Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ibalia fascipennis
Ibalia maculipennis
Ibalia scalpellator
described by Say in 1824
Numbers
one of 7 species in this genus in North America; only 6 species are listed at
nearctia.com, and one of those (
I. scalpellator) is now considered a synonym of
I. anceps
one of 2 species in the east: anceps, leucospoides
Identification
predominantly yellow with black markings on head, thorax, and abdomen; first hind tarsal segment longer than remaining segments combined; 2nd hind tarsal segment has long apical process extending to tip of 4th tarsal segment; abdomen compressed laterally (almost knife-like) and longer than head and thorax combined; antenna 13-segmented in female, 15-segmented in male; forewing mottled with brown spots (3 morphs of I. anceps are recognized, each morph differing in wing color pattern)
Range
eastern United States plus southern Ontario
Habitat
adults may be seen ovipositing on hickory trees, inside which larvae of Tremex horntails are present
Food
larvae are parasitoids of larval Tremex horntails (Siricidae)
See Also
Ibalia leucospoides is the only other eastern species; it has a black head and thorax, an unmarked dark red abdomen, and its larvae are parasitoids of
Sirex larvae in coniferous trees (see live adult photos
here and
here)
Internet References
pinned adult images by Katja Seltmann in Kentucky (morphbank.net)
host and habitat; PDF doc citing
Tremex columba in hickory in Pennsylvania (A.B. Champlain, Psyche, 1922)
scanning electron micrographs of larvae; PDF doc plus description, biology, hosts (J.L. Neves-Aldrey
et al, Zoologica Scripta, 2005, courtesy Florida State U.)
distribution; PDF doc (Daniel Borchert, USDA)
I. scalpellator as synonym; article abstract plus number of world species of Ibaliidae (Z.W. Liu and G. Nordlander, National University of Kiev, Ukraine)
overview of family, numbers, biology (E.F. Legner, U. of California at Riverside)
