PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 107(2), 2005. pp. 463-465 Note Larva and Possible Food Plant ofAncyloneum varipes (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Pergidae) in Papua New Guinea The six known species of Ancyloneum the laboratory resulted in one larva reared Cameron (Pergidae: Euryinae) are endemic to adult. This was from a larva that pupated to New Guinea (Smith 1978). Nothing is five days after the first day of collection. known of the food plants, habits, or larvae The final larval instar took almost three of any species of the genus. During a study days to complete pupation. The adult of caterpillars (Lepidoptera) feeding on the emerged seven days after pupation. The alien plant Spathodea campanulata (L.) reared adult and the larva were preserved Kunth. (Bignoniaceae) in Wamangu, Papua for identification. The other two larvae col- New Guinea, by DB, an adult of Ancylo- lected likewise did not show signs of feed- neura varipes (Cameron) was reared from ing in the laboratory. The larvae may have larvae discovered on the foliage. Ancylo- been in their final instars when collected be- neura varipes was described from "Aru" cause they soon pupated; however, no by Cameron (1877), and additional locali- adults emerged. ties in Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea Although collections were from S. cam- were given by Benson (1958) and Smith panulata and pupation and subsequent rear- (1980). Although sketchy, this is the first ing to adult for one of the four larvae were information on the habits and larvae ofAn- successful in the laboratory, no larvae cyloneura. showed signs of feeding on this plant. Spa- Larvae were collected at Wamangu in thodea campanulata possibly is not the East Sepik Province (143°49'E, 3°49'S). food plant. The larvae may have completed This area was sampled for Lepidoptera feeding and dropped from other plants in from 15 September to 2 October, 2003, cov- search of a pupation site and were only in- ering over 4,500 square meters of foliage cidental on S. campanulata. Also, larvae area. Searches were made on saplings and may feed only on dead or dry leaves as do lower branches of larger trees. Background some other species of Euryinae in Austra- ofthe project and sampling and rearing pro- lia, thus not accepting fresh foliage. Moore cedures were provided by Miller et al. (1957) recorded Polyclonus atratus (Kirb\ ) (2003). Larvae ofA. varipes were not found from Australia feeding on dead or d\ing on any of the other 90 woody plant species leaves of Eucalyptus and Aui^ophora still studied (Miller et al. 2003). attached to branches, and Tillyard (1926) Four pergid larvae were collected in the mentioned this habit tor a species of Di- 14 sampling days. The first two larvae were pluujiorphos Rohwer. Other ELUxinac in found together on the foliage of a sapling Australia are known to feed on dead or dry- growing in the undergrowth of the second- ing leaves or leaves in leal litter (Nauniann ary forest area. They were about 60-80 cm 1991 ) and one on I'crns (Naumann and Bal- above ground level. There were no signs of ciunas 1997), and most arc t'oiuui on oi' ncai' feeding or feeding damage on the leaf. The the ground. caterpillar-like features such as its black 10- The lar\a illustrated (Figs. 1,2) nia\ he segmented body and scleroti/.ed head cap- a prcpiipa (last instar or non-feeding stage) sule indicated similar feeding habits as Icp- when collected in the field. It is about 6.5 idopteran caterpillars, but they did nol feed mill long and cnliicl\ daik brown with the on fresh leaves given to them. Rearing in cl>pciis white, aiea below ihe e>es aiul an- 464 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON Figs. 1-2. Ancyloneura varipes, larva. 1, Lateral view. 2, Dorsal view. tenna reddish brown, and prolegs pale ally. The abdominal segments appear to brown. The antenna appears four segment- have three annulets with the third larger ed, with two small oval segments adjacent than the first two; the tenth tergum is to one larger circular segment, and a small notched at the center in dorsal view. Prolegs node within the circular segment. The head are present on abdominal segments 2—8, is covered with short spatulate setae, with with those on segment 2 smaller than the simple stiff setae on the clypeus, mouth- others. The thorax and abdomen are cov- parts, the lower area of the frons, and ered with short, spatulate setae, similar to around the antennae. Each thoracic leg has those on the head; simple stiff setae are a tarsal claw with a large fleshy lobe adja- present on the thoracic legs. cent to the claw (as in many Argidae). The larva is quite different from known There are deep folds between the segments Australian euryine larvae. Larvae of Clar- and the surpedal lobes are expanded later- issa tasbates Naumann from Tasmania, VOLUME NUMBER 107, 2 465 which are apparently ground dwelHng and Naumann. I. D. 1991. Hymenoptera(wasps,bees,ants, feed on dead Ranunculus leaves (Naumann sawflies). pp. 916-1000. In CSIRO, The Insects 1997), and larvae of Warrafroggatti (Roh- of Australia, A Textbook for Students and Re- wer), which feeds on emergent foliage of search Workers, Vol. 2. Melbourne University Press, pp. 543-1137. an aquatic fern (Naumann and Balciunas . 1997. A remarkable, new Australian sawtiy 1997), both have four-annulate abdominal with brachypterous, nocturnal or crepuscular fe- segments, have simple setae, apparently males (Hymenoptera: Symphyta: Pergidae). Jour- lack the large fleshy lobe adjacent to the nal of Natural History 31: 1335-1345. tarsal claws, and do not have such deep Naumann. I, D. and J. K. Balciunas. 1997. A sawfly larva feeding on aquatic fern (Hymenoptera: Sym- folds and laterally expanded surpedal lobes phyta: Pergidae). Australian Hiiunnologisl 24: 39- on the body. 47. The larva illustrated and reared adult are Smith, D. R. 1978. SuborderSymphyta(Xyelidae,Par- deposited in the National Museum of Nat- achexyelidae, Parapamphiliidae, Xyelydidae. Kar- atavitidae, Gigasiricidae, Sepulcidae. P.seudosiri- ural History, Smithsonian Institution, cidae, Anaxyelidae, Siricidae. Xiphydriidae. Pa- Washington, DC. Cathy Apgar, Systematic roryssidae, Xylotomidae. Blasticotomidae. Pergi- Entomology Laboratory, USDA, took the dae). //; van der Vecht. J. and R. D. Shenefelt.eds. photographs. DB's research in Papua New Hymenopterorum Catalogus. pars 14. 193 pp. Guinea was supported by National Science . 1980. Pergidae (Hymenoptera) from New Foundation grant DEB 021 1591 to George cGiufiicneIanseacntdsA2u2s:tr3a2l9i-a3i4n6.the Bishop Museum. Pa- Weiblen, Scott Miller, Vojtech Novotny, Tillyard, R. J. 1926. The Insects ofAustralia and New and Yves Basset, as well as the Czech Zealand. Angus & Robertson. Ltd.. Sydney, xv -l- Academy of Sciences and Darwin Initiative 560 pp. grant 162/10/030. Darren Bito and David R. Smith. (DB) Literature Cited University ofPapua New Guinea and New- Guinea Binatang Research Center, P.O. Benson, R. B. 1958. On some sawflies (Hymenoptera Box 604. Mac/ang. Papua New Guinea (e- Symphyta) from New Guinea. Proceedings ofthe niail: [email protected]); (DRS) Entomological Society ofLondon (B) 27: 15-18. Miller, S. E., V. Novotny, and Y. Basset. 2003. Studies Systematic Entomology Laboratory, PSI. on New Guinea moths. 1. Introduction (Lepidop- Agricultural Research Sen'ice, U.S. De- tera). Proceedingsofthe Entomological Societyof partment ofAgriculture, c/o National Mu- Washington 105: 1035-1043. seum of Natural History, Smithsonian In- Moore, K. M. 1957. Observations on some Australian stitution, P.O. Box 37012, MRC I6H, Wash- forest insects. Proceedings ofthe Royal Zoologi- cal Society ofNew South Wales 1955-1956: 74- ington, DC, 20013-7012, U.S.A. (e-mail: 81. [email protected])