New combinations and new geographic distribution records for species of Digonogastra Viereck (Hymenoptera Braconidae) in North America

Authors: Kula, Robert

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/24/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Parasitic wasps attack agricultural pests that cause billions of dollars of damage to crops annually. The wasps treated in this paper belong to a group with species that attack stem-boring insects in sugarcane, corn, and sorghum, including two species that were evaluated and released for biocontrol of stem boring pests. A stable up-to-date taxonomic classification for these wasps is fundamental to research on how they impact pest stem-borers. This paper provides novel updates to the classification of these wasps via new name changes that group 14 species together in the classification for the first time. The changes more accurately reflect the evolutionary relationships among these wasps, elucidate their shared biological attributes, and facilitate their identification through more accurate placement in the classification. The newly updated classification in this paper will be used by personnel who manage and regulate pest stem borers, as well as scientists who research the impact of these wasps on pest stem borers.

Technical Abstract: The following 14 species of Braconinae in North America are transferred from Iphiaulax Förster Cyanopterus erythrus (Viereck), new combination, Digonogastra americana (Provancher), new combination, Digonogastra cinnabarinus (Viereck), new combination, Digonogastra eurygaster (Brullé), new combination, Digonogastra faustus (Cresson), new combination, Digonogastra koebelei (Ashmead), new combination, Digonogastra manteri (Nettleton), new combination, Digonogastra megaptera (Cameron), new combination, Digonogastra melanogaster (Viereck), new combination, Digonogastra militaris (Viereck), new combination, Digonogastra palliventris (Cresson), new combination, Digonogastra perepicus (Viereck), new combination, Digonogastra propinquus (Viereck), new combination, and Dignongastra xanthospilus (Ashmead), new combination. A lectotype is designated for D. xanthospilus. New U.S. state distribution records are reported for C. erythrus, D. americana, D. cinnabarinus, and D. eurygaster. Digonogastra faustus and D. xanthospilus are reported from Mexico and Dominica, respectively, for the first time. Possible new parasitoid-host-host plant associations are discussed based on label data associated with specimens in the USNM.