THELYTOCIA IN TAENIOGONALOS-VENATORIA RIEK (HYMENOPTERA, TRIGONALYIDAE), WITH NOTES ON ITS DISTRIBUTION AND FIRST DESCRIPTION OF MALES

The Trigonalyidae, which have previously been thought to reproduce arr henotokously like most parasitic Hymenoptera, are added to the list of families from which thelytoky (true parthenogenesis) is recorded. Thi s has been inferred for Taeniogonalos venatoria Riek on the basis of a male:female sex ratio in the field ranging from about 1:250 to 0:1500 . The rare male of this species is described for the first time, and t he known distribution of the species extended to include South Austral ia. The host range of T. venatoria, which parasitises widely dispersin g pergid sawfly larvae, is proposed as a possible reason for its thely tokous mode of reproduction.