Revision of Palearctic Trissolcus Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae)

Abstract

Species of Trissolcus Ashmead are potent natural enemies of stink bugs (Pentatomidae). Research on biological agents to control the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (BMSB), in Western Europe requires reliable taxonomic resources for identification of Trissolcus wasps. To aid this research endeavor, we present a species identification key to females of Palearctic Trissolcus. Morphological characters and concepts of the genus and species groups are discussed. We discovered a number of nomenclatural and identification issues that we here rectify.

Surveys of stink bug egg parasitism in Asia, Europe and North America, morphological taxonomy, and molecular analysis reveal the Holarctic distribution of Acroclisoides sinicus (Huang & Liao) (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae)

“…1A, B). Trissolcus mitsukurii and T. japonicus have tridentate mandibles with teeth of similar size (Talamas et al 2017) and the exit hole has smaller serrations compared to An. bifasciatus (Fig.…”

Molecular phylogeny of Trissolcus wasps (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) associated with Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae)

“…Species determinations were made with the identification tools provided in Talamas et al (2015a), Talamas et al (2017), and Tortorici et al (2019). The data associated with these specimens, including host associations, are deposited in Hymenoptera Online (hol.…”

“…The flavipes group sensu Talamas et al (2017) was retrieved as a monophyletic clade in the parsimony analysis, but with T. mitsukurii, T. latisulcus, and T. thyantae included (Figure 3). The Bayesian and ML analyses both retrieved the flavipes group as two separate clades in a polytomy with the basalis group (Figs 1-2), with T. mitsukurii sister to a flavipes clade comprised of primarily Asian species.…”

“…The Bayesian and ML analyses both retrieved the flavipes group as two separate clades in a polytomy with the basalis group (Figs 1-2), with T. mitsukurii sister to a flavipes clade comprised of primarily Asian species. Talamas et al (2017) treated T. mitsukurii and T. latisulcus as part of the basalis group based on the number of clypeal setae (6), absence of a hyperoccipital carina on the medial vertex, and glabrous metapleuron. However, each of the analyses indicate that T. mitsukurii is better accommodated in the flavipes group.…”

“…Talamas et al (2015a), following the research by Johnson (1984aJohnson ( , 1985a, updated the identification tools for species of Trissolcus in the Nearctic region. Talamas et al (2017) and Tortorici et al (2019) clarified species limits across Europe, Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. Host data has been reviewed, updated and significantly expanded, making management decisions regarding natural enemy recruitment and rearing more efficient and accurate, much of which is summarized by Buffington et al (2018).…”