Checklist of ichneumonid parasitoid wasps in Switzerland (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae): 470 species new for the country and an appraisal of the alpine diversity

Abstract

We here present the first comprehensive and validated species list of the parasitoid wasp family Ichneumonidae in Switzerland. The list includes 1,878 species and is based on both an extensive literature research and a review of all reliably identified specimens present in the major Swiss collections. Because of the incomplete taxonomic treatment of this largest hymenopteran family, we adopted a conservative approach, accepting only species that have been published recently and/or were identified by recognized experts. The subfamilies Adelognathinae, Brachycyrtinae, Diacritinae and Lycorininae are reported for the first time for the country, as are 470 of the 1,878 species. The true number of species of ichneumonids in Switzerland is probably much higher, given the incomplete revision of Swiss specimens and the fact that large areas of the country were studied very sparsely or not at all. The subalpine and alpine areas deserve special attention, as they show a higher ratio between the number of species per collected specimen; these areas should be the focus of intensified collecting efforts in the future. The current list may serve as a starting point for more extensive taxonomic and faunistic work on Ichneumonidae in Switzerland.