Complex of Primary and Secondary Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae and Signiphoridae) ofHypogeococcusspp. Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in the New World

Abstract

Parasitoids, both primary and secondary (hyperparasitoids), of Hypogeococcus spp. mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are reviewed to report results of the surveys in the New World conducted during 2009 to 2017 for prospective natural enemies of the Harrisia cactus mealybug, Hypogeococcus sp., which is devastating native cacti in Puerto Rico and threatening cacti in the adjacent Caribbean islands. Five species of Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are recorded as primary parasitoids of Hypogeococcus spp., including the newly described Leptomastidea hypogeococci Triapitsyn sp. n., which is the only species of the genus Leptomastidea García Mercet in the New World where the clava of the female antenna is contrastingly white. Genetic analysis of the individuals of L. hypogeococci from Argentina, Brazil, and Puerto Rico (USA) corroborates the morphological data that the same species occurs in South America, the Caribbean islands, and Florida (USA). A key to the New World species of Leptomastidea is given and taxonomic notes are provided on its other known species in the Neotropical region. Leptomastidea antillicola Dozier, syn. n. from Puerto Rico is synonymized under L. abnormis (Girault). Based on the presented molecular data, Anagyrus ciomperliki Triapitsyn syn. n. (Encyrtidae), originally described from Puerto Rico, is synonymized under A. quilmes Triapitsyn, Logarzo & Aguirre, where the known distributional range is expanded to also include Brazil. Anagyrus cachamai Triapitsyn, Logarzo & Aguirre, A. lapachosus Triapitsyn, Aguirre & Logarzo, and A. quilmes are newly recorded from Paraguay. The previously unknown male of Prochiloneurus argentinensis (De Santis) (Encyrtidae) is described from Misiones Province of Argentina, and that of P. narendrani Noyes & Triapitsyn is described from Mona Island, Puerto Rico. So far, Anagyrus cachamai and A. lapachosus are considered to be the primary target species for introduction from Argentina and Paraguay into Puerto Rico for the biological control of Harrisia cactus mealybug. The holotype of Anagyrus tanystis De Santis from Buenos Aires, Argentina, host associations are unknown, and is illustrated to facilitate its recognition from other congeneric species.

Species complex diversification by host plant use in an herbivorous insect: The source of Puerto Rican cactus mealybug pest and implications for biological control

“…Local adaptation to different environmental conditions and/or ecological interactions with natural enemies or competitors may impose varying selective pressures in different geographic locations. A recent survey of parasitoids and hyperparasitoids associated with Hypogeococcus mealybugs in South America identified Leptomastidea hypogeococci Triapitsyn (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a widespread primary parasitoid, able to attack all members of the H. pungens complex, whereas Anagyrus cachamai Triapitsyn, Logarzo & Aguirre, and A. lapachosus Triapitsyn, Aguirre & Logarzo (also encyrtid primary parasitoids from Argentina and Paraguay) were only found associated to H. pungens sensu stricto and the ArAuPr‐C clade (Triapitsyn et al., 2018). The influence of such differential ecological interactions with natural enemies might be affecting patterns of genetic divergence in this species complex.…”

Untangling the Hypogeococcus pungens species complex (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) for Argentina, Australia, and Puerto Rico based on host plant associations and genetic evidence

“…Finally, both strands of each fragment were sequenced using Sanger technology in Macrogen Inc. sequencing service (Seoul, South Korea). All sequences were used in blastn searches to discard sequences belonging to mealybug parasitoids [32].…”

New Records of Parasitoids Hymenopteran (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) Associated With Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in the State of São Paulo

“…Prochiloneurus Hyperparasitoids of Hemiptera (Coccidae, Pseudococcidae and Coccinelidae) and primary parasitoid of Chalcidoidea (Encyrtidae). Noyes, 1984;Prinsloo, 1983;Triapitsyn, 2014.…”