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Two European species are recognised and characterised within the traditional species concept, based initially on DNA barcoding but with supporting, although slight and sometimes unreliable, morphological differences. is described and a neotype is designated for Herrich-Schäffer, 1838. Specimens from the Russian Far East were also DNA barcoded and were found to belong to a new species distinct from the two European taxa. The two European species were found to use different lithosiine hosts.

The braconid genus Dyscritulus Hincks is a small member of the subfamily Aphidiinae, distributed in Europe and Central Asia. All its species are highly specialized parasitoids of aphids of the genera Drepanosiphum Koch and, probably, Periphyllus van der Hoeven which are mostly associated with maple and sycamore trees (genus Acer). Upon examination of specimens from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, we unexpectedly noted unusual variability in morphological characters compared to other known Dyscritulus species. Further inspection of other material previously identified as Dyscritulusplaniceps Marshall, 1896 revealed additional specimens with the same morphological variability. Here we describe a new species of the genus, Dyscrituluseuropaeussp. nov., associated with Drepanosiphum aphids on Acer.The braconid genus Dyscritulus Hincks is a small member of the subfamily Aphidiinae, distributed in Europe and Central Asia. All its species are highly specialized parasitoids of aphids of the genera Drepanosiphum Koch and, probably, Periphyllus van der Hoeven which are mostly associated with maple and sycamore trees (genus Acer). Upon examination of specimens from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, we unexpectedly noted unusual variability in morphological characters compared to other known Dyscritulus species. Further inspection of other material previously identified as Dyscritulusplaniceps Marshall, 1896 revealed additional specimens with the same morphological variability. Here we describe a new species of the genus, Dyscrituluseuropaeussp. nov., associated with Drepanosiphum aphids on Acer.

A new species of microgastrine wasp, Cotesiacassina Salgado-Neto, Vásquez & Whitfield, sp. nov., is described from southwestern Colombia in Tumaco, Nariño. This species is a koinobiont gregarious larval endoparasitoid, and spins a common mass of cocoons underneath the host caterpillars of Opsiphanescassina (Felder & Felder) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), feeding on oil palm trees (interspecific hybrid Elaeisoleifera × E.guineensis) (Arecaceae). While superficially similar, both morphologically and biologically, to C.invirae Salgado-Neto & Whitfield from southern Brazil, the two species are distinct based on DNA barcodes, host species, geographical range and morphological characters.A new species of microgastrine wasp, Cotesiacassina Salgado-Neto, Vásquez & Whitfield, sp. nov., is described from southwestern Colombia in Tumaco, Nariño. This species is a koinobiont gregarious larval endoparasitoid, and spins a common mass of cocoons underneath the host caterpillars of Opsiphanescassina (Felder & Felder) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), feeding on oil palm trees (interspecific hybrid Elaeisoleifera × E.guineensis) (Arecaceae). While superficially similar, both morphologically and biologically, to C.invirae Salgado-Neto & Whitfield from southern Brazil, the two species are distinct based on DNA barcodes, host species, geographical range and morphological characters.

A new species of without a mesoscutal pit, Peris-Felipo, , is described and illustrated from Argentina. The genus Foerster, 1863 is recorded from Argentina for the first time. A key to the Neotropical species of is provided.

Background Cotesia congregata is a parasitoid Hymenoptera belonging to the Braconidae family and carrying CCBV ( Cotesia congregata Bracovirus), an endosymbiotic polydnavirus. CCBV virus is considered as the main virulence factor of this species, which has raised questions, over the past thirty years, about the potential roles of venom in the parasitic interaction between C. congregata and its host, Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). To investigate C. congregata venom composition, we identified genes overexpressed in the venom glands (VGs) compared to ovaries, analyzed the protein composition of this fluid and performed a detailed analysis of conserved domains of these proteins. Results Of the 14 140 known genes of the C. congregata genome, 659 genes were significantly over-expressed (with 10-fold or higher changes in expression) in the VGs of female C. congregata , compared with the ovaries. We identified 30 proteins whose presence was confirmed in venom extracts by proteomic analyses. Twenty-four of these were produced as precursor molecules containing a predicted signal peptide. Six of the proteins lacked a predicted signal peptide, suggesting that venom production in C. congregata also involves non-canonical secretion mechanisms. We have also analysed 18 additional proteins and peptides of interest whose presence in venom remains uncertain, but which could play a role in VG function. Conclusions Our results show that the venom of C. congregata not only contains proteins (including several enzymes) homologous to well-known venomous compounds, but also original proteins that appear to be specific to this species. This exhaustive study sheds a new light on this venom composition, the molecular diversity of which was unexpected. These data pave the way for targeted functional analyses and to better understand the evolutionary mechanisms that have led to the formation of the venomous arsenals we observe today in parasitoid insects.

Three new genera are described: Michener (Proteropinae), Bioalfa (Rogadinae), and Hermosomastax (Rogadinae). Keys are given for the New World genera of the following braconid subfamilies: Agathidinae, Braconinae, Cheloninae, Homolobinae, Hormiinae, Ichneutinae, Macrocentrinae, Orgilinae, Proteropinae, Rhysipolinae, and Rogadinae. In these subfamilies 416 species are described or redescribed. Most of the species have been reared and all but 13 are new to science. A consensus sequence of the COI barcodes possessed by each species is employed to diagnose the species, and this approach is justified in the introduction. Most descriptions consist of a lateral or dorsal image of the holotype, a diagnostic COI consensus barcode, the Barcode Index Number (BIN) code with a link to the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD), and the holotype specimen information required by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. The following species are treated and those lacking authorship are newly described here with authorship attributable to Sharkey except for the new species of Macrocentrinae which are by Sharkey & van Achterberg: AGATHIDINAE: Aerophilus paulmarshi , Mesocoelus davidsmithi , Neothlipsis bobkulai , Plesiocoelus vanachterbergi , Pneumagathis erythrogastra (Cameron, 1905), Therophilus bobwhartoni , T. donaldquickei , T. gracewoodae , T. maetoi , T. montywoodi , T. penteadodiasae , Zacremnops brianbrowni , Z. coatlicue Sharkey, 1990, Zacremnops cressoni (Cameron, 1887), Z. ekchuah Sharkey, 1990, Z. josefernandezi , Zelomorpha sarahmeierottoae . BRACONINAE: Bracon alejandromarini , B. alejandromasisi , B. alexamasisae , B. andresmarini , B. andrewwalshi , B. anniapicadoae , B. anniemoriceae , B. barryhammeli , B. bernardoespinozai , B. carlossanabriai , B. chanchini , B. christophervallei , B. erasmocoronadoi , B. eugeniephillipsae , B. federicomatarritai , B. frankjoycei , B. gerardovegai , B. germanvegai , B. isidrochaconi , B. jimlewisi , B. josejaramilloi , B. juanjoseoviedoi , B. juliodiazi , B. luzmariaromeroae , B. manuelzumbadoi , B. marialuisariasae , B. mariamartachavarriae , B. mariorivasi , B. melissaespinozae , B. nelsonzamorai , B. nicklaphami , B. ninamasisae , B. oliverwalshi , B. paulamarinae , B. rafamoralesi , B. robertofernandezi , B. rogerblancoi , B. ronaldzunigai , B. sigifredomarini , B. tihisiaboshartae , B. wilberthbrizuelai , Digonogastra montylloydi , D. montywoodi , D. motohasegawai , D. natwheelwrighti , D. nickgrishini . CHELONINAE: Adelius adrianguadamuzi , A. gauldi Shimbori & Shaw, 2019, A. janzeni Shimbori & Shaw, 2019, Ascogaster gloriasihezarae , A. grettelvegae , A. guillermopereirai , A. gustavoecheverrii , A. katyvandusenae , A. luisdiegogomezi , Chelonus alejandrozaldivari , C. gustavogutierrezi , C. gustavoinduni , C. harryramirezi , C. hartmanguidoi , C. hazelcambroneroae , C. iangauldi , C. isidrochaconi , C. janecheverriae , C. jeffmilleri , C. jennyphillipsae , C. jeremydewaardi , C. jessiehillae , C. jesusugaldei , C. jimlewisi , C. jimmilleri , C. jimwhitfieldi , C. johanvalerioi , C. johnburnsi , C. johnnoyesi , C. jorgebaltodanoi , C. jorgehernandezi , C. josealfredohernandezi , C. josefernandeztrianai , C. josehernandezcortesi , C. josemanuelperezi , C. josephinerodriguezae , C. juanmatai , C. junkoshimurae , C. kateperezae , C. luciariosae , C. luzmariaromeroae , C. manuelpereirai , C. manuelzumbadoi , C. marianopereirai , C. maribellealvarezae , C. markmetzi , C. markshawi , C. martajimenezae , C. mayrabonillae , C. meganmiltonae , C. melaniamunozae , C. michaelstroudi , C. michellevanderbankae , C. mingfangi , C. minorcarmonai , C. monikaspringerae , C. moniquegilbertae , C. motohasegawai , C. nataliaivanovae , C. nelsonzamorai , C. normwoodleyi , C. osvaldoespinozai , C. pamelacastilloae , C. paulgoldsteini , C. paulhansoni , C. paulheberti , C. petronariosae , C. ramyamanjunathae , C. randallgarciai , C. rebeccakittelae , C. robertoespinozai , C. robertofernandezi , C. rocioecheverriae , C. rodrigogamezi , C. ronaldzunigai , C. rosibelelizondoae , C. rostermoragai , C. ruthfrancoae , C. scottmilleri , C. scottshawi , C. sergioriosi , C. sigifredomarini , C. stevearonsoni , C. stevestroudi , C. sujeevanratnasinghami , C. sureshnaiki , C. torbjornekremi , C. yeimycedenoae , Leptodrepana alexisae , L. erasmocoronadoi , L. felipechavarriai , L. freddyquesadai , L. gilbertfuentesi , L. manuelriosi , Phanerotoma almasolisae , P. alvaroherrerai , P. anacordobae , P. anamariamongeae , P. andydeansi , P. angelagonzalezae , P. angelsolisi , P. barryhammeli , P. bernardoespinozai , P. calixtomoragai , P. carolinacanoae , P. christerhanssoni , P. christhompsoni , P. davesmithi , P. davidduthiei , P. dirksteinkei , P. donquickei , P. duniagarciae , P. duvalierbricenoi , P. eddysanchezi , P. eldarayae , P. eliethcantillanoae , P. jenopappi , Pseudophanerotoma alanflemingi , Ps. albanjimenezi , Ps. alejandromarini , Ps. alexsmithi , Ps. allisonbrownae , Ps. bobrobbinsi . HOMOLOBINAE: Exasticolus jennyphillipsae , E. randallgarciai , E. robertofernandezi , E. sigifredomarini , E. tomlewinsoni . HORMIINAE: Hormius anamariamongeae , H. angelsolisi , H. anniapicadoae , H. arthurchapmani , H. barryhammeli , H. carmenretanae , H. carloswalkeri , H. cesarsuarezi , H. danbrooksi , H. eddysanchezi , H. erikframstadi , H. georgedavisi , H. grettelvegae , H. gustavoinduni , H. hartmanguidoi , H. hectoraritai , H. hesiquiobenitezi , H. irenecanasae , H. isidrochaconi, H. jaygallegosi , H. jimbeachi , H. jimlewisi , H. joelcracrafti , H. johanvalerioi , H. johnburleyi , H. joncoddingtoni , H. jorgecarvajali , H. juanmatai , H. manuelzumbadoi , H. mercedesfosterae , H. modonnellyae , H. nelsonzamorai , H. pamelacastilloae , H. raycypessi , H. ritacolwellae , H. robcolwelli , H. rogerblancosegurai , H. ronaldzunigai , H. russchapmani , H. virginiaferrisae , H. warrenbrighami , H. willsflowersi . ICHNEUTINAE: Oligoneurus kriskrishtalkai , O. jorgejimenezi , Paroligoneurus elainehoaglandae , P. julianhumphriesi , P. mikeiviei . MACROCENTRINAE: Austrozele jorgecampabadali , A. jorgesoberoni , Dolichozele gravitarsis (Muesebeck, 1938), D. josefernandeztrianai , D. josephinerodriguezae , Hymenochaonia kalevikulli , H. kateperezae , H. katherinebaillieae , H. katherineellisonae , H. katyvandusenae , H. kazumifukunagae , H. keithlangdoni , H. keithwillmotti , H. kenjinishidai , H. kimberleysheldonae , H. krisnorvigae , H. lilianamadrigalae , H. lizlangleyae , Macrocentrus fredsingeri , M. geoffbarnardi , M. gregburtoni , M. gretchendailyae , M. grettelvegae , M. gustavogutierrezi , M. hannahjamesae , M. harisridhari , M. hillaryrosnerae , M. hiroshikidonoi , M. iangauldi , M. jennyphillipsae , M. jesseausubeli , M. jessemaysharkae , M. jimwhitfieldi , M. johnbrowni , M. johnburnsi , M. jonathanfranzeni , M. jonathanrosenbergi , M. jorgebaltodanoi , M. lucianocapelli . ORGILINAE: Orgilus amyrossmanae , O. carrolyoonae , O. christhompsoni , O. christinemcmahonae , O. dianalipscombae , O. ebbenielsoni , O. elizabethpennisiae , O. evertlindquisti , O. genestoermeri , O. jamesriegeri , O. jeanmillerae , O. jeffmilleri , O. jerrypowelli , O. jimtiedjei , O. johnlundbergi , O. johnpipolyi , O. jorgellorentei , O. larryspearsi , O. marlinricei , O. mellissaespinozae , O. mikesmithi , O. normplatnicki , O. peterrauchi , O. richardprimacki , O. sandraberriosae , O. sarahmirandae , O. scottmilleri , O. scottmorii , Stantonia billalleni , S. brookejarvisae , S. donwilsoni , S. erikabjorstromae , S. garywolfi , S. henrikekmani , S. luismirandai , S. miriamzunzae , S. quentinwheeleri , S. robinkazmierae , S. ruthtifferae . PROTEROPINAE: Hebichneutes tricolor Sharkey & Wharton, 1994, Proterops iangauldi , P. vickifunkae , Michener charlesi . RHYSIPOLINAE: Pseudorhysipolis luisfonsecai , P. mailyngonzalezaeRhysipolis julioquirosi . ROGADINAE: Aleiodes adrianaradulovae , A. adrianforsythi , A. agnespeelleae , A. alaneaglei , A. alanflemingi , A. alanhalevii , A. alejandromasisi , A. alessandracallejae , A. alexsmithi , A. alfonsopescadori , A. alisundermieri , A. almasolisae , A. alvarougaldei , A. alvaroumanai , A. angelsolisi , A. annhowdenae , A. bobandersoni , A. carolinagodoyae , A. charlieobrieni , A. davefurthi , A. donwhiteheadi , A. doylemckeyi , A. frankhovorei , A. henryhowdeni , A. inga Shimbori & Shaw, 2020, A. johnchemsaki , A. johnkingsolveri , A. gonodontovorus Shimbori & Shaw, 2020, A. manuelzumbadoi , A. mayrabonillae , A. michelledsouzae , A. mikeiviei , A. normwoodleyi , A. pammitchellae , A. pauljohnsoni , A. rosewarnerae , A. steveashei , A. terryerwini , A. willsflowersi , Bioalfa pedroleoni , B. alvarougaldei , B. rodrigogamezi , Choreborogas andydeansi , C. eladiocastroi , C. felipechavarriai , C. frankjoycei , Clinocentrus andywarreni , Cl. angelsolisi , Cystomastax alexhausmanni , Cy. angelagonzalezae , Cy. ayaigarashiae , Hermosomastax clavifemorus Quicke sp. nov., Heterogamus donstonei , Pseudoyelicones bernsweeneyi , Stiropius bencrairi , S. berndkerni , S. edgargutierrezi , S. edwilsoni , S. ehakernae , Triraphis billfreelandi , T. billmclarneyi , T. billripplei , T. bobandersoni , T. bobrobbinsi , T. bradzlotnicki , T. brianbrowni , T. brianlaueri , T. briannestjacquesae , T. camilocamargoi , T. carlosherrerai , T. carolinepalmerae , T. charlesmorrisi , T. chigiybinellae , T. christerhanssoni , T. christhompsoni , T. conniebarlowae , T. craigsimonsi , T. defectus Valerio, 2015, T. danielhubi , T. davidduthiei , T. davidwahli , T. federicomatarritai , T. ferrisjabri , T. mariobozai , T. martindohrni , T. matssegnestami , T. mehrdadhajibabaei , T. ollieflinti , T. tildalauerae , Yelicones dirksteinkei , Y. markmetzi , Y. monserrathvargasae , Y. tricolor Quicke, 1996. Y. woldai Quicke, 1996. The following new combinations are proposed: Neothlipsis smithi (Ashmead), new combination for Microdus smithi Ashmead, 1894; Neothlipsis pygmaeus (Enderlein), new combination for Microdus pygmae

Cotesia flavipes is an important hymenopteran larval parasitoid that belongs to the family Braconidae. Its usage in pest management strategies is promising due to its parasitic impact on the larval stage of lepidopteran pests. The current investigation aims to determine the optimal host age for the parasitoid’s mass proliferation and augmentative releases. The experiments showed that the female C. flavipes parasitizes all larval age groups of Sesamia inferens. Among all the larval ages, C. flavipes preferred second to third instars for parasitism during the spring (up to 90%) and kharif (up to 80%) seasons. There was no substantial difference in the development period between stinging, cocoon production, and the adult emergence of parasitoids. The age of the host has a substantial impact on adult longevity, with females taking longer than males. Thus, larval instars (second and third) are also recommended for high-quality mass-rearing larval parasitoids, especially C. flavipes, due to their strong parasitism and high net reproductive rate. Therefore, the second and third instars of S. inferens will recommend the mass rearing of C. flavipes and the release of these parasitoids in the field as a successful bio-control program.

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, threatens maize production in Africa. A survey was conducted to determine the distribution of FAW and its natural enemies and damage severity in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania in 2017 and 2018. A total of 287 smallholder maize farms (holding smaller than 2 hectares of land) were randomly selected and surveyed. FAW is widely distributed in the three countries and the percent of infested maize fields ranged from 33% to 100% in Ethiopia, 93% to 100% in Tanzania and 100% in Kenya in 2017, whereas they ranged from 80% to 100% and 82.2% to 100% in Ethiopia and Kenya, respectively, in 2018. The percent of FAW infestation of plants in the surveyed fields ranged from 5% to 100%. In 2017, the leaf damage score of the average of the fields ranged from 1.8 to 7 (9 = highest level of damage), while 2018, it ranged from 1.9 to 6.8. In 2017, five different species of parasitoids were recovered from FAW eggs and larvae. Cotesia icipe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was the main parasitoid recorded in Ethiopia, with a percent parasitism rate of 37.6%. Chelonus curvimaculatus Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was the only egg-larval parasitoid recorded in Kenya and had a 4.8% parasitism rate. In 2018, six species of egg and larval parasitoids were recovered with C. icipe being the dominant larval parasitoid, with percentage parasitism ranging from 16% to 42% in the three surveyed countries. In Kenya, Telenomus remus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) was the dominant egg parasitoid, causing up to 69.3% egg parasitism as compared to only 4% by C. curvimaculatus. Although FAW has rapidly spread throughout these three countries, we were encouraged to see a reasonable level of biological control in place. Augmentative biological control can be implemented to suppress FAW in East Africa.

The Ichneumonoidea is a vast and important superfamily of parasitic wasps, with some 60,000 described species and estimated numbers far higher, especially for small-bodied tropical taxa. The superfamily comprises two cosmopolitan families - Braconidae and Ichneumonidae - that have largely attracted separate groups of researchers, and this, to a considerable extent, has meant that understanding of their adaptive features has often been considered in isolation. This book considers both families, highlighting similarities and differences in their adaptations. The classification of the whole of the Ichneumonoidea, along with most other insect orders, has been plagued by typology whereby undue importance has been attributed to particular characters in defining groups. Typology is a common disease of traditional taxonomy such that, until recently, quite a lot of taxa have been associated with the wrong higher clades. The sheer size of the group, and until the last 30 or so years, lack of accessible identification materials, has been a further impediment to research on all but a handful of 'lab rat' species usually cultured initially because of their potential in biological control. New evidence, largely in the form of molecular data, have shown that many morphological, behavioural, physiological and anatomical characters associated with basic life history features, specifically whether wasps are ecto- or endoparasitic, or idiobiont or koinobiont, can be grossly misleading in terms of the phylogeny they suggest. This book shows how, with better supported phylogenetic hypotheses entomologists can understand far more about the ways natural selection is acting upon them. This new book also focuses on this superfamily with which the author has great familiarity and provides a detailed coverage of each subfamily, emphasising  anatomy, taxonomy and systematics, biology, as well as pointing out the importance and research potential of each group. Fossil taxa are included and it also has sections on biogeography, global species richness, culturing and rearing and preparing specimens for taxonomic study. The book highlights areas where research might be particularly rewarding and suggests systems/groups that need investigation. The author provides a large compendium of references to original research on each group. This book is an essential workmate for all postgraduates and researchers working on ichneumonoid or other parasitic wasps worldwide. It will stand as a reference book for a good number of years, and while rapid advances in various fields such as genomics and host physiological interactions will lead to new information, as an overall synthesis of the current state it will stay relevant for a long time.

Pesticide risk assessments are usually based on short-term acute toxicity tests, while longer-term population dynamic related traits, critical to the success of biological control and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, are often overlooked. This is increasingly important with respect to new biopesticides that frequently cause no short-term acute effects, but that can induce multiple physiological and behavioral sublethal effects, leading to a decrease in population growth and ecosystem services. In this study we assessed the lethal and sublethal effects of six biopesticides [abamectin, azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis, borax plus citrus oil (Prev-Am®), emamectin benzoate, and spinosad], used in tomato crops to control the invasive pest Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), on adults and pupae of the parasitoid Bracon nigricans (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Data on female survival and production of female offspring were used to calculate population growth indexes as a measure of population recovery after pesticide exposure. Spinosad caused 100% and 80% mortality in exposed adults (even 10 d after the treatment) and pupae, respectively. Although most of the biopesticides had low levels of acute toxicity, multiple sublethal effects were observed. The biocontrol activity of both females that survived 1-h and 10-d old residues, and females that emerged from topically treated pupae was significantly affected by the application of the neurotoxic insecticides emamectin benzoate and abamectin. Furthermore, very low B. nigricans demographic growth indices were estimated for these two insecticides, indicating potential local extinction of the wasp populations. Among the tested products, Bt proved to be the safest for B. nigricans adults and pupae. Our findings emphasize that acute toxicity assessment alone cannot fully predict the actual impact of pesticides on non-target parasitoids. Thus, sublethal effects related to the species specific life-history variables must be carefully considered in order to assess pesticide risks and to incorporate new pesticides, including biopesticides, into IPM programmes.