A new, apterous species of Megaphragma Timberlake (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Trichogrammatidae)

Authors: LAHEY, ZACHARY - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE); POLASZEK, ANDREW - Natural History Museum - London; FUSU, LUCIAN - University Of Agricultural Sciences And Veterinary Medicine - Romania; Simmons, Alvin; Andreason, Sharon

Submitted to: Journal of Natural History
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/4/2025
Publication Date: 1/20/2025
Citation: Lahey, Z., Polaszek, A., Fusu, L., Simmons, A.M., Andreason, S.A. 2025. A new, apterous species of Megaphragma Timberlake (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Trichogrammatidae). Journal of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2024.2441350.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2024.2441350

Interpretive Summary: A new natural enemy of thrips was discovered in South Carolina, USA, and Costa Rica. The new insect species is described and is uniquely wingless. In this study, morphological characters are detailed and a molecular analysis is conducted to establish genetic relatedness to other species. This discovery will be of interest to the scientific community and pest management specialists in the southeastern USA.

Technical Abstract: A new species of Megaphragma Timberlake (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Trichogrammatidae), Megaphragma wolfi Lahey & Polaszek, sp. nov., is described from Costa Rica and the southeastern United States. Both sexes are completely apterous, representing the first occurrence of this phenomenon in the genus and the first apterous female of the family Trichogrammatidae. Morphological characters and a molecular analysis of two gene sequences (28S rDNA, COI) place the new species in the recently established M. polychaetum-group.