Subterranean ecosystems are characterized by the absence of light and photoperiod, moderate annual temperature amplitude, short trophic chains and relative humidity close to saturation. Despite these conditions these ecosystems have always scientific interest. Proof of this is in the significant number of animal species found and described from these peculiar localities.
In this project the study of Braconidae (Hymenoptera) fauna is studied from subterranean ecosystems around the World. It is important to highlight the great collaboration of the Speleology Group of Villacarrillo (Grupo de Espeleología de Villacarillo – GEV) who is conducting intensive fieldwork in caves of Jaén Province (Spain) [Bioespeleologia blog and Espeleovillacarrillo blog].
Main researches and organizations cooperating are:
- Toni Pérez Fernández (Grupo de Espeleología de Villacarillo) [Researchgate]
- Henri-Pierre Aberlenc (Centre International de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement – CIRAD) [website]
List of papers published:
8. Peris-Felipo, F.J., Belokobylskij, S.A. 2017. Dinotrema kovali sp. nov., a new species of the genus Dinotrema Foerster, 1863 from the cave of the Crimean Peninsula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae). Zoosystematica Rossica, 26(1): 167-173 [pdf]
7. Peris-Felipo, F.J., García-Bacerra, R., Belokobylskij, S. 2016. Aspilota ajara sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae), the first species of the genus Aspilota Foerster from caves. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 52: 153-162 [pdf]
6. Peris-Felipo, F.J., Aberlenc, H.P. 2016. The genus Dinotrema Foerster, 1862 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae) in the Païolive ecocomplex caves (Southern France). Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, 121(3): 309-312 [pdf]
5. Peris-Felipo, F.J., Belokobylskij, S.A. 2016. Braconidae parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera) from subterranean environments. Actas EspeleoMeeting Ciudad de Villacarrillo, 45-48 [pdf]
4. Abolafia, J., Arbea, J.I., García, Ll., Hernando, C., López-Rodríguez, M.J., Mauriès, J.-P., Pérez, T., Peris-Felipo, F.J., Prieto, C.E., Ribera, C., Subías, L.S., Tierno de Figueroa, J.M., Tinaut, A., Zaragoza, J.A. 2016. Invertebrados de interés en cuevas y simas de la Sierra de Segura (Jaén, Andalucía, España). Actas EspeleoMeeting Ciudad de Villacarrillo, 105-111 [pdf]
3. Peris-Felipo, F. J. 2015. Los invertebrados de hábitats subterráneos de Jaén. Zookeys, 518: 155-156. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.518.9684 [pdf]
2. Peris-Felipo, F. J. 2015. Primer registro de un alysiino (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae) en ambientes subterráneos. Monografías Bioespeleológicas, 10: 10-12. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4JcDrAba_RPTnZqUDltRnJUbXM/view [pdf]
1. Peris-Felipo, F. J., Belokobylskij, S., Achterberg, C. van, Pérez-Fernández, T. 2014. Dinotrema cavernicola sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae), a new species of the genus Dinotrema Foerster from caves of Spain. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 41: 47-56. doi: 10.3897/JHR.41.8606 [pdf]