Dickyyuellaargentinensis a tentative new genus and species of Cardiochilinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from the Neotropical region.

Dickyyuella Kang & Sharkey, gen. nov. is a novel addition to the microgastroid complex of Braconidae. Taxonomic assignment within this complex posed challenges initially due to the presence of putatively plesiomorphic characters. However, closer examination revealed affiliations with the microgastroid complex, supported by morphological features such as the location of spiracles on the first metasomal tergum and the absence of spiracles on the seventh metasomal tergum. Based on the following two morphological characters, the presence of an inverted Y-shaped groove on the first metasomal tergum and pectinate tarsal claws, Dickyyuella Kang & Sharkey, gen. nov. is tentatively placed within Cardiochilinae Ashmead, 1900 despite uncertainties surrounding phylogenetic relationships. This article provides the diagnosis of Dickyyuella Kang & Sharkey, gen. nov., the description of Dickyyuellaargentinensis Kang & Sharkey, sp. nov., and a discussion of the taxonomic placement of the new genus within the microgastroid complex.

Detection of Ochyromera ligustri (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Curculioninae) in Ligustrum spp. (Oleaceae) Using Newly Developed PCR Primers.

Ligustrum spp. (Oleaceae) have become invasive species in the US and negatively affect native plant diversity and richness in forests. Ochyromera ligustri (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is considered a potential biological control agent in the US because adults feed on the foliage and larvae are seed-feeders of Ligustrum spp. To discover the relationships between O. ligustri and Ligustrum spp., fruit dissections or rearing and field observations are required. In the current research project, novel PCR primers were developed to rapidly detect the DNA of O. ligustri in molecular analyses without rearing and observation. The developed PCR primers worked even with 0.01 ng of DNA and did not amplify the DNA of the other five curculionid species tested. When the novel primers were tested with three Ligustrum spp. species common in the southeastern US, the DNA of O. ligustri was detected from all three species. We expect that the novel primers will be utilized to find out the presence and impact of O. ligustri on Ligustrum spp rapidly and accurately.

Ophiclypeus, a new genus of Cardiochilinae Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from the Oriental region with descriptions of three new species.

A new genus of the braconid subfamily Cardiochilinae, Ophiclypeusgen. nov., is described and illustrated based on three new species: O.chiangmaiensis Kang, sp. nov. type species (type locality: Chiang Mai, Thailand), O.dvaravati Ghafouri Moghaddam, Quicke & Butcher, sp. nov. (type locality: Saraburi, Thailand), and O.junyani Kang, sp. nov. (type locality: Dalin, Taiwan). We provide morphological diagnostic characters to separate the new genus from other cardiochiline genera. A modified key couplet (couplet 5) and a new key couplet (couplet 16) are provided with detailed images for Dangerfield's key to the world cardiochiline genera to facilitate recognition of Ophiclypeusgen. nov.

Three new species of Retusigaster Dangerfield, Austin & Whitfield, 1999 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Cardiochilinae) with an illustrated key to the New World species.

Retusigaster Dangerfield, Austin & Whitfield, 1999 is a genus of the subfamily Cardiochilinae Ashmead, 1900 and exhibits high species richness in the New World. Eight species of the genus were recorded before this work: five species from the Nearctic region, two species from the Neotropical region, and one species from the Palearctic region. In this article, three new species of New World Retusigaster are described based on morphological characters: R.pulawskii sp. nov.; R.purshi sp. nov.; R.vanduzeei sp. nov. In addition, potential food sources of the members of R.arugosus (Mao, 1949) and R.purshi sp. nov. are reported, and an illustrated key to the New World species of Retusigaster is provided. The number of species of Retusigaster in the New World is increased from seven to ten.

Two new species and distribution records for the genus Bohayella Belokobylskij, 1987 from Costa Rica (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Cardiochilinae).

Two new species of Bohayella Belokobylskij, 1987 from Costa Rica are described: Bohayella geraldinae Kang, sp. nov. and Bohayella hansoni Kang, sp. nov. These are new distribution records for the genus in the Neotropical region. In addition, a key to species of the genus Bohayella of Costa Rica is presented. The current work elevates the number of species included in Bohayella from nine to eleven.

Orientocardiochiles, a new genus of Cardiochilinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), with descriptions of two new species from Malaysia and Vietnam.

For the first time in 21 years, a new genus of cardiochiline braconid wasp, Orientocardiochiles Kang & Long, gen. nov. (type species Orientocardiochiles joeburrowi Kang, sp. nov.), is discovered and described. This genus represents the ninth genus in the Oriental region. Two new species (O. joeburrowi Kang, sp. nov. and O. nigrofasciatus Long, sp. nov.) are described and illustrated, and a key to species of the genus, with detailed images, is added. Diagnostic characters of the new genus are analyzed and compared with several other cardiochiline genera to allow the genus to key out properly using an existing generic treatment. The scientific names validated by this paper and morphological data obtained from this project will be utilized and tested in the upcoming genus-level revision of the subfamily based on combined morphological and molecular data.

Revision of the species of Lytopylus from Area de Conservación Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae).

Thirty two new species of Lytopylus (Agathidinae) are described with image plates for each species: Lytopylus alejandromasisisp. n., Lytopylus alfredomainierisp. n., Lytopylus anamariamongeaesp. n., Lytopylus angelagonzalezaesp. n., Lytopylus cesarmoraisp. n., Lytopylus eddysanchezisp. n., Lytopylus eliethcantillanoaesp. n., Lytopylus ericchapmanisp. n., Lytopylus gahyunaesp. n., Lytopylus gisukaesp. n., Lytopylus guillermopereiraisp. n., Lytopylus gustavoinduniisp. n., Lytopylus hartmanguidoisp. n., Lytopylus hernanbravoisp. n., Lytopylus hokwonisp. n., Lytopylus ivanniasandovalaesp. n., Lytopylus johanvalerioisp. n., Lytopylus josecortesisp. n., Lytopylus luisgaritaisp. n., Lytopylus mariamartachavarriaesp. n., Lytopylus miguelviquezisp. n., Lytopylus motohasegawaisp. n., Lytopylus okchunaesp. n., Lytopylus pablocobbisp. n., Lytopylus robertofernandezisp. n., Lytopylus rogerblancoisp. n., Lytopylus salvadorlopezisp. n., Lytopylus sangyeonisp. n., Lytopylus sarahmeierottoaesp. n., Lytopylus sergiobermudezisp. n., Lytopylus sigifredomarinisp. n., and Lytopylus youngcheaesp. n. A dichotomous key and a link to an electronic, interactive key are included. All specimens were reared from Lepidoptera larvae collected in Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) and all are associated with ecological information including host caterpillar, collection date, eclosion date, caterpillar food plant, and locality. Neighbor-joining and maximum likelihood analyses of the barcode region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI DNA barcode) were conducted to aid in species delimitation.