An interactive key to Central European species of the Pteromalus albipennis species group and other species of the genus (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae), with the description of a new species.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Parasitoid wasps of the genus Pteromalus play an important role in biological pest control, however, the genus includes a large number of cryptic species, which makes reliable identification difficult. The latest identification key dates back to Graham (1969) and since then many new species have been described and nomenclatural changes proposed.

New information

Here we present an interactive and fully illustrated identification key in Xper3 for 27 species of the Pteromalus albipennis species group as well as for 18 similar species. In addition to qualitative traits, a large set of body measurements is incorporated in the key. We also explored a new set of qualitative features on the propodeum and metasternum. During field work, a new species of the <

SUBMITTER: Klimmek F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6249333 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature