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.

A revision of the parasitoid wasp genus Alphomelon Mason with the description of 30 new species (Hymenoptera, Braconidae).

The parasitoid wasp genus Alphomelon Mason, 1981 is revised, based on a combination of basic morphology (dichotomous key and brief diagnostic descriptions), DNA barcoding, biology (host data and wasp cocoons), and distribution data. A total of 49 species is considered; the genus is almost entirely Neotropical (48 species recorded from that region), but three species reach the Nearctic, with one of them extending as far north as 45° N in Canada. Alphomelon parasitizes exclusively Hesperiinae caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), mostly feeding on monocots in the families Arecaceae, Bromeliaceae, Cannaceae, Commelinaceae, Heliconiaceae, and Poaceae. Most wasp species parasitize either on one or very few (2-4) host species, usually within one or two hesperiine genera; but some species can parasitize several hosts from up to nine different hesperiine genera. Among species with available data for their cocoons, roughly half weave solitary cocoons (16) and half are gregarious (17); cocoons tend to be surrounded by a rather distinctive, coarse silk (especially in solitary species, but also distinguishable in some gregarious species). Neither morphology nor DNA barcoding alone was sufficient on its own to delimit all species properly; by integrating all available evidence (even if incomplete, as available data for every species is different) a foundation is provided for future studies incorporating more specimens, especially from South America. The following 30 new species are described: cruzi, itatiaiensis, and palomae, authored by Shimbori & Fernandez-Triana; and adrianguadamuzi, amazonas, andydeansi, calixtomoragai, carolinacanoae, christerhanssoni, diniamartinezae, duvalierbricenoi, eldaarayae, eliethcantillanoae, gloriasihezarae, guillermopereirai, hazelcambroneroae, josecortesi, keineraragoni, luciarosae, manuelriosi, mikesharkeyi, osvaldoespinozai, paramelanoscelis, paranigriceps, petronariosae, ricardocaleroi, rigoi, rostermoragai, sergioriosi, and yanayacu, authored by Fernandez-Triana & Shimbori.

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.

New Species of Distatrix Mason, 1981 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Brazil, with biological notes.

A new species of the genus Distatrix Mason, 1981 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Brazil is described and illustrated. This parasitoid was reared from larvae of Argyrotome paraguayaria Schaus, 1927 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Palyadini), feeding on Myrsine umbellata Mart. (Primulaceae). This is the first record of parasitism in the genus.

Redescription of Neocarus platensis Silvestri, 1905 (Acari: Opilioacaridae) and a new species from the syntype series.

Neocarus platensis is redescribed from part of the syntype series collected in Argentina and lectotype specimens are designated. The remaining syntype material from Uruguay represents a new species, herein named Neocarus paraplatensis sp. nov. Taxonomic problems within the Opilioacaridae are discussed in light of a comparative morphological discussion including setae quantity variation.

First record of Neorthostigma Belokobylskij (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) from Neotropical region with description of two new species.

The genus Neorthostigma Belokobylskij, 1998 is recorded in the Neotropical region for the first time, with description of two new species from Brazil viz. Neorthostigma neotropicalis sp. nov. and Neorthostigma signifrons sp. nov. A dichotomous identification key for the known species of Neorthostigma is provided.

A New Darwin Wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and New Records of Behavioral Manipulation of the Host Spider Leucauge volupis (Araneae: Tetragnathidae).

Some ichneumonid wasps of the Polysphincta group of genera (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) induce behavioral modifications in their host spiders during a specific moment of their development, resulting in the construction of webs that differ in several aspects from those constructed by unparasitized individuals. In this study, we describe the parasitoid wasp Hymenoepimecis pinheirensis sp. n. (Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) and present information on behavioral modifications in the orb-web structure of its host, the spider Leucauge volupis (Keyserling 1893). Previously, reported observation on this host/parasitoid interaction was restricted to one locality, and the wasp species was misidentified as Hymenoepimecis jordanensis Loffredo and Penteado-Dias 2009. Modified webs built by parasitized spiders lack adhesive spirals and have several radii that converge to the web hub. The cocoon built by the wasp larvae is attached to the web hub, suspended by horizontal radial lines, and surrounded by a tridimensional tangle positioned below the hub. This modified web structure is similar to the most frequent architecture of webs constructed by individuals of Leucauge mariana (Taczanowski 1881) parasitized by Hymenoepimecis tedfordi Gauld 1991. However, cocoon webs built by L. volupis parasitized by H. pinheirensis sp. n. differ from the cocoon webs described for the other Leucauge species parasitized by Hymenoepimecis wasps. This evidence suggests that the modified web pattern in Leucauge species is determined by specific responses of each spider species to the behavioral manipulation mechanism displayed by the wasps.

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.

A new species of Procestus Townes (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Banchinae) from Brazil.

A new species of Procestus Townes, 1970 is described from Brazil. An identification key to all known species is provided. Figures of the holotypes of Procestus nabis Townes, 1970 and P. simplex Townes, 1970, and a paratype of P. pammae Ugalde Gauld, 2002 are included.                Procestus nabis and P. simplex are redescribed.

A new species of Boethella Bennett, 2003 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tryphoninae) from Brazil, redescription of the genus and a key to world species.

Boethella jatai sp. nov. is described from a savanna area in the southeast of Brazil. The genus is redescribed to include the new species and an identification key for world species is provided.

An update of the genera Idiasta Foerster and Rhacalysia Cameron (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae) and the descriptions of new species from the Neotropical Region.

Taxonomic combinations have been made involving the two genera Idiasta Foerster and Rhacalysia Cameron. Four new species are described from Brazil: Idiasta rupina sp. nov., Rhacalysia ampla sp. nov., Rhacalysia jatai sp. nov., and Rhacalysia monteiroi sp. nov. Dichotomous identification keys to the Neotropical species of Idiasta and Rhacalysia are provided. Phaenocarpa delicata Papp, 1969 is included in Rhacalysia and is a new combination.

A revision of the Aleiodes bakeri (Brues) species subgroup of the A. seriatus species group with the descriptions of 18 new species from the Neotropical Region.

The Aleiodes bakeri (Brues) species subgroup of the A. seriatus species group is defined based on two previously described species, A. bakeri and A. nigristemmaticum (Enderlein), and is greatly expanded in this paper with an identification key, descriptions, and illustrations of 18 new species from the Neotropical Region: A. andinus Shaw & Shimbori, sp. nov.; angustus Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; asenjoi Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; bahiensis Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; barrosi Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; brevicarina Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; coariensis Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; goiasensis Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; gonodontivorus Shaw & Shimbori, sp. nov.; hyalinus Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; inga Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; joaquimi Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; lidiae Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; mabelae Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; maculosus Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; ovatus Shimbori & Shaw, sp. nov.; santarosensis Shaw & Shimbori, sp. nov.; and taurus Shimbori & Penteado-Dias, sp. nov. It is hypothesized that the A. bakeri species subgroup is a monophyletic lineage within the larger and probably artificial A. seriatus species group (those Aleiodes with a comb of flat setae at the apex of the hind tibia), and can be distinguished from other members of the seriatus group by having the hind wing vein r present, although weakly indicated; the hind wing marginal cell suddenly widened at junction of veins RS and r; the subbasal cell of the fore wing mostly glabrous but often with two rows of short setae subapically; glabrous regions of the wings also commonly found in the first subdiscal, discal, and basal cells of the fore wing, and the basal cell of hind wing; ocelli quite large, with the width of a lateral ocellus being distinctly larger than the ocellar-ocular distance; and being relatively large Aleiodes species with body almost entirely brownish yellow or reddish brown. In addition, a new replacement name, Aleiodes buntikae Shimbori & Shaw, nom. nov., is proposed for the species formerly called Aleiodes (Hemigyroneuron) bakeri Butcher & Quicke, 2011.

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.

Revision of the New World genera Adelius Haliday and Paradelius de Saeger (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Cheloninae: Adeliini).

Species of adeliine braconids were previously described and named from all biogeographic areas of the world except the Neotropical Region. Here we present the first taxonomic revision of New World adeliines, as well as the first newly described species of both genera, Adelius and Paradelius, from the Neotropical Region. Although not commonly sampled because of their minute size and associations with leaf-mining hosts, our results indicate that adeliines actually have a wide distribution in the neotropics, especially in middle to high elevations and dry forests. In addition to redescriptions of all known Nearctic species, we present the first descriptions of the females of Adelius coloradensis and A. nigripectus, of 16 new species of the genus Adelius (A. adeleae Shimbori Shaw sp. n., A. bolivariensis Bortoni Penteado-Dias sp. n., A. boliviensis Bortoni Penteado-Dias sp. n., A. caatinga Bortoni, Shimbori Penteado-Dias sp. n., A. canadensis Shimbori Shaw sp. n., A. ecuadoriensis Bortoni Penteado-Dias sp. n., A. excelsus Bortoni Shimbori sp. n., A. floridensis Shimbori Shaw sp. n., A. gauldi Shimbori Shaw sp. n., A. janzeni Shimbori Shaw sp. n., A. monteiroi Souza-Gessner, Cerântola Penteado-Dias sp. n., A. morretesiensis Bortoni, Shimbori Penteado-Dias sp. n., A. panamensis Shimbori Shaw sp. n., A. pentagonalis Shimbori Shaw sp. n., A. quiteriae Souza-Gessner, Cerântola Penteado-Dias sp. n., and A. sancticaroli Bortoni, Penteado-Dias Shimbori sp. n.), and one new species of the genus Paradelius (P. neotropicalis Shimbori Shaw sp. n.). Keys for the New World species of both genera are provided.

Four new species of Coelinius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) from the neotropical region.

The genus Coelinius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) is reported for the first time from Brazil and the Neotropical region. The genus occurs in southeastern Brazil, in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Four new species of Coelinius are described and illustrated: C. canastra sp. nov, C. itamonte sp. nov., C. kali sp. nov. and C. lux sp. nov.

New species of Grotea Cresson (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Labeninae) from Brazil and Suriname.

Four new species of Grotea Cresson are described: Grotea goianiense Herrera-Flórez sp. n., G. paulista Herrera-Flórez sp. n. and G. amazonensis Herrera-Flórez sp. n. from Brazil and G. surinamese Herrera-Flórez sp. n. from Suriname. An identification key to Brazilian and Suriname species of this genus is given. New descriptions for G. delicator (Thunberg 1822) and G. perplexa Slobodchikoff 1970 are provided.

Three new species of the subfamily Euphorinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Brazil.

The genera Ecclitura Kokujev and Streblocera Westwood are reported for the first time from Brazil. Three new species of the subfamily Euphorinae are described and illustrated: Ecclitura shawi sp. n., Marshiella tupi sp. n. and Streblocera brasiliana sp. n. These species are restricted to Atlantic forest remnants in southeastern Brazil.

Description of the first species of Cymodusa Holmgren from Brazil (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae).

Cymodusa ypy sp. nov., the first species of the genus to be formally described from Brazil, is described and illustrated. This record extends significantly the known distribution of the genus in the Neotropical region.

First record of the genera Centistoides van Achterberg and Pygostolus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Brazil, with the description of new species.

The genera Centistoides and Pygostolus are recorded for the first time in Brazil. Centistoides manoeli sp. nov., Pygostolus carolinae sp. nov. and Pygostolus odeterochae sp. nov. are described and illustrated.