A New Species of Aleiodes Wesmael (Braconidae, Rogadinae) with Potential for Biological Control of Spodoptera spp. (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), and Notes on the Definition of the gastritor, circumscriptus, and Related Species-Groups.

A new species of Aleiodes Wesmael in the gastritor Thunberg species-group is described and illustrated. The new species, Aleiodes ceres Shimbori sp.n., occurs in Southern Brazil and Argentina. It is a potential biological control agent of caterpillars in the genus Spodoptera Guenée, namely S. cosmioides (Walker), S. eridania (Stoll), and S. frugiperda (J.E. Smith), which are serious pests on major crops including maize and soybean. The position of the new species within Aleiodes is discussed in relation to existing proposals of subdivisions of the genus into species-groups. In agreement with recent publications, the gastritor species-group is treated as separate from the circumscriptus Nees/bicolor Spinola group, as evidence suggests the latter is absent in the New World. We also propose the provisional shakirae Shimbori & Shaw species-group, to accommodate a clade of Neotropical species with geometrid hosts and morphological features similar to the gastritor and circumscriptus groups. A key to Neotropical species in the gastritor group and similar species is provided, except for species recently named without a morphological description.

The Apanteles adelinamoralesae species group (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from Brazil, with descriptions of three new species reared from fruit borers(Lepidoptera, Depressariidae).

With more than 633 species, Apanteles is the largest genus within the subfamily Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae). We describe three new species reared from pests of commercial fruits, Apanteles ahuacatl Shimbori, Giacomelli & Fernández-Triana sp. n., A. aratiku Shimbori sp. n., and A. mayochinchipe Shimbori sp. n. They parasitize caterpillars in the subfamily Stenomatinae (Depressariidae): the soursop moth Cerconota anonella (Sepp), in fruits of sweetsop (Annona squamosa L.) and atemoya (Annona squamosa x Annona cherimola Mill.) (Annonaceae), the avocado borer Stenoma catenifer Walsingham, in fruits of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) (Lauraceae), and the cacao shoot borer Stenoma decora Zeller, in fruits and shoots of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) (Malvaceae). The new Apanteles species are included in an expanded version of the key provided by Fernández-Triana et al. (2014) for the Apanteles adelinamoralesae species group. In addition, the previous record of Apanteles stenomae Muesebeck in Brazil is revised and considered to actually represent the species A. yolandarojasae Fernández-Triana.

Taxonomy and Biological Control: New Challenges in an Old Relationship.

Biological control and taxonomy are continuously developing fields with remarkable impacts on society. At least 80 years of literature have documented this relationship, which remains essentially the same in its mutualistic nature, as well as in its major challenges. From the perspective of Brazilian taxonomists, we discuss the impacts of important scientific and social developments that directly affect research in these areas, posing new challenges for this lasting relationship. The increasing restrictions and concerns regarding the international transit of organisms require improvements in research related to risk assessment for exotic biological control agents and also stimulate prospecting within the native biota. In our view, this is a positive situation that can foster a closer relationship between taxonomists and applied entomologists, as well as local surveys and taxonomic studies that are necessary before new programs and agents can be implemented. We discuss the essential role of molecular biology in this context, as an iconic example of the synergy between applied sciences and natural history. As our society comes to need safer and more sustainable solutions for food security and the biodiversity crisis, scientific progress will build upon this integration, where biological control and taxonomy play an essential role.

Natural Areas of Cerrado Foster Wasp (Hymenoptera) Diversity in Human Modified Landscapes.

Land use changes from native vegetation to agriculture, livestock grazing, and urban development are among the main problems related to biodiversity loss worldwide. In this paper we evaluate how land use changes (eucalypt plantation and pasture) affect the richness and assemblage of wasps (Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, Pompilidae, and Vespidae), in comparison with nearby areas with native vegetation in the Cerrado. Specimens were collected at six points, with two Malaise traps at each location. The collections were performed monthly for 10 d, for 12 mo. A total of 773 hymenopterans of the selected groups were collected, representing 253 species or morphospecies. Richness of the families Ichneumonidae and Pompilidae between the areas did not present significant differences. For the families Braconidae and Vespidae, the richness was greater in the eucalypt plantation and pasture areas compared to the native area. Species composition in the native habitat was different from either of the managed habitats in the studied environment. Furthermore, the composition of wasps in native areas varied less throughout the sampling campaigns when compared with the pasture and eucalyptus sites. In native areas, 85 exclusive morphospecies were found. Thus, changes in land use may cause changes in the composition of wasp species, since areas with native vegetation presented more heterogeneous and stable environments than the other land uses. The maintenance of native areas, even if close to planted forest and/or pasture areas, could be the best way to combine forest productivity with biodiversity conservation.

A new species of Adelius Haliday (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Cheloninae) from the Afrotropical Region.

In this paper we describe a new species of Adelius (Braconidae, Cheloninae) from the Afrotropical region, the first record of the genus for Angola, and a significant extension of its geographical distribution.

Annotated checklist and illustrated key to parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae, Eulophidae and Pteromalidae) of fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) in Brazil.

The hymenopteran parasitoids of pest species of Tephritidae in Brazil are best known by their most prominent species, members of Braconidae and Figitidae. Species in the less-studied families Diapriidae, Eulophidae and Pteromalidae, which are mostly pupal parasitoids, have been largely neglected and the literature on these groups is sparse and scattered. Therefore, their importance as natural enemies of fruit flies is likely underestimated. Here, we present a parasitoid-host-plant checklist of all diapriids, eulophids and pteromalids that parasitize fruit flies of economic importance in Brazil, namely Anastrepha species and Ceratitis capitata. A compilation of information of the seven species of these parasitoids occurring in Brazil-Coptera haywardi Loiácono and Trichopria anastrephae Lima (Diapriidae), Tetrastichus giffardianus Silvestri (Eulophidae), Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani), Spalangia endius Walker, S. gemina Boucek and S. simplex Perkins (Pteromalidae)-including their taxonomic status, general biology, and potential as biocontrol agents, is presented. Additionally, we provide an illustrated key to species, aiming to highlight key morphological features and facilitate identification at species level, stimulating future research on these groups.

New Neotropical species of Pantisarthrus Förster, 1871 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae).

The Pantisarthrus genus is recorded for the first time from the Neotropical region and P. communis sp. nov., P. flavocingulatus sp. nov. and P. paraitinga sp. nov. are described and illustrated. A key to described species is provided.

First record of Cotesia scotti () (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) comb. nov. parasitising Spodoptera cosmioides (Walk, 1858) and Spodoptera eridania (Stoll, 1782) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Brazil

ABSTRACT This is the first report of Cotesia scotti (Valerio and Whitfield) comb. nov. in Brazil, attacking larvae of the black armyworm, Spodoptera cosmioides, and the southern armyworm, S. eridania. The moth larvae were found respectively, infesting a protected cropping of organic tomato in Hidrolândia, Goiás, Brazil, and a transgenic soybean crop in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, Brazil. Biological, molecular and morphological characters were used to confirm the identity of the specimens. Parasitoid identification presented a challenge since the species has most diagnostic characters of the genus Cotesia Cameron, but few in the poorly defined genus Parapanteles Ashmead. Based on morphological and molecular evidence, we transfer Parapanteles scotti to the genus Cotesia. The new combination is discussed by comparison with morphologically similar species and available molecular data.

A review of the genus Orionis Shaw (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae) and first records of the genus from South America and the Oriental Region.

Orionis is a small Neotropical euphorine genus, currently in the tribe Perilitini. Although the biology of the genus is unknown, Orionis eximius (Muesebeck) was described from a single female specimen reared from a cocoon associated with Lantana camara. Here, we present a taxonomic revision of Orionis and the first records of the genus from South America and Thailand, with descriptions of three new species: O. brasiliensis sp. nov., O. ecuadoriensis sp. nov. and O. orientalis sp. nov. We also report the first record of O. eximius from South America (Ecuador). A revised key for the described species is presented.

Four new species of the Aleiodes compressor Herrich-Schäffer species-group (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) from South America / Cuatro especies nuevas del grupo de especies Aleiodes compressor Herrich-Schäffer (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) de Sudamérica

Four new species of the Aleiodes compressor (Herrich-Schäffer) species-group from the Neotropical Region are described and illustrated: Aleiodes segakiato sp. nov. and A. lamasi sp. nov. from Peru, A. macro sp. nov. from Argentina, and A. palmito sp. nov. from Mexico. With the addition of these new species, the compressor species-group has ten known species; two from Old World, two from Nearctic Region, and six from Neotropical Region. In addition to the descriptions of the new species, a key to known species is presented, and a new distribution record for A. mantiqueirensis Shimbori, Shaw and Penteado-Dias from Ecuador is reported.

Cuatro especies nuevas del grupo de especies Aleiodes compressor (Herrich-Schäffer) de la Región Neotropical son descritas e ilustradas: Aleiodes segakiato sp. nov. y A. lamasi sp. nov. de Perú, A. macro sp. nov. de Argentina y A. palmito sp. nov. de México. Con la incorporación de las especies nuevas, el grupo de especies compressor tiene diez especies conocidas, dos de ellas son del viejo mundo, dos de la Región Neártica y seis de la Región Neotropical. Además de la descripción de las especies nuevas, se presenta una clave de especies y se reporta el nuevo registro de distribución de A. mantiqueirensis Shimbori, Shaw y Pendeado-Dias en Ecuador.

Eleven new species of Athacryvac Braet & van Achterberg from the Neotropical Region (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Rogadinae).

The neotropical genus Athacryvac Braet & van Achterberg was recently described based on two species from French Guiana. Despite the resemblance of these species with the diverse and widespread genus Aleiodes, the authors opted to erect the new genus based on several synapomorphies. With the analysis of more comprehensive morphological and geographical variation we propose reclassifying Athacryvac as a subgenus within Aleiodes. In this paper we describe 11 new neotropical species of the subgenus Athacryvac: Aleiodes (Athacryvac) achterbergi Shimbori & Penteado-Dias sp. nov., Aleiodes (Athacryvac) amazoniensis Shimbori & Almeida sp. nov., Aleiodes (Athacryvac) braeti Shimbori & Shaw sp. nov., Aleiodes (Athacryvac) choco Shimbori sp. nov., Aleiodes (Athacryvac) donaldquickei Shimbori & Penteado-Dias sp. nov., Aleiodes (Athacryvac) gonzalezi Shimbori & Shaw sp. nov., Aleiodes (Athacryvac) paradoxus Shimbori & Penteado-Dias sp. nov., Aleiodes (Athacryvac) soaresi Shimbori & Penteado-Dias sp. nov., Aleiodes (Athacryvac) tico Shimbori & Shaw sp. nov., Aleiodes (Athacryvac) torresi Shimbori & Shaw sp. nov., Aleiodes (Athacryvac) zaldivari Shimbori & Almeida sp. nov. We also provide new morphological and distributional data for the previously described A. alternatus and A. fuscatus, as well as the description of the male of the later species. The 13 known species of Aleiodes (Athacryvac) stat. nov. are restricted to the Neotropical Region, ranging from southern Mexico to southern Brazil. With our current results, there are 104 described neotropical Aleiodes species.

Twenty-four new species of Aleiodes Wesmael from the eastern Andes of Ecuador with associated biological information (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Rogadinae).

Aleiodes Wesmael is the most diverse rogadine genus worldwide, with specialized koinobiont endoparasitic development in Lepidoptera caterpillars resulting in mummification of the host remains. This paper focuses on describing new Aleiodes species from the Yanayacu Biological Station, with special interest in those with biological information. We describe 24 new species (Aleiodes albidactyl sp. n., Aleiodes albigena sp. n., Aleiodes albiviria sp. n., Aleiodes bimaculatus sp. n., Aleiodes cacuangoi sp. n., Aleiodes colberti sp. n., Aleiodes delicatus sp. n., Aleiodes dyeri sp. n., Aleiodes elleni sp. n., Aleiodes falloni sp. n., Aleiodes frosti sp. n., Aleiodes kingmani sp. n., Aleiodes longikeros sp. n., Aleiodes luteosicarius sp. n., Aleiodes marilynae sp. n., Aleiodes mirandae sp. n., Aleiodes napo sp. n., Aleiodes nubicola sp. n., Aleiodes onyx sp. n., Aleiodes shakirae sp. n., Aleiodes stewarti sp. n., Aleiodes townsendi sp. n., Aleiodes tzantza sp. n., and Aleiodes yanayacu sp. n.) from Napo Province in Ecuador, 16 of which were reared from host caterpillars. With these results 89 species of Neotropical Aleiodes are now known, with 41 of them having host records. The most commonly reared species were in the circumscriptus/gastritor species-group, and mostly associated with Geometridae hosts (six of ten species). Three species of seriatus species-group, in contrast, were each reared from a different family. One of these species (i.e. A. frosti sp. n.), reared from Notodontidae, cuts a posterior radial opening in the mummy for emergence, a unique behavior in Aleiodes, recorded here for the first time. A. luteosicarius sp. n. is the first described species from Ecuador in the pallidator species-group. Differing from previously described pallidator species, which attack only Lymantriinae larvae, A. luteosicarius sp. n. attacks several species of Arctiinae larvae, being both subfamilies within Erebidae with densely setose caterpillars. We also describe new species of the gressitti and pulchripes species-groups.

Taxonomic contribution to the Aleiodes melanopterus (Erichson) species-group (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Rogadinae) from Brazil.

The Aleiodes melanopterus (Erichson, 1848) species-group includes 21 species, of which seven are known from the Neotropical region: Aleiodes flavistigma Shaw, 1993, Aleiodes lucidus (Szépligeti, 1906), Aleiodes melanopterus, Aleiodes mexicanus Cresson, 1869, Aleiodes politiceps (Gahan, 1917), and the new species Aleiodes shaworumsp. n. and Aleiodes vassunungasp. n. Distribution ranges of Aleiodes melanopterus, Aleoides flavistigma and Aleiodes lucidus are extended and the female of Aleiodes lucidus is described. A key to the Neotropical species of this species-group is presented.

First report of Simuliidae and Chironomidae (Diptera) living on nymphs of Lachlania Hagen (Ephemeroptera: Oligoneuriidae) in South America / Primeiro registro Simuliidae e Chironomidae (Diptera) vivendo sobre ninfas de Lachlania Hagen (Ephemeroptera: Oligoneuriidae) na América do Sul

We report cases of Simuliidae and Chironomidae living on Lachlania nymphs (Ephemeroptera). This is the first record of these associations in South America. Simulium exiguum (pupae and larvae), Simulium cuasiexiguum (larvae), Cricotopus sp. (larva) and Rheotanytarsus sp. (larva) were found associated with Lachlania nymphs. We believe that all of these associations can be classified as opportunistic (or casual) attachment.

Este é o primeiro registro de associações entre imaturos de Simuliidae e Chironomidae vivendo sobre ninfas do gênero Lachlania (Ephemeroptera) na América do Sul. Simulium exiguum (pupas e larvas), Simulium cuasiexiguum (larvas), Cricotopus sp. (larva) and Rheotanytarsus sp. (larva) foram coletadas vivendo sobre/aderidas a ninfas de Lachlania. Apesar de existirem algumas espécies que vivem, obrigatoriamente, sobre ninfas e larvas de outros insetos aquáticos, no presente estudo estas associações podem ser classificadas como casuais.