biostudies-literatureChen YINCRR NIH HHS183-194https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7384741biostudies-literatureUnknown51(2)Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based molecular markers have been developed to detect the presence of primary parasitoids in cereal aphids and used to estimate primary parasitism rates. However, the presence of secondary parasitoids (hyperparasitoids) may lead to underestimates of primary parasitism rates based on PCR markers. This is because even though they kill the primary parasitoid, it's DNA can still be amplified, leading to an erroneous interpretation of a positive result. Another issue with secondary parasitoids is that adults are extremely difficult to identify using morphological characters. Therefore, we developed species-specific molecular markers to detect hyperparasitoids. A 16S ribosomal RNA mitochondrial gene fragment was amplified by PCR and sequenced from two secondary paBioControl (Dordrecht, Netherlands)Molecular markers for identification of the hyperparasitoids <i>Dendrocerus carpenteri</i> and <i>Alloxysta xanthopsis</i> in <i>Lysiphlebus testaceipes</i> parasitizing cereal aphids.PMC7384741P20 RR016477Pike KSGreenstone MHChen YIShufran KAfalseMolecular markers for identification of the hyperparasitoids <i>Dendrocerus carpenteri</i> and <i>Alloxysta xanthopsis</i> in <i>Lysiphlebus testaceipes</i> parasitizing cereal aphids.Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based molecular markers have been developed to detect the presence of primary parasitoids in cereal aphids and used to estimate primary parasitism rates. However, the presence of secondary parasitoids (hyperparasitoids) may lead to underestimates of primary parasitism rates based on PCR markers. This is because even though they kill the primary parasitoid, it's DNA can still be amplified, leading to an erroneous interpretation of a positive result. Another issue with secondary parasitoids is that adults are extremely difficult to identify using morphological characters. Therefore, we developed species-specific molecular markers to detect hyperparasitoids. A 16S ribosomal RNA mitochondrial gene fragment was amplified by PCR and sequenced from two secondary pa2006-01-01T00:00:00Z2006 Apr2025-04-04T03:25:02.498Z2020-10-29T10:53:24ZS-EPMC73847413271958010.1007/s10526-005-1518-0