Research Article |
Corresponding author: Christer Hansson ( christerdennis@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Petr Janšta
© 2018 Christer Hansson, Stefan Schmidt.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Hansson C, Schmidt S (2018) Revision of the European species of Euplectrus Westwood (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), with a key to European species of Euplectrini. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 67: 1-35. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.67.28810
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The European species of Euplectrus Westwood are comprehensively treated for the first time, using a combination of morphological and DNA data (CO1, the barcode). Ten species are included, seven already described: E. bicolor (Swederus), E. flavipes (Fonscolombe), E. intactus Walker, E. liparidis Ferrière, E. maculiventris Westwood, E. nigriceps Ferrière, E. phthorimaeae Ferrière, and three new species: E. carinifer sp. n., E. geometricida sp. n., E. pallidigaster sp. n. To stabilize the nomenclature a neotype is designated for E. bicolor. Euplectrus intactus is removed from synonymy under E. bicolor and E nigriceps from synonymy under E. platyhypenae Howard, and both are re-established as valid species. Several host records are given and presented in a table, and new geographical records are introduced for previously described species. All host records are from exposed Lepidoptera caterpillars and the dominant host groups are Geometridae and Noctuidae. A key including all European species of tribe Euplectrini is presented. Prior to this paper the identification of European Euplectrus species has been difficult and misidentifications have probably been common. Existing host and geographical records in the literature must therefore be treated with great care.
Neotype designation, reevaluation of synonymized species, new species, new host records, new geographical records, gregarious ectoparasitoids, cocoon spinning, Geometridae , Noctuidae , Platyplectrus , Metaplectrus
Species of the genus Euplectrus are found all over the world, with most species occurring in tropical parts (e.g.
The first more comprehensive study of Euplectrus in Europe was by
Due to previous difficulties with the identification of the species and the somewhat unclear nomenclatural situation only distributional and biological information for specimens examined here will be included in this paper.
The SEM micrographs are from uncoated specimens and were done with a Hitachi SU 3500, using a backscatter detector. The colour images were made using a Canon camera equipment including an EOS 70D body, MP E-65 macro lens, and macro twin lite MT-24 EX. The camera was attached to a Cognisys stackshot macrorail system. The picture stacking was done with Helicon Focus version 6 software.
For DNA extraction, whole specimens were sent to the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding (CCDB) in Guelph, Canada, for DNA extraction and barcode sequencing, and subsequent recovery of vouchers for preparation and morphological study. A complete list of voucher specimens included in the revision is given in Suppl. material
Sequence divergence statistics were calculated using the Kimura two parameter model of sequence evolution (
DO = largest diameter of one posterior ocellus; HE = height of eye in frontal view; HH = height of head; LC = length of scape; LP = length of petiole; LT = length of hind tarsus; LT1 – 4 = length of first – fourth tarsomere on hind leg; MS = malar space; OOL = the distance between eye and posterior ocellus; PM = length of postmarginal vein; POL = the distance between posterior ocelli; POO = the distance between posterior ocelli and occipital margin;ST = length of stigmal vein; TS1 = length of longest hind tibial spur; TS2 = length of shortest hind tibial spur; WE = width of eye; WF = width of frons, in frontal view the largest distance between eyes; WH = width of head, measured across the widest part; WM = width of mouth opening; WP = width of petiole, measured across widest part; WS = width of scape, measured across widest part. Lower face as defined by
SMTP Swedish Malaise Trap Project, Station Linné, Ölands Skogsby, Sweden.
VV private collection of Veli Vikberg, Turenki, Finland.
1 | Scutellum without lateral grooves (e.g. Fig. |
2 |
– | Scutellum with lateral grooves (Figs |
13 |
2 | Head completely dark (Figs |
Euplectrus nigriceps Ferrière |
– | Head with at least clypeal area pale (e.g. Figs |
3 |
3 | Entire frons below level of toruli, including part below eye, white to yellowish-white, in males pale area reaches the eye and usually covers part of frons lateral to toruli (e.g. Figs |
4 |
– | Frons below toruli with pale area smaller (e.g. Figs |
7 |
4 | Female | 5 |
– | Male | 6 |
5 | Without groove between dorsellum and scutellum (Fig. |
Euplectrus liparidis Ferrière (♂ unknown) |
– | With a groove between dorsellum and scutellum (Fig. |
Euplectrus geometricida sp. n. |
6 | Scape 2.8–3.0× (mean = 2.86, n=10) as long as wide (Fig. |
Euplectrus maculiventris Westwood |
– | Scape 2.0–2.5× (mean = 2.24, n=10) as long as wide (Fig. |
Euplectrus geometricida sp. n. |
7 | Midlobe of mesoscutum with a distinct and complete median carina (Figs |
8 |
– | Median carina on midlobe of mesoscutum missing (e.g. Fig. |
9 |
8 | Female with pale area in anterior ½ of first gastral tergite large and with narrow brown margins, margins about ½ as wide as width of petiole (Fig. |
Euplectrus flavipes (Fonscolombe) (♀, ♂) |
– | Female with pale area in anterior ½ of first gastral tergite smaller and with wider brown margins, margins on average at least as wide as width of petiole (Fig. |
Euplectrus carinifer sp. n. (♀, ♂) |
9 | Female gaster dark yellowish-brown with anterolateral corners dark brown (Fig. |
Euplectrus pallidigaster sp. n. (♀, ♂) |
– | Female gaster predominantly dark brown (Figs |
10 |
10 | Posterior part of midlobe of mesoscutum wide (Figs |
Euplectrus intactus Walker (♀, ♂) |
– | Posterior part of midlobe of mesoscutum narrow (e.g. Figs |
11 |
11 | Female with pale area on lower frons with upper-lateral part drawn out towards eye and almost reaches eye (Fig. |
Euplectrus maculiventris Westwood |
– | Female with pale area on lower frons not drawn out laterally (Fig. |
12 |
12 | Reticulation on posterior part of scutellum with elongate meshes, this part of scutellum thus appearing striate (Fig. |
Euplectrus bicolor (Swederus) (♀, ♂) |
– | Reticulation on posterior part of scutellum with ±isodiametric meshes (Fig. |
E. phthorimaeae Ferrière (♀, ♂) |
13 | Hind tibia with one spur at apex | Metaplectrus szepligetii (Erdös) (♀, ♂) |
– | Hind tibia with two spurs at apex (as in Fig. |
14 |
14 | Scutellum smooth and shiny, without reticulation (Fig. |
15 |
– | Scutellum reticulate (Fig. |
16 |
15 | Petiole about twice as long as wide; flagellomeres long in both sexes, e.g. funicular 2&3 in female both 1.3× as long as wide (Fig. |
Platyplectrus laeviscuta (Thomson) (♀, ♂) |
– | Petiole transverse; flagellomeres short in both sexes, e.g. funicular 2&3 in female both 0.8× as long as wide (Fig. |
Platyplectrus bouceki (Erdös) (♀, ♂) |
16 | Occipital margin with a sharp carina (Fig. |
Platyplectrus pannonica (Erdös) (♀, ♂) |
– | Occipital margin rounded (Fig. |
Platyplectrus chlorocephala (Nees) (♀, ♂) |
Euplectrus Westwood, 1832:128. Type species E. maculiventris Westwood, 1832:128, by monotypy.
Diplectron Dahlbom, 1857:292. Type species Pteromalus bicolor Swederus, 1795:204, designated by
Pachyscapha Howard, 1897:159. Type species P. insularis Howard, 1897:159, by monotypy. Synonymized by
Rekabia Cameron, 1904:65. Type species R. testaceipes Cameron, 1904:66, by monotypy. Synonymized by
Heteroscapus Brèthes, 1918:9. Type species H. ronnai Brèthes, 1918:10, by monotypy. Synonymized by
Heteroscapiscus Ghesquière, 1946:370. Replacement name for Heteroscapus Brèthes.
Species of Euplectrus are all parasitoids on Lepidoptera caterpillars that live exposed on their food plant and their life-history is very interesting, including some unique features (e.g.
Holotype female labeled “CZECH REPUBLIC: Mikulcice, 48,808N, 17,094E, 169m, 21-May-2013, M. Volf, Sample BC-
Entire frons below level of toruli white to yellowish white, including part below eye (Figs
Euplectrus spp.: 7–12 E. bicolor (Swederus) 7–9 neotype, female 7 habitus lateral 8 habitus dorsal 9 head frontal 10 non-type female, head front-lateral 11 head frontal, male 12 head front-lateral, male 13 E. flavipes (Fonscolombe), gaster dorsal, male 14–15 head including scape lateral, male 14 E. maculiventris Westwood 15 E. geometricida sp. n. 16 E. carinifer sp. n., gaster dorsal, male.
Euplectrus spp.: 17–19 E. geometricida sp. n., paratypes 17 head frontal, female 18 head frontal, male 19 gaster dorsal, female 20–22 E. carinifer sp. n., paratypes 20 head frontal, female 21 head frontal, male 22 gaster dorsal, female 23–26 E. pallidigaster sp. n., paratypes 23 head frontal, female 24 head frontal, male 25 gaster dorsal, female 26 gaster dorsal, female.
(holotype female). Length of body 2.4 mm, female paratypes 1.9–2.4 mm. Antenna with scape yellowish-white with apical ⅓ yellowish-brown, pedicel and flagellum yellowish-brown. Mandibles and palpi yellowish-white. Head black, lower face yellowish-white, reaching to eyes and also below eyes (Fig.
Mesosoma black and shiny; midlobe with raised and strong reticulation, meshes isodiametric, midline on midlobe of mesoscutum indicated by a carina (Fig.
Gaster dark brown with an inverted T-shaped white area in anterior ½ (Fig.
Ratios. HE/MS/WM = 1.8/1.0/1.1; POL/OOL/POO = 9.7/4.3/1.0; OOL/DO = 1.4; WE/WF/WH/HH = 1.0/2.1/3.9/2.8; WH/WT = 1.0; PM/ST = 1.8; TS1/TS2/LT/LT1/LT2/LT3/LT4 = 4.6/3.1/7.4/2.4/1.4/1.0/1.9; LP/WP = 0.9; MM/LG = 1.3.
Male. Length of body 1.7–2.4 mm. Scape white, 2.0–2.3× as long as wide, widest medially, with sensory pores along entire ventral margin, sensory area white. Gaster with anterior ½–⅔ white with narrow dark brown margins, posterior part dark brown. Otherwise similar to female.
Ratios. LC/WS = 2.0–2.3, LP/WP = 1.0.
Geometridae: Agriopis aurantiaria (Hübner) on Carpinus betulus and Tilia cordata, Agriopis marginaria (Fabricius) on C. betulus, Alcis repandata (L.), Alsophila aescularia (Denis & Schiffermüller) on C. betulus, Angerona prunaria (L.), Colotois pennaria (L.) on C. betulus, Epirrita dilutata (Denis & Schiffermüller) on C. betulus, Macaria brunneata (Thunberg) on Vaccinium myrtillus, Operophtera brumata (L.) on C. betulus and Quercus cerris, Phigalia pilosaria (Denis & Schiffermüller) on Acer campestre and C. betulus. Noctuidae: Agrotis segetum (Denis & Schiffermüller), Anarta myrtilli (L.), Orthosia opima (Hübner) on Vaccinium sp.
Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Named after preferred target group, geometrid caterpillars. From the Latin suffix –cida, which means “killer”.
The species exhibits high levels of intraspecific variation, with a maximum of 11.6%, but a clear separation from the next neighbour, with a distance of 10.8% to the next neighbour species, E. carinifer (Fig.
Holotype female labelled “ CZECH REPUBLIC: Mikulcice, 48.808N, 17.094E, 169m, 21-May-2013, M. Volf, Sample BC-
Frons below level of toruli with pale area not extending laterally to the eye but with a wide dark stripe between pale area and eye, in both sexes (Figs
(holotype female). Length of body 2.0 mm, female paratypes 2.1–2.2 mm. Antennal scape yellowish-white with apical ½ yellowish-brown, pedicel and flagellomeres yellowish-brown. Mandibles and palpi yellowish-white. Head black with yellowish-brown clypeal area, pale area does not extend to eyes (Fig.
Mesosoma black and shiny; midlobe with raised and strong reticulation, meshes ±isodiametric, midlobe of mesoscutum with a complete median carina (Fig.
Gaster dark brown, anterior ½ with a wide white stripe medially, stripe 2× as wide as width of petiole and expanding in posterior part, and with apex pale (Fig.
Ratios. HE/MS/WM = 2.1/1.0/1.0; POL/OOL/POO = 6.3/2.9/1.0; OOL/DO = 1.4; WE/WF/WH/HH = 1.0/2.4/4.2/3.2; WH/WT = 1.0; PM/ST = 1.3; TS1/TS2/LT/LT1/LT2/LT3/LT4 = 3.5/2.2/7.2/2.0/1.6/1.0/2.0; LP/WP = 1.0; MM/LG = 1.2.
Male. Length of body 1.8–2.0 mm. Scape slightly enlarged, widest medially, with sensory pores along entire ventral margin. Similar to female except gaster with anterior ½ white with dark brown lateral margins, posterior ½ dark brown (Fig.
Ratios. LC/WS = 2.8–3.0, LP/WP = 1.0.
Noctuidae: Amphipyra pyramidea (L.) on Carpinus betulus, Autographa gamma (L.), Orthosia cruda (Denis & Schiffermüller) on C. betulus, Perigrapha munda (Denis & Schiffermüller) on C. betulus. Depressariidae: Carcina quercana (Fabricius) on Acer campestre.
Czech Republic, the Netherlands.
Named after complete median carina on midlobe of mesoscutum. From the Latin carina (=keel) and the suffix –fer (=carry).
The species consists of several subclusters, each assigned a different BIN by the BOLD system (Fig.
Holotype female labelled ”FRANCE: B du Rhone [possibly meaning “Bouches-du-Rhone], Fonscolombe, 20.vii.1979”, in
Frons with clypeal area yellowish-brown (Figs
(holotype female). Length of body 1.9 mm, female paratypes 1.6–2.6 mm. Antenna yellowish-brown, flagellomeres 4–6 slightly darker than scape and pedicel. Mandibles and palpi yellowish-white. Head black and shiny, with clypeal area yellowish-brown (Fig.
Mesosoma black and shiny; midlobe with raised and strong reticulation, meshes slightly transverse, midlobe of mesoscutum with a weak median groove in posterior ⅓ (Fig.
Gaster circular, dark yellowish-brown with anterolateral corners dark brown (Fig.
Ratios. HE/MS/WM = 2.1/1.2/1.0; POL/OOL/POO = 8.0/4.3/1.0; OOL/DO = 1.6; WE/WF/WH/HH = 1.0/2.4/4.2/3.1; WH/WT = 1.0; PM/ST = 1.7; TS1/TS2/LT/LT1/LT2/LT3/LT4 = 4.1/2.9/6.9/2.3/1.4/1.0/1.3; LP/WP = 0.8; MM/LG = 1.3.
Several female paratypes have a dark round spot posteromedially on gaster (Fig.
Male. Length of body 1.7–2.5 mm. Scape slightly enlarged, widest medially, with sensory pores along entire ventral margin. Similar to female except scutellum with ±isodiametric meshes, and gaster with posterior ½ dark brown.
Ratios. LC/WS = 2.7–2.9, LP/WP = 1.0–1.1.
Unknown.
France, Italy, Spain.
From the Latin pallidus, meaning pale, referring to the predominantly pale gaster in female.
No specimens of the species were available for genetic analysis.
Pteromalus
bicolor
Swederus, 1795:204. Neotype female, designated here, in
Elachertus
albiventris
Spinola, 1811:151. Combined to Eulophus by
Type material: Neotype female labelled “Sweden: Skåne, Kranke, Ekskogen, 55°41'10.3N, 13°27'40.2E, 5.vii.2015, C. Hansson”, ”BC-
Frons below level of toruli with pale area not extending laterally to the eye but with a dark stripe between pale area and eye, in the female dark area is wider (Figs
Length of body 2.8 mm (2.0–3.1 mm in additional material). Antenna with scape yellowish-brown with dorsal edge pale brown, pedicel and flagellomeres 1+2 yellowish-brown, flagellomeres 3–6 pale brown. Mandibles and palpi yellowish-brown. Head black and shiny, lower face with median part yellowish-brown reaching laterally to level of outer edge of toruli (Figs
Mesosoma black and shiny; midlobe with raised and strong reticulation, meshes isodiametric, midline on midlobe of mesoscutum usually indicated by either a median carina (Fig.
Gaster dark brown with a yellowish-brown spot in anteromedian part (Fig.
Ratios. HE/MS/WM = 1.8/1.0/1.1; POL/OOL/POO = 9.7/5.3/1.0; OOL/DO = 1.5; WE/WF/WH/HH = 1.0/3.0/5.3/3.6; WH/WT = 1.0; PM/ST = 1.6; TS1/TS2/LT/LT1/LT2/LT3/LT4 = 3.6/2.3/2.3/1.3/1.0/1.8; LP/WP = 0.8; MM/LG = 0.9.
Male. Length of body 1.7–2.4 mm. Scape slightly enlarged, widest medially, with sensory pores along entire ventral margin. Similar to female except wider pale clypeal area (Figs
Ratios. LC/WS = 3.1–3.4, LP/WP = 1.0–1.2.
Agrotis sp., Diarsia mendica (Fabricius), Eugraphe subrosea (Stephens), Mamestra brassicae (L.), Orthosia opima (Hübner), Orthosia sp. on raspberries (Rubus idaeus), Polia hepatica (Clerck), Polia nebulosa (Hufnagel), Xylina sp., a “polyphagous noctuid”. All records are from caterpillars of the Noctuidae.
Sweden (
Neotype designation: the original type material for E. bicolor is lost (
Genetically analysed specimens of E. bicolor exhibited comparatively high levels of intraspecific variation (maximum 6.5%) but with a distinct gap to the nearest neighbours (E. intactus, 10.9% and E. carinifer, 10.2%) (Fig.
Spalangia
flavipes
Fonscolombe, 1832:299. Lectotype female, designated by
Euplectrus
cacoeciae
Ferrière, 1941:42. Holotype female in
(74♀ 39♂). Bosnia/Hercegovina: 1♀ (
Frons below level of toruli with pale area not extending laterally to the eye but with a wide dark stripe between pale area and eye in both sexes (Figs
Euplectrus spp.: 27–29 E. intactus (Walker) 27 head frontal, female 28 head frontal, male 29 gaster dorsal, female 30–32 E. maculiventris Westwood 30 head frontal, female 31 head frontal, male 32 gaster dorsal, female 33–35 E. flavipes (Fonscolombe) 33 head frontal, female 34 head frontal, male 35 gaster dorsal, female.
Tortricidae: Archips rosana (L.) (
Bulgaria (
Euplectrus flavipes consists of eight subclusters, each of which was assigned a different BIN by the BOLD system (Fig.
Euplectrus
intactus
Walker, 1872a:102. Lectotype female in
(26♀ 18♂). Belgium: 3♀ 3♂ (
Frons below level of toruli with pale area not extending laterally to the eye but with a wide dark stripe between pale area and eye in both sexes (Figs
Noctuidae: Noctua comes Hübner on Corylus avellana. Pieridae: Pieris rapae (L.). From an unidentified caterpillar on Artemisia vulgaris.
France (Corsica) (
Euplectrus intactus was synonymized with E. bicolor by
Barcoded specimens of Euplectrus intactus exhibited an intraspecific variation of 6.9% and a pronounced geographic subclustering (NJ-tree, Suppl. material
Euplectrus
liparidis
Ferrière, 1941:43. Holotype female in
Female with frons below level of toruli completely pale, pale area reaching from eye to eye (Fig.
From larva of Lymantria dispar (L.) (Erebidae) (
Algeria (
No specimens of the species were available for genetic analysis.
Euplectrus
maculiventris
Westwood, 1832:128. Lectotype female in
(249♀ 200♂). Finland: 15♀ 8♂ (VV), 153♀ 121♂ (
Female with clypeal area pale, and with pale colour drawn out towards eye and almost reaches eye but with part below the eye dark (Fig.
Agrotis segetum (Denis & Schiffermüller), Eurois occulta (L.), Lithomoia solidaginis (Hübner), Mniotype satura (Denis & Schiffermüller). All records are from caterpillars of the Noctuidae.
United Kingdom (
The single barcoded specimen of E. maculiventris was assigned a distinct BIN and shows a distance of 11.3% to the next neighbour species, E. bicolor (Fig.
Euplectrus
nigriceps
Ferrière, 1941:42. Holotype female in
(1♀). Sweden: Öland, Ismantorp, 56°44'45.8N, 16°38'29.0E, 30.vi.2014, C. Hansson (
Head including clypeal area completely black (Figs
Unknown.
Sweden (new record). This is the only geographical record for the species as the type material did not have information about collecting locality.
Euplectrus nigriceps was described from two females and one male that stood together with British material of E. bicolor in
The single genetically examined specimen of E. nigriceps (BC-
Euplectrus
phthorimaeae
Ferrière, 1941:42–43. Holotype female in
Female with frons below level of toruli with pale area not extending laterally to the eye but with a wide dark stripe between pale area and eye (Fig.
Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) (Gelechiidae) (
Cyprus & Israel (
No specimens of the species were available for genetic analysis.
Euplectrus is a cosmopolitan group currently including 203 species and because of the interspecific morphological similarity the species are easily recognizable as belonging to Euplectrus. Members of Euplectrus thus seem to be very conservative regarding the evolution of morphological features. This similarity between species frequently causes problems when specimens are identified using morphological features. And yet the intra- and interspecific variation of DNA barcode sequences are, compared to most other groups of insects, very large – at least among some of the European species treated here. Consider for instance E. bicolor and E. intactus, two morphologically very similar species, almost identical, that prior to this article were regarded as one species. They can be separated by just one morphological character and yet the minimum genetic distance between them using data from CO1 is 10.9%, which compared to species from other insect groups is a very large gap. Both species also exhibit large intraspecific variation in CO1, 6.5% in E. bicolor (including two sympatric subclusters) and 6.9% in E. intactus (including nine subclusters, each with a different BIN). The large intraspecific variations of the COI barcode fragment, also present in some other species treated here, may indicate the presence of more species in the material included. However, pending more sampling from different populations and geographical regions, and further analyses using more gene regions, we prefer to regard as species only those that show consistent morphological differences, no matter how small these differences may be. Considering the high intraspecific variation within most species and the virtual absence of diagnostic characters it seems mandatory for accurate identification of Euplectrus to provide DNA barcodes with each identification at species level.
The hosts presented in this article (Table
Host records for examined specimens of Euplectrus (host records in the literature are not included due to uncertainty regarding previous identifications of Euplectrus species).
Host | Euplectrus species |
---|---|
Depressariidae: | |
Carcina quercana (Fabricius) | E. carinifer, E. flavipes |
Erebidae: | |
Colobochyla salicalis (D. & S.) | E. flavipes |
Lymantria dispar (L.) | E. liparidis |
Gelechiidae: | |
Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) | E. phthorimaeae |
Geometridae: | |
Agriopis aurantiaria (Hübner) | E. geometricida |
Agriopis marginaria (Fabricius) | E. geometricida |
Alcis repandata (L.) | E. geometricida |
Alsophila aescularia (D. & S.) | E. flavipes, E. geometricida |
Angerona prunaria (L.) | E. geometricida |
Cyclophora annularia (Fabricius) | E. flavipes |
Colotois pennaria (L.) | E. geometricida |
Epirrita dilutata (D. & S.) | E. geometricida |
Macaria brunneata (Thunberg) | E. geometricida |
Operophtera brumata (L.) | E. geometricida |
Phigalia pilusaria (D. & S.) | E. geometricida |
Noctuidae: | |
Agrotis segetum (D. & S.) | E. geometricida, E. maculiventris |
Agrotis sp. | E. bicolor |
Amphipyra pyramidea (L.) | E. carinifer |
Anarta myrtilli (L.) | E. geometricida |
Autographa gamma (L.) | E. carinifer |
Cosmia trapezina (L.) | E. flavipes |
Diarsia mendica (Fabr.) | E. bicolor |
Eugraphe subrosea (Stephens) | E. bicolor |
Eurois occulta (L.) | E. maculiventris |
Heliothis sp. on Medicago sativa | E. flavipes |
Lithomoia solidaginis (Hübner) | E. maculiventris |
Mamestra brassicae (L.) | E. bicolor, E. flavipes |
Mniotype satura (D. & S.) | E. maculiventris |
Noctua comes Hübner | E. intactus |
Orthosia cruda (D. & S.) | E. carinifer |
Orthosia opima (Hübner) | E. bicolor, E. geometricida |
Orthosia sp. | E. bicolor |
Perigrapha munda (D. & S.) | E. carinifer |
Plusia sp. on Medicago sativa | E. flavipes |
Polia hepatica (Clerck) | E. bicolor |
Polia nebulosa (Hüfnagel) | E. bicolor |
Spodoptera exigua Hübner | E. flavipes |
Spodoptera litura Fabricius | E. flavipes |
Xylina sp. | E. bicolor |
Pieridae: | |
Pieris rapae (L.) | E. intactus |
Tortricidae: | |
Archips rosana (L.) | E. flavipes |
The host range for European Euplectrus species where we have been able to examine a larger material (Table
The host larvae presented here are with one exception naked. The exception is Lymantria dispar, the only known host for E. liparidis, which has distinctly hairy caterpillars in all stages. The presence of hairs presents a mechanical obstacle, and the lack of such hairs is possibly a prerequisite for the female wasp to walk about on the host and enabling her to anchor her eggs in the cuticle of the host. Either the record for E. liparidis is a mistake, or females of this species use a different approach when laying eggs on the host. Apart from the host name very little is known about the biology for this species.
Loan of material: Natalie Dale-Skey (
List of voucher specimens with species of Euplectrus
Data type: specimens data
Explanation note: List of voucher specimens with species of Euplectrus, specimen ID, country of origin, Barcode Index Number (BIN), GenBank accession number and host information for reared specimens.
BOLD TaxonID Tree
Data type: phylogenetic data