The Leptopilina F&#246;rster, 1869 of the Western Palearctic, and an updated list of the world species (Hymenoptera, Figitidae, Eucoilinae)

Vogel, Jonathan; Martin, Jakob; Forshage, Mattias; Salden, Tobias; Staverl&#248;kk, Arnstein; Verheyde, Fons; Nordlander, G&#246;ran; Herz, Annette; Peters, Ralph S

doi:10.3897/jhr.98.165583

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Article: The Leptopilina Förster, 1869 of the Western Palearctic, and an updated list of the world species (Hymenoptera, Figitidae, Eucoilinae)

Title

The Leptopilina Förster, 1869 of the Western Palearctic, and an updated list of the world species (Hymenoptera, Figitidae, Eucoilinae)

By

Vogel, Jonathan
Martin, Jakob
Forshage, Mattias
Salden, Tobias
Staverløkk, Arnstein
Verheyde, Fons
Nordlander, Göran
Herz, Annette
Peters, Ralph S

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-10-24

Original Publication

Journal of Hymenoptera research

Volume

Pages

915--969

Subjects

Biological control , CO1 barcode , identification key , 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.98.165583

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License Type URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rights: https://biodiversitylibrary.org/permissions
Copyright Status: In copyright. Digitized with the permission of the rights holder.
Rights Holder: Copyright held by individual article author(s).

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The genus Leptopilina comprises species of parasitoid wasps that primarily attack early instar larvae of drosophilid species, some of which are well-known agricultural or nuisance pests. To unravel host-parasitoid interactions and to use parasitoids effectively in biological control, the correct taxonomic assignment is of crucial importance. In the course of the German Barcode of Life III: Dark Taxa (GBOL III: Dark Taxa) project, we assembled specimens of all seven species of Leptopilina of the Western Palearctic. Using CO1 barcode sequence analyses and morphological examination allows us to evaluate species limits in an integrative approach, to provide extended species diagnoses as well as an updated key to the species of the Western Palearctic. This work also summarizes current knowledge on Western Palearctic Leptopilina species, including their distribution, population parameters, habitats, flight periods, and hosts. We provide the first country records of three Leptopilina species for Belgium, including the non-native L. japonica , propose two species level synonymies and move one Western Palearctic species out of Leptopilina . Finally, to facilitate taxonomic research on Leptopilina in lesser-known regions, we provide a list of non-Western Palearctic species, including the moving of 13 species into Leptopilina . These changes also result in two new generic synonymies. In conclusion, Western Palearctic Leptopilina can be clearly diagnosed both morphologically and molecularly. Comparable ease of identification and cultivation, as well as the economic interest in potent biological control agents against drosophilid pests make them ideal organisms for basic and applied research.