A Systematic Catalogue of Australian Braconidae 
Arthur W. Parrott^ 
INTRODUCTION 
It has been 60 years since a list of the 
Braconidae of Australia was published, ex- 
cepting the world lists compiled by Dalla 
Torre (1898) and Szepligeti (1904). In 1891, 
Froggatt published his "Catalogue of De- 
scribed Hymenoptera of Australia” in which 
he lists eight species of braconids. Nine years 
later Dalla Torre’s world catalogue appeared 
in which he records 28 species from Austra- 
lia and Tasmania. As far as the Australian 
fauna is concerned, there are errors and om- 
missions which diminish the value of this 
great work, and in the present catalogue it is 
referred to only when the nomenclature of a 
species is affected. For example, Dalla Torre 
does not mention Guerin’s genus Trachypectus 
and records Bracon hicolor Brulle from Africa 
and Myosoma mutator Fabr. from America. The 
next list was published in Szepligeti’s "Genera 
Insectorum,” Parts I and II, which appeared 
in 1904. While Szepligeti was preparing this 
work, he was actively engaged in a study of 
the Australian fauna and thus added greatly 
to our knowledge of this group. He lists 37 
species from Australia and Tasmania. The 
present list records 224 species from Australia 
and Tasmania. 
Unquestionably the taxonomy of the Bra- 
conidae is rather confused. Further studies 
will undoubtedly result in much more syno- 
nymy and in the resurrection of some species 
and genera now suppressed. The great divers- 
ity of species occurring in Australia and neigh- 
bouring regions necessitates an enormous 
1 Entomologist, Cawthron Institute, Nelson, New 
Zealand. Manuscript received March 1, 1952. 
amount of work before a proper arrangement 
of species and their synonymy can be formu- 
lated. The arrangement of the genera and 
higher groups, in the present catalogue, is 
substantially that used by Muesebeck (1951: 
90-184). 
For the majority of species listed, I have 
had access to the original works, but those 
that were not available to me I have checked 
with other authors and in the Zoological Rec- 
ord. In compiling the synonymy of the older 
species, especially those of Fabricius and 
Brulle, and of the several more or less cos- 
mopolitan species, a complete bibliography 
is not given, but invariably the original ref- 
erence, together with all subsequent references 
where nomenclature is affected, is included. 
All references are included when a fuller de- 
scription or figures are given, or when ref- 
erence is made to the host or distribution of 
the species concerned. At the end of the cata- 
logue is a list of beneficial species introduced 
and liberated for purposes of biological con- 
trol. Established aliens, accidentally introduced 
species, and those occurring naturally outside 
the Australian area are given in the body of 
the catalogue with an indication of their dis- 
tribution outside Australia. A host index is 
included as well as a general index, listing all 
subfamily, generic, specific, and subspecific 
names included in the catalogue. 
Every endeavour has been made to make 
this catalogue as complete as possible; never- 
theless, there may be ommissions, and perpet- 
uations of errors occurring in early records, 
and subsequent authors’ corrections may have 
been overlooked, but it is hoped that such 
errors have been reduced to a minimum. 
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