Diversity of Ooencyrtus spp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) parasitizing the eggs of Stenozygum coloratum (Klug) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) with description of two new species.

ABSTRACT: Ooencyrtus spp. (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae) are important natural enemies of agricultural and forest insect pests, and are distributed worldwide. Their reduced dimensions, highly variable morphological characters and possible effect of wide host range and abiotic factors, make correct identification at the species level particularly difficult. This paper combined molecular, morphological, and biological data to characterize a group of Ooencyrtus spp. emerging from the eggs of the variegated caper bug, Stenozygum coloratum in the east Mediterranean area. COI and ITS2 sequencing revealed the presence of six and five divergent clades, respectively. Three clades were identified as Ooencyrtus telenomicida, Ooencyrtus pityocampae and O. pistaciae. Two clades represent new species whi

SUBMITTER: Samra S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6221264 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature