Abstract
The genus Microplitis Förster, 1862 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) was studied from northern Iran. Specimens were collected using Malaise traps during 2010–2011. A total of 13 species were collected and identified, of which six species are recorded for the first time from Iran: M. cebes Nixon, 1970, M. docilis Nixon, 1970, M. eremitus Reinhard, 1880, M. kaszabi Papp, 1980, M. pallidipennis Tobias, 1964 and M. varipes (Ruthe, 1860). Two species M. kaszabi and M. pallidipennis are new records for the west Palaearctic region. A new species, Microplitis alborziensis Abdoli & Talebi sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The number of species of Microplitis in Iran is now raised from 17 to 24. A faunistic list, an identification key to all known Iranian species and brief diagnoses and illustrations for all species that have been collected in this study are provided. The validity of the new species is supported by DNA barcoding.
Highlights
Microgastrinae Förster, 1862 is a large and diverse subfamily in the Braconidae with about 3000 described species worldwide (Fernandez-Triana et al 2020)
Until 1862, all described species in Microgastrinae were assigned to the genus Microgaster Latreille, 1804
The objective of this study is to improve our knowledge about the genus Microplitis from Iran
Summary
Microgastrinae Förster, 1862 is a large and diverse subfamily in the Braconidae with about 3000 described species worldwide (Fernandez-Triana et al 2020). This subfamily is one of the most important groups of parasitoids in terms of both species richness and economic importance (Rodriguez et al 2013). Until 1862, all described species in Microgastrinae were assigned to the genus Microgaster Latreille, 1804. Förster (1862) erected two additional genera for Microgastrinae: Microplitis and Apanteles (Whitfield et al 2002). The genus Microplitis Förster, 1862 comprises 192 described species worldwide including 108 species in the Palaearctic region (Fernandez-Triana et al 2020). Larvae of species of Microplitis are essentially hemolymph and fat–body feeders, and in many cases their hosts remain alive for several days after the parasitoid larvae exit the host body, which usually takes place from the central or posterior abdominal segments of the caterpillar (Shaw & Huddleston 1991)
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