Redescription of Apanteles mimoristae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), a parasitoid of the native pyralid cactus moth Melitara cf. nephelepasa in central Mexico
In: Journal of Hymenoptera Research, Jg. 97 (2024-03-01), Heft 207-228, S. 207-228
Online
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Zugriff:
Novel trophic associations have sometimes resulted in fortuitous and significant biological control. After the invasion of North America by the South American cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Pyralidae: Phycitinae), it is pertinent to characterize the assemblage of local natural enemies that could utilize this moth in new host-parasitoid associations. Herein we report on Apanteles mimoristae Muesebeck (Braconidae: Microgastrinae), a North American gregarious endoparasitoid wasp attacking the caterpillar of the phycitine cactus moth Melitara cf. nephelepasa (Dyar) (Pyralidae: Phycitinae, also known as zebra worm), also native to North America; both collected in Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae) cultivated fields at rural areas of Mexico City. We provide an updated morphological account for A. mimoristae visualized with light microscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM); a fragment of its cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequence data is reported for the first time. Additionally, we analyze its taxonomical position relative to other Apanteles species from the Americas including those attacking cactus-feeding moths. Our analyses place A. mimoristae (from Mexico) in a clade with A. esthercentenoae Fernández-Triana (from Costa Rica), a parasitoid of both Cromarcha stroudagnesia Solis (Pyralidae) and Palpita venatalis (Schaus) (Crambidae) (non cactus-feeding), and in a sister clade to A. opuntiarum Martínez & Berta (from Argentina) and A. alexanderi Brèthes (from Argentina and Uruguay), parasitoids of the cactus-feeding phycitines Cactoblastis and Tucumania respectively. Finally, we provide an updated key for the identification of Apanteles species recorded parasitizing cactus moth caterpillars in the American continent.
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Redescription of Apanteles mimoristae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), a parasitoid of the native pyralid cactus moth Melitara cf. nephelepasa in central Mexico
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Autor/in / Beteiligte Person: | Villegas-Luján, Renato ; Plowes, Robert ; Gilbert, Lawrence E. ; Julio Cesar Rodríguez ; Canales-del-Castillo, Ricardo ; Gallegos-Morales, Gabriel ; España-Luna, Martha P. ; Fernández-Triana, José ; Sanchez-Peña, Sergio R. |
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Zeitschrift: | Journal of Hymenoptera Research, Jg. 97 (2024-03-01), Heft 207-228, S. 207-228 |
Veröffentlichung: | Pensoft Publishers, 2024 |
Medientyp: | academicJournal |
ISSN: | 1314-2607 (print) |
DOI: | 10.3897/jhr.97.117514 |
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