BIOTIC ASSOCIATIONS OF COCKROACHES — ROTH & WILLIS 249 



Syntomosphyrum ischnopterae (GIrault) 



Synonymy. — Epomphaloides ischnopterae Girault [Peck, 1951]- 



Parker and Thompson (1928) called their hyperparasite Tetrasti- 

 chus sp. However, Dr. B. D. Burks (personal communication, 1955) 

 has examined the teneral specimens which Parker and Thompson de- 

 posited in the U.S. National Mueseum ; he stated that the species is 

 apparently Syntomosphyrum ischnopterae. In view of the experi- 

 mental work by Parker and Thompson (see below), this wasp may 

 prove to be a hyperparasite on evaniids in cockroach oothecae rather 

 than a primary parasite on cockroach eggs. (See Zeuxevania splen- 

 didula, p. 243.) 



Natural hosts. — Ischnoptera sp. [probably Parcohlatta sp. (Rehn, 

 personal communication, 1958)]. U.S.A., Maryland (Girault, 1917). 



Zeuxevania splendidula Costa (an evaniid in the oothecae of Lobop- 

 tera decipiens), France (Parker, 1924; Parker and Thompson, 

 1928). 



The following information is from Parker and Thompson (1928) : 

 Adult behavior. — Courtship and mating were accomplished as soon as 

 adults emerged, and in a manner similar to that in other chalcids. The 

 females oviposited only into oothecae that were parasitized by 

 Zeuxevania, never into normal, nonparasitized oothecae. Oviposition. — 

 Oviposition occurred two days after mating. The female wasp stroked 

 the ootheca with her antennae, selected a site, and bored into the 

 ootheca with her ovipositor. She inserted the ovipositor deeply and 

 oviposited for 10-30 minutes. The eggs were deposited randomly on 

 the evaniid larva, some upright and others lying down. Development. 

 — Eggs of the hyperparasite hatched within 3 days and the larvae 

 commenced feeding on the host larva. There were 30 and 50 hyper- 

 parasites in two oothecae. Sex ratio. — 5 5? ^ i cf (from 3 oothecae). 



Distribution. — U.S.A., District of Columbia, Maryland (Burks, 

 1952). 



Tetrastichus australasiae Gahan 



Natural host. — Periplaneta australasiae, Sumatra (Gahan, 1923). 



Tetrastichus hagenowii (Ratzeburg) 



Synonymy. — Entedon hagenowii Ratzeburg, Blattotetrastichus hag- 

 enowii (Ratzeburg) [Burks, 1943]. Tetrastichodes asthenogmus 

 Waterston. G. J. Kerrich (personal communication, 1957) compared 

 the type of Tetrastichodes asthenogmus Waterston with authentically 

 determined material of Tetrastichus hagcnozvii and concluded that T. 

 asthenogmus is only a weakly developed specimen of T. hagenozcni. 



