Two examples of anterior / posterior gynandromorphism in Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera)

Abstract

• Two specimens of Ichneumonidae exhibiting interior/posterior gynandromorphism are described. In both the specimens of Ephialtes manifestator (L.) (Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) and Cylloceria sylvestris (Gravenhorst) (Ichneumonidae: Cylloceriinae), the head is female (as is the mesosoma of E. manifestator) and the metasoma is male. A potential mechanism for generation of transverse (anterior/posterior) gynandromorphs is briefly discussed, based on experiments (by others) on Na-sonia vitripennis (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).