Telenomus Haliday (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) parasitizing Pentatomidae (Hemiptera) in the Palearctic region

Abstract

In recent years, the collection of eggs of stink bugs (Pentatomidae) has intensified because of the attention given to egg parasitoids in classical biological control strategies against Halyomorpha halys (Stål) in Europe. Several specimens belonging to the genus Telenomus Haliday emerged from field-collected pentatomid eggs. Taxonomic knowledge to date has not been sufficient to enable the research community to identify these specimens to species level. Three species of scelionid wasps (Scelionidae) associated with Pentatomidae, Telenomus gifuensis Ashmead, Telenomus truncatus (Nees von Esenbeck) and Telenomus turesis Walker, have been characterized on a morphological basis. A COI barcode analysis confirmed the genetic distance between the latter two species. An identification key to the three Telenomus species occurring in the Palearctic region associated with stink bugs is provided. Telenomus heydeni Mayr is here considered conspecific with Telenomus truncatus (Nees von Esenbeck).