PHYTOPHAGY IN THE GENUS MONITORIELLA (HYMENOPTERA, BRACONIDAE) WITH DESCRIPTION OF NEW SPECIES

Exposures of uninfested plants to mated females were used to confirm data from field collections that suggested the braconid wasp Monitoriella elongata was phytophagous, producing galls on Philodcndron radiatum. we predict that all members of the genus Monitoriella are phytophagous. The vast majority of the Braconidae are parasitic on other insects. Only 1 other species in the family Braconidae is known to be phytophagous, as a gall inducer on legumes, but a few others are also suspected. A redescription of M. elongata is presented based on material from Mexico and Costa Rica, a new species of Monitoriella is described from Trinidad, and a key is provided to the known species of Monitoriella.