawa River, Central Honshu.

G. gigantostratiotes has a total body length of 6.02-7.28 mm, head 0.89-0.92 mm long and 1.62-1.63 mm wide, antennae 4.0 mm, mesosoma 3.00-3.38 mm, procoxa 1.17-1.29 mm, protrochanter 1.02-1.06 mm, profemora 2.14-2.15 mm, protibia 1.90-2.05 mm, T5 1.20-1.23 mm. The body size of females appears smaller due to a reduced metasoma.

The etymology of the alternate name is derived from the Greek words, "gigantis" and "stratiotes" meaning Giant Warrior. This name refers to the very large species among the Japanese Gonatopus. This name is a noun in the singular nominative form standing as an apposition.

Previous research suggested A. gracilis should be moved to Gonatopus. However, the name G. gracilis was taken over by G. gracilis (Kieffer, 1905), a junior synonym of G. lunatus (Klug, 1810) and no junior synonym is available. The replacement name G. gigantostratiotes is intended to eliminate the nomenclature conflict.

Original research

Toshiharu Mita (2024). Taxonomy of Japanese Gonatopus (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae), with description of a new species. Zootaxa 5506 (1): 113-121, DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.5506.1.7

Yellow garden spider (Argiope appensa)

Yellow garden spider ( Argiope appensa ) is a species of spider in Araneidae that lives on the coast to forests on islands in the western Pacific Ocean. Black and yellow females are striking and have a length of 5.1-6.4 cm including long legs, while males are brown and have a length of about 1.9 cm. A. appensa lives on cliffs in the hills at 600 m above sea level in Kewu plain to rice fields in the lowlands. They make nests at a height of 1.5 meters from the ground between teak ( Tectona grandis ), sonokeling ( Dalbergia latifolia ), sonosiso ( Dalbergia sissoo ), crown flower ( Calotropis gigantea ) and various grasses. Yellow garden spiders grow in large sizes, but are not toxic to humans. Advanced builds ball-shaped nets and most of them make stabilizers which are zigzag-shaped lines in nets made of thicker bands. This species spends more time in stationary and sits in the middle of the net with its head down to wait for insects to be entangled in fine silk thread. Unli...

Skyflower (Duranta erecta)

Sinyo nakal or skyflower ( Duranta erecta ) is plant species in Verbenaceae, a broad shrub or small tree, up to 6 m high, stems growing upright or horizontally with broad clumps, many branches, bark light brown, old tree has axillary spines and grows to form dense colonies. D. erecta has bright green leaves, elliptical to ovoid, pointed or rounded ends, sitting opposite, 7.5 cm long, 3.5 cm wide, a main vein in the middle with several small lateral veins, petiole long 1.5 cm. Flowers are light blue or lavender or white, appear in tight clusters as on terminal stems and axils, often curled or pendulous, blooms in summer. The fruit is a berry having a stalk, small round, yellow or orange or white in color, up to 11 mm in diameter, an eye green in front and containing several seeds. Skyflower grows in dry or humid areas and lots of sun, rocky or sandy beaches, forests, farmland and disturbed places. Plants will grow at a rate of up to half a meter per year. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum:...

Big-leaved acacia (Acacia mangium)

Big-leaved acacia ( Acacia mangium ) is a species of woody plants in the Acacieae, long oval leaves, growing up to 30 m and straight stems, except in less favorable places will grow only 7-10 m, have hardwood, rough, longitudinal grooved and dark to light brown. A. mangium has shoots with compound leaves consisting of many minor leaves and after growing a few weeks does not produce any more real leaves but the main axis of the petiole of each compound leaves widens and turns into known pohyllocladus or pseudo leaves. Big-leaved acacia has about 142,000 seeds/kg. Long pods form circular threads and are black or brown when ripe. Dry pods will open to expose small black seeds. Trees bind nitrogen to the soil and are a popular species for agroforestry projects. This plant is weather resistant, although it requires special care if it is planted as a garden plant where the leaves are falling a lot. These plants include legumes that grow quickly by increasing height 4 m per year near ...

Dlium