Four new species of Philoplitis Nixon (Braconidae, Microgastrinae) with an updated key and illustrations of all described species

By

Ranjith, Avunjikkattu Parambil
Fernandez-Triana, Jose
Veena, T.
Rajan, Priyadarsanan
Nasser, Mannankadiyan

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2019

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

841

Pages

125-150

Subjects

Afrotropical , Microgastrinae , Oriental , Philoplitis , taxonomic revision

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.841.33549

 

Abstract

The Microgastrinae genusPhiloplitisNixon is revised and four new species are described:P.keralensissp. n.andP.trifoveatussp. n.authored by Ranjith & Fernandez-Triana, andP.dzangasanghasp. n.andP.margallasp. n.authored by Fernandez-Triana & Ranjith. A key to all nine known species is provided.PhiloplitisadustipalpusAhmad is redescribed and illustrated. Additional specimen records are presented, and the diagnostic value of some morphological characters previously used is discussed. Based on the very few specimens available for study in collections,Philoplitisseems to be restricted to the Old World tropics (Afrotropical and Oriental regions), with most known species found in the Oriental region. The first DNA barcodes for the genus are presented. No host data is currently available, but for one species a mass of five wasp cocoons was found and is illustrated for the first time.