A new parasitoid wasp, Aphaereta vondelparkensis sp. n. (Braconidae, Alysiinae), from a city park in the centre of Amsterdam

• Published in: Biodiversity data journal Vol. 8; p. e49017
• Main Authors: van Achterberg, Kees, Schilthuizen, Menno, van der Meer, Marrit, Delval, Richard, Dias, Claudia, Hoynck, Marlene, Köster, Heko, Maarschall, Rudie, Peeters, Norbert, Venema, Peter, Zaremba, Ryan, Beltrami, Cristina, Nieuwenhuis, Florinda, de Rop, Nicole, Njunjić, Iva, Koene, Joris M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers 01.01.2020
• Subjects: Arthropoda; Braconidae; Europe; Hymenoptera; Ichneumonoidea; Insecta; Single Taxon Treatment; Systematics; Taxon Expeditions; new species; Netherlands; dipterous larvae; Palaearctic; decaying meat; endoparasitoid; Alysiini
• ISSN: 1314-2828; 1314-2836; 1314-2828
• DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.8.e49017

The parasitic wasp genus Foerster, 1863, belongs to the large subfamily Alysiinae Leach, 1815 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and contains solitary or gregarious endoparasitoids of larvae of cyclorrhaphous Diptera living in decaying organic matter. A new species, sp. n. (Braconidae, Alysiinae, Alysiini), from a city park in the centre of Amsterdam (Vondelpark) is described and illustrated. The species was discovered on a so-called taxon expedition, in which experts and citizen scientists collaborate on taxonomic projects. The finding highlights the fact that new animal species can still be discovered today, even in the busiest park of the capital of one of the best studied European countries.