Six in one: cryptic species and a new host record for Olixon Cameron (Rhopalosomatidae, Hymenoptera) revealed by DNA barcoding

By

Armstrong, Allaina
Sones, Jayme
Lohrmann, Volker
Hebert, Paul
Janzen, Daniel
Hallwachs, Winnie
Blaschke, Jeremy D

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

Journal of Hymenoptera research

Volume

97

Pages

363--378

Subjects

Cricket-assassin wasp , integrative taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Washington, D.C International Society of Hymenopterists

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.97.116726

 

Abstract

Olixon testaceum is a widely distributed species of brachypterous parasitoid wasp (Vespoidea: Rhopalosomatidae) occurring in Meso- and South America, but little is known of its biology. Here, the first known host of O. ? testaceum is identified as the cricket Anaxipha sp. (Grylloidea: Trigonidiidae) through DNA barcoding of six Olixon larvae and their hosts. Barcoding results also indicated substantial genetic diversity within nominal O. testaceum specimens. The number of species and statistical significance of these groups were tested using Maximum Likelihood phylogenies, distance-based cluster analyses, and coalescence models. All analyses revealed at least six distinct lineages, which suggests six or more cryptic species within O. ? testaceum. Combined with what is currently known about Rhopalosoma host use, these results indicate that rhopalosomatids may be generalist rather than specialist parasitoids, and further confirm the benefits of open global collaboration and DNA barcoding in advancing taxonomic knowledge.