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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Newark, Delaware » Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #333095
Research Project: Host Specificity and Systematics of Insect Biological Control Agents

Location: Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit

Title: Revision of the Asychis species group of Aphelinus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

Author
item XANTHE, SHIRLEY - Texas A&M University
item WOOLLEY, JAMES - Texas A&M University
item Hopper, Keith

Submitted to: Journal of Hymenoptera Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/12/2016
Publication Date: 2/27/2017
Citation: Xanthe, S.A., Woolley, J.B., Hopper, K.R. 2017. Revision of the Asychis species group of Aphelinus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 54:1-32.

Interpretive Summary: The soybean aphid and Russian wheat aphid are pest aphids from Eurasia that have invaded the United States. Projects were initiated to find, evaluate, and introduce parasitic wasps from Eurasia into North America to control these pests. During these projects, species that are new to science were discovered. In this paper, we describe two new species and provide a key to the species complex of which they are members. These descriptions and key will allow identification of these parasitic wasps in the field.

Technical Abstract: APHELINUS (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) is a genus of parasitoid wasps that has a long history of use in biological control programs against aphids. Past research shows that the classification of APHELINUS is greatly complicated by lack of comprehensive literature and the existence of cryptic species complexes. One of these complexes is the APHELINUS ASYCHIS species group. Through the development of a morphological character set, a revision of the APHELINUS ASYCHIS species group was conducted. Two new species, APHELINUS SINENSIS sp. n., and APHELINUS KAZAKHSTANENSIS sp. n., are described and the two existing valid species within the ASYCHIS group, APHELINUS ASYCHIS and APHELINUS SEMIFLAVUS, are redescribed. We also provide a key for identifying species in the ASYCHIS group.