Uscana espinae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in central Mexico: New hosts, host plants, distribution records, and characterization

Abstract

In the framework of a biological control program with hymenopteran parasitoids to reduce the population densities of the bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say), and the Mexican bean weevil, Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boheman), that attack bean seeds in storage facilities in central Mexico, the parasitoid, Uscana espinae Girault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), was collected. This program developed new records on the distribution, hosts, and host-plants associated with U. espinae. No evidence was found of cryptic species among 6 U. espinae populations from central Mexico by use of morphological characters, mitochondrial gene analysis (cytochrome oxidase I), and intra- and inter-population reproductive crosses. The original geographic distribution of U. espinae in Chile and Uruguay has been expanded to include the states of Morelos, Puebla, and Veracruz in Mexico.