A Preliminary Study On The Parasitic Wasps Of Langkawi Islands With Special Emphasis On The Ichneumonidae and Braconidae

Abstract

A preliminary study was conducted on parasitic wasps using Malaise &amp;aps and yellow pan Eaps at four sites in l,anskawi, Malaysia. A total of 316 individuals consisting of 131 morphosp&euro;cies of parasitic wasps were collected (79, 20, 31 and 9 for ichneurnonids, braconids, chalcids and evadids rcspectively). The ichneumonids were found to be signficandy (p < 0.05) more abundant, speciose and diverce than the bmconids in all study sites. Surpdsingly, the braconids werc found to be significantly (p < 0.05) less abundant alld diveNe than the evaniids, the relatively smaller group of pansitic wasps compared to bmconids. An interesting result was that the diversity of ichneumonids at Langkawi was somewhat similar to that of the bigger size and undistubed Kuala Lompat Foresl Reserve in the state of Pahang. Although ahe genus Cdrlpr&quot;r (Ichneunonidae: Cryptinae) was the only taxon idertified up to species level, we had ideDtified one species that is potentially new to science. This suggests that Langkawi Island is sti dch in parasitic wasps despite its small size and some disturbances thai had occurred. However, if land development activities continue without considering their effect on the island's natural heritage, the biological diversity of flom and fauna including the parasitic wasps might not be able to sustain ftenpapularions and existence.