Body Part Selection for Size Classification of Two Trichogramma Species.

Body size is an important morphological characteristic that covaries with the quality of parasitoids and predators. Data show that the larger the organism is, the better the biological parameters and the host location by natural enemies in the field. The standard way of evaluating the size of parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) is by measuring the tibia, but using only one body part to estimate the size of organisms can lead to miscalculations. In this paper, commercial Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and Trichogramma galloi Zucchi, 1988 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) were mounted on slides for microscopy and photographed, and the photographs were used to measure their antennae, scutellum, ovipositor, tibia, and wing. Principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were performed to select the body part that best represents their size. PCA showed that all body parts represented size in a similar way, and LDA showed that the ovipositor was the most representative. We conclude that the best body parts for representing the size of the Trichogramma species studied are the wing and ovipositor, and at least two body parts are needed to detect two size groups.

Phylogenomics and biogeography of sawflies and woodwasps (Hymenoptera, Symphyta).

Phylogenomic approaches have recently helped elucidate various insect relationships, but large-scale comprehensive analyses on relationships within sawflies and woodwasps are still lacking. Here, we infer the relationships and long-term biogeographic history of these hymenopteran groups using a large dataset of 354 UCE loci collected from 385 species that represent all major lineages. Early Hymenoptera started diversifying during the Early Triassic âˆ¼249 Ma and spread all over the ancient supercontinent Pangaea. We recovered Xyeloidea as a monophyletic sister group to other Hymenoptera and Pamphilioidea as sister to Unicalcarida. Within the diverse family Tenthredinidae, our taxonomically and geographically expanded taxon sampling highlights the non-monophyly of several traditionally defined subfamilies. In addition, the recent removal of Athalia and related genera from the Tenthredinidae into the separate family Athaliidae is supported. The deep historical biogeography of the group is characterised by independent dispersals and re-colonisations between the northern (Laurasia) and southern (Gondwana) palaeocontinents. The breakup of these landmasses led to ancient vicariance in several Gondwanan lineages, while interchange across the Northern Hemisphere has continued until the Recent. The little-studied African sawfly fauna is likewise a diverse mixture of groups with varying routes of colonization. Our results reveal interesting parallels in the evolution and biogeography of early hymenopterans and other ancient insect groups.

Using DNA barcoding to identify high-priority taxa (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) seeks to document every species of living thing in the park. The ATBI is decades in progress, yet some taxa remain virtually untouched by taxonomists. Such "high priority" taxa include the hyper-diverse parasitoid wasp family Ichneumonidae. Despite the positive and multifaceted effects ichneumonids have on their environment, only a small percentage of those collected in the park have been identified as species, mostly to their complex morphology and overwhelming diversity. Recently, DNA barcoding has transformed biodiversity inventories, streamlining the process to be more rapid and efficient. To test the effectiveness of barcoding 20 + year-old specimens of Ichneumonidae and catalog new records for GSMNP, COI was amplified from 95 ichneumonid morphospecies collected from Andrew's Bald, NC. Species identifications were confirmed morphologically. Eighty-one ichneumonids generated sequence data, representing 16 subfamilies and 44 genera. The subfamily Oxytorinae is newly recorded from GSMNP, along with 10 newly recorded genera and 23 newly recorded species across Ichneumonidae. These results contribute significantly to the ATBI by adding new park records for a high-priority taxon and demonstrate the effectiveness of applying DNA barcoding to samples in long-term storage or those lacking immediate taxonomic expertise.

A new genus in the braconid subfamily Miracinae from the Oriental region, with descriptions of seven new species from India and Sri Lanka.

A new genus in the braconid subfamily Miracinae is described from the Oriental region including a new species from south India. Additionally, six new species of the genus Centistidea Rohwer is described from India and Sri Lanka. Taxonomic keys to separate the new genus from other miracine genera, to the extant species of Rugosimirax gen. nov. and to the Oriental species of Centistidea are provided.

The genera Astrenis Förster, 1869 and Phrudus Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae: Tersilochinae) in the Ukrainian Carpathians.

The genera Astrenis Förster, 1869 and Phrudus Förster, 1869 from the Ukrainian Carpathians are reviewed. Five species have been found in the studied region, including the first Ukrainian records of Astrenis nigrifacies Viknerg, 2000, and Phrudus badensis Hilpert, 1987. Another Phrudus species, Phrudus carpathicus sp. n., is described and illustrated.

Minimalist revision of Mesochorus Gravenhorst, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Mesochorinae) from Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, with 158 new species and host records for 129 species / Revisión minimalista de Mesochorus Gravenhorst, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Mesochorinae) del Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, con 158 especies nuevas y registros de hospedantes para 129 especies

Introduction: Species of Mesochorus are found worldwide and members of this genus are primarily hyperparasitoids of Ichneumonoidea and Tachinidae. Objectives: To describe species of Costa Rican Mesochorus reared from caterpillars and to a lesser extent Malaise-trapped. Methods: The species are diagnosed by COI mtDNA barcodes, morphological inspection, and host data. A suite of images and host data (plant, caterpillar, and primary parasitoid) are provided for each species. Results: A total of 158 new species of Mesochorus. Sharkey is the taxonomic authority for all. Conclusions: This demonstrates a practical application of DNA barcoding that can be applied to the masses of undescribed neotropical insect species in hyperdiverse groups.

Introducción: Las especies de Mesochorus se encuentran en todo el mundo y los miembros de este género son principalmente hiperparasitoides de las familias Ichneumonoidea y Tachinidae. Objetivos: Describir las especies de Mesochorus costarricenses obtenidas de orugas y en menor medida por trampas Malaise. Métodos: Las especies se diagnosticaron mediante el uso de código de barra molecular por COI del ADNmt, inspección morfológica y datos del huésped. Se proporciona un conjunto de imágenes y datos de los huéspedes (planta, oruga y parasitoide primario) para cada especie. Resultados: Se encontró un total de 158 nuevas especies de Mesochorus. Sharkey es la autoridad taxonómica para todas las especies. Conclusiones: Se demuestra una aplicación práctica del código de barras de ADN que se puede aplicar a grandes cantidades de especies de insectos neotropicales no descritas para grupos hiperdiversos.

New species of the Genus Messatoporus Cushman (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae) from the Neotropical Region.

Three new species of Messatoporus are described and illustrated from Brazil: Messatoporus claretee sp. nov., Messatoporus luizae sp. nov. and Messatoporus suzane sp. nov. The species are characterized by having long mandibles, with dorsal tooth much longer than ventral tooth, propodeum with long transverse striation and first metasomal tergite long with spiracle near the middle.

Remoción de semillas por Dorymyrmex insanus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) en una reserva ecológica en la Ciudad de México, México / Seed removal by Dorymyrmex insanus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in an ecological reserve in Mexico City, Mexico

Abstract Introduction: Seed removal by ants is an interaction that may greatly affect the dynamic and structure of the vegetation. This aspect is well known for granivorous ants; however, there is little information on the effect of omnivorous ants. Objective: To assess the potential impact of the omnivorous ant Dorymyrmex insanus on vegetation. Methods: In the Pedregal Reserve, Mexico City, we identified the items in the refuse piles of ten ant colonies, for one year, covering the rainy and dry seasons. For each season we calculated seed diversity and analyzed the possible relationship between seed size and their abundance in the refuse piles, with regression models. We also did germination tests with seeds of Tagetes micrantha, comparing seeds from piles and from plants. Results: D. insanus removed seeds of 19 plant species as well as plant remains (such as leaves, twigs, roots), and remains of insects. Seed diversity was higher in the rainy season but the greatest abundance was in the dry season. When analyzing the relationship between seed length and abundance in the refuse piles, we found that the ants preferred seeds of around 10 mm. We also found that more seeds of T. micrantha germinated when they were previously handled by ants. Conclusions: The ant D. insanus actively participates in the removal of seeds from several species, favoring germination, and seasonality affects the selectivity of resources.

Resumen Introducción: La remoción de semillas por parte de las hormigas es una interacción que puede afectar en gran medida la dinámica y estructura de la vegetación. Este aspecto es bien conocido para las hormigas granívoras; sin embargo, hay poca información sobre el efecto de las omnívoras. Objetivo: Evaluar el impacto potencial de la hormiga omnívora Dorymyrmex insanus sobre la vegetación. Métodos: En la Reserva Pedregal, Ciudad de México, se identificaron los ítems en el área del basurero para diez colonias de hormigas, durante un año, cubriendo la época de lluvia y sequía. Para cada temporada calculamos la diversidad de semillas y analizamos la posible relación entre el tamaño de las semillas y su abundancia en los basureros, con modelos de regresión. También hicimos pruebas de germinación con semillas de Tagetes micrantha, comparando las encontradas en los basureros con las provenientes de las plantas. Resultados: D. insanus eliminó semillas de 19 especies de plantas, así como restos de plantas (hojas, ramitas, raíces) y restos de insectos. La diversidad de semillas fue mayor en la estación lluviosa pero la mayor abundancia lo fue en la estación seca. Al analizar la relación entre la longitud de las semillas y la abundancia en el área del basurero, encontramos que las hormigas preferían semillas de alrededor de 10 mm. También encontramos que germinaron más semillas de T. micrantha cuando fueron manipuladas previamente por hormigas. Conclusiones: La hormiga D. insanus participa activamente en la remoción de semillas de varias especies, favoreciendo la germinación, y la estacionalidad afecta la selectividad de recursos.

DNA barcoding of Sclerogibbidae and confirmation of the opposite sexes of Sclerogibba berlandi Benoit (Hymenoptera: Sclerogibbidae).

The female and male of Sclerogibba berlandi Benoit, 1963 (Hymenoptera: Sclerogibbidae), collected in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) and characterized by a pronounced sexual dimorphism, were associated for the first time by mitochondrial COI sequences. A comparison with COI sequences of S. crassifemorata Riggio De Stefani-Perez, 1888 and S. talpiformis Benoit, 1950 from Abu Dhabi proved the diversity of S. berlandi. The COI sequence of a female of S. rossi Olmi, 2005 from Japan, Okinawa-jima, was analyzed for the first time and compared with the other sequences.

The Apechoneura nigricornis species-group, one, two or three species?

Apechoneura nigriventris is removed from synonymy and re-instated as a valid species and included in the nigricornis species-group. Apechoneura seminigra is considered a new synonymy of A. nigriventris. Apechoneura pictiventris is included in the carinifrons species-group.

New record of Orgalonia van Achterberg and description of a new species of Orgilus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Orgilinae) from India.

Orgilinae is a small group of family Braconidae containing about 200 species globally including 4 Indian species. In the present work genus Orgilonia is recorded for the first time from India along with the redescription and illustrations of Orgilonia ashmeadi (Viereck, 1911). A new species Orgilus indicus sp. nov. is described from India, and a key to Indian tribes, genera and species with a checklist of Indian species belonging to subfamily Orgilinae is also provided.

Hymenoptera Genome Database: new genomes and annotation datasets for improved go enrichment and orthologue analyses.

We report an update of the Hymenoptera Genome Database (HGD; http://HymenopteraGenome.org), a genomic database of hymenopteran insect species. The number of species represented in HGD has nearly tripled, with fifty-eight hymenopteran species, including twenty bees, twenty-three ants, eleven wasps and four sawflies. With a reorganized website, HGD continues to provide the HymenopteraMine genomic data mining warehouse and JBrowse/Apollo genome browsers integrated with BLAST. We have computed Gene Ontology (GO) annotations for all species, greatly enhancing the GO annotation data gathered from UniProt with more than a ten-fold increase in the number of GO-annotated genes. We have also generated orthology datasets that encompass all HGD species and provide orthologue clusters for fourteen taxonomic groups. The new GO annotation and orthology data are available for searching in HymenopteraMine, and as bulk file downloads.

Genetic diversity analysis of the invasive gall pest Leptocybe invasa (Hymenoptera: Apodemidae) from China.

Leptocybe invasa Fisher et LaSalle is a global invasive pest that seriously damages Eucalyptus plants. Studying the genetic diversity, genetic structure and introgression hybridization of L. invasa in China is of great significance for clarifying the breeding strategy, future invasion and diffusion trends of L. invasa in China and developing scientific prevention and control measures. Genetic diversity and phylogenetic analyses of 320 L. invasa female adults from 14 geographic populations in China were conducted using 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci (SSRs) and mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I gene sequences (COIs). (1) The Bayesian phylogenetic tree and haplotype network diagram showed that only haplotype Hap3 existed in L. invasa lineage B in China, while haplotypes Hap1 and Hap2 existed in lineage A, among which haplotype Hap2 was found for the first time. The nucleotide and haplotype diversities of lineage A were higher than those of lineage B. (2) The SSR genetic diversity of the Wuzhou Guangxi, Ganzhou Jiangxi and Panzhihua Sichuan populations was higher than that of the other 11 populations, and the SSR genetic diversity of lineage A was higher than that of lineage B. (3) The AMOVA analysis of mitochondrial COI data showed that 75.55% of the variation was among populations, and 99.86% of the variation was between lineages, while the AMOVA analysis of nuclear SSR data showed that 35.26% of the variation was among populations, and 47.04% of the variation was between lineages. There were obvious differences in the sources of variation between the COI and SSR data. (4) The optimal K value of COI and SSR data in structure analysis was 2, and PCoA analysis also divided the dataset into two obvious categories. The UPMGA phylogenetic tree based on SSR data clustered 14 geographic species into two groups. The results of genetic structure analysis supported the existence of two lineages, A and B, in China. (5) Structural analysis showed that there was obvious introgressive hybridization in Wuzhou Guangxi, Ganzhou Jiangxi, Panzhihua Sichuan and other populations. These results suggest that lineage introgressive hybridization has occurred in the L. invasa population in China. The introgressive hybridization degree and genetic diversity of lineage A are obviously higher than those of lineage B. Lineage introgressive hybridization may be the driving force for further L. invasa invasion and diffusion in China in the future.

Ultra-Conserved Elements and morphology reciprocally illuminate conflicting phylogenetic hypotheses in Chalcididae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea).

Recent technical advances combined with novel computational approaches have promised the acceleration of our understanding of the tree of life. However, when it comes to hyperdiverse and poorly known groups of invertebrates, studies are still scarce. As published phylogenies will be rarely challenged by future taxonomists, careful attention must be paid to potential analytical bias. We present the first molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for the family Chalcididae, a group of parasitoid wasps, with a representative sampling (144 ingroups and seven outgroups) that covers all described subfamilies and tribes, and 82% of the known genera. Analyses of 538 Ultra-Conserved Elements (UCEs) with supermatrix (RAxML and IQTREE) and gene tree reconciliation approaches (ASTRAL, ASTRID) resulted in highly supported topologies in overall agreement with morphology but reveal conflicting topologies for some of the deepest nodes. To resolve these conflicts, we explored the phylogenetic tree space with clustering and gene genealogy interrogation methods, analyzed marker and taxon properties that could bias inferences and performed a thorough morphological analysis (130 characters encoded for 40 taxa representative of the diversity). This joint analysis reveals that UCEs enable attainment of resolution between ancestry and convergent/divergent evolution when morphology is not informative enough, but also shows that a systematic exploration of bias with different analytical methods and a careful analysis of morphological features is required to prevent publication of artifactual results. We highlight a GC content bias for maximum-likelihood approaches, an artifactual mid-point rooting of the ASTRAL tree and a deleterious effect of high percentage of missing data (>85% missing UCEs) on gene tree reconciliation methods. Based on the results we propose a new classification of the family into eight subfamilies and ten tribes that lay the foundation for future studies on the evolutionary history of Chalcididae.

Integrative taxonomy and phylogeography of Telenomus remus (Scelionidae), with the first record of natural parasitism of Spodoptera spp. in Brazil.

The egg parasitoid Telenomus remus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) has been investigated for classical and applied biological control of noctuid pests, especially Spodoptera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) species. Although T. remus was introduced into Brazil over three decades ago for classical biological control of S. frugiperda, this wasp has not been recorded as established in corn or soybean crops. We used an integrative approach to identify T. remus, combining a taxonomic key based on the male genitalia with DNA barcoding, using a cytochrome c oxidase subunit I mitochondrial gene fragment. This is the first report of natural parasitism of T. remus on S. frugiperda and S. cosmioides eggs at two locations in Brazil. We also confirmed that the T. remus lineage in Brazil derives from a strain in Venezuela (originally from Papua New Guinea and introduced into the Americas, Africa, and Asia). The occurrence of T. remus parasitizing S. frugiperda and S. cosmioides eggs in field conditions, not associated with inundative releases, suggests that the species has managed to establish itself in the field in Brazil. This opens possibilities for future biological control programs, since T. remus shows good potential for mass rearing and egg parasitism of important agricultural pests such as Spodoptera species.

Two new species of Microterys Thomson, 1876 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) from Tibet, China.

Two new species of Microterys (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Microterys motuoensis Li Zhang sp. nov. and Microterys tibetensis Li Zhang sp. nov., are described from Tibet, China. Microterys motuoensis was reared from Kermes sp. (Hemiptera: Kermesidae) on Castanea sp. (Fagales: Fagaceae), and Microterys tibetensis from Saissetia sp. (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on Tetracera sarmentosa Vahl. (Dilleniales: Dilleniaceae).

A new species of Melanocryptus Cameron, 1902 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

Melanocryptus Cameron, 1902 is a neotropical genus with 11 described species (Yu et al. 2016). The first three species of the genus were originally placed in different genera: Melanocryptus Cameron (1902), Lobocryptus Schmiedeknecht (1904) and Hoplophorina Szépligeti (1916). Townes Townes (1966) placed these species into a single taxon, Melanocryptus, and included the genus as part of the subtribe Mesostenina (apud Aguiar Santos, 2015). Despite this original placement, in 1970, Townes created an exclusive subtribe Melanocryptina for the genus.

Notes on the genus Netelia, subgenus Parabates (Ichneumonidae, Tryphoninae), with description of a new species from Oriental Region.

The characters that define the subgenus Parabates of the genus Netelia are investigated. The shape of the basal apodeme of the aedeagus is considered to be a synapomorphy of this subgenus, suggesting the monophyly of Parabates. A new species, Netelia (Parabates) fusciapicalis n. sp. belonging to the ishiharai group is described from Taiwan, Vietnam and Laos. This is the sixth extant species of the subgenus, the first record of the genus Netelia from Vietnam and Laos, and the first record of the subgenus Parabates from Taiwan.

The genus Casinaria Holmgren, 1859 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae) from China.

The genus Casinaria Holmgren, 1859 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae) from China is revised. Nine new species are proposed (C. albifunda sp. nov., C. artivultis sp. nov., C. exilis sp. nov., C. exiloides sp. nov., C. hei sp. nov., C. melasoma sp. nov., C. partolstoyi sp. nov., C. remota sp. nov., and C. xui sp. nov.) and two species are recorded as new to China (C. ajanta Maheshwary Gupta and C. varuni Maheshwary Gupta). A key to the Chinese species of Casinaria is provided.

A checklist of Scoliidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from China.

A checklist of all confirmed species of the family Scoliidae (Hymenoptera) from China is made based on the Chinese specimens in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (RMNH, Leiden) and on additional specimens from the Chinese Academy of Insect Science (IOZ, Beijing), the Zhejiang University (ZJUH, Hangzhou), and the Sun Yat-sen University (SYSUBM, Guangzhou). The Scoliid species from China belong to one subfamily, two tribes, 11 genera and 52 species. Two species are deleted from the fauna of China: Campsomeriella ilanensis (Tsuneki, 1972) and Scolia (Discolia) quadripustulata Fabricius, 1782. One subspecies, i.e., Carinoscolia vittifrons nipponensis Uchida, 1933, status nov., is elevated to species rank. Scolia (Discolia) formosicola Betrem, 1928, status nov. and S. (D.) inouyei Okamoto, 1924 are re-instated valid species.