Abstract
Members of the Monoctonina subtribe have long been neglected in applied studies of the subfamily Aphidiinae, due to their low economic importance, as they do not parasitize pests of cultivated plants. Consequently, data about this group are scarce, including its taxonomy and phylogeny. In the present study, we explore inter- and intraspecific genetic variation of Monoctonina species, including genera Monoctonus Haliday 1833, Monoctonia Starý 1962, Falciconus Mackauer 1959 and Harkeria Cameron 1900. We employ two molecular markers, the barcode region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and the D2 region of the 28S nuclear gene (28S rDNA), to analyze genetic structuring and phylogeny of all available Monoctonina species, and combine them with morphological data for an integrative approach. We report one new species, and three potentially new species which can be formally described when further specimens are available. Analysis of phylogenetic relationships within the subtribe shows a basal position for the genera Falciconus and Monoctonia, and the close relatedness of Harkeria and Monoctonus.
Highlights
The aphidiine subtribe Monoctonina, comprising genera Monoctonus Haliday 1833, MonoctoniaStarý 1962, Falciconus Mackauer 1959, Harkeria Cameron 1900, and Quadrictonus Starý and Remaudière1982, has long been omitted from taxonomic and phylogenetic studies
A study based on molecular analysis of the Monoctonina subtribe has not been conducted so far, but some species have been used in molecular studies, mostly those focusing on the entire subfamily
The current study aims to further knowledge of the taxonomy and phylogeny of the subtribe Monoctonina, using molecular data from two gene markers (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and nuclear large subunit 28S rDNA) combined with morphological measurements of relevant characters
Summary
1982, has long been omitted from taxonomic and phylogenetic studies. This is probably due to low economic importance of its members, since they do not parasitize pests of cultivated plants, and as a consequence are not commonly used in biological control attempts [1]. Čkrkić et al [1] provided a review of the world Monoctonina based on morphology with descriptions of five new species. A study based on molecular analysis of the Monoctonina subtribe has not been conducted so far, but some species have been used in molecular studies, mostly those focusing on the entire subfamily. Most of these studies were focused on relationships between tribes and on determining the Insects 2020, 11, 160; doi:10.3390/insects11030160 www.mdpi.com/journal/insects
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