Revision of the European Lysiphlebus species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) on the basis of COI and 28SD2 molecular markers and morphology

Abstract

Members of the genus Lysiphlebus Foerster are medium-sized endoparasitoid aphidiine wasps with over 30 species distributed worldwide. They attack numerous aphid hosts, and some species are important biological control agents. All European Lysiphlebus species are revised based on sequence information from the mitochondrial COI barcoding gene and the nuclear 28SD2 gene, morphological traits, and on information about their host specificity. The taxonomic status of 13 European Lysiphlebus species is confirmed, while 11 are redescribed and illustrated. The following four Lysiphlebus species are synonymized: L. melandriicola Starý, 1961 [= L. fabarum (Marshall, 1896)], L. hirtus Starý, 1985 (= L. confusus Tremblay & Eady, 1978), L. hispanus Starý, 1973 (= L. desertorum Starý, 1965), and L. safavii Starý, 1985 (= L. hirticornis Mackauer, 1960). Two new Lysiphlebus species are described: L. volkli sp.n. and L. brachycaudi sp.n. Our results, based on both COI and 28SD2, confirm the existence of three monophyletic species groups within the genus: (1) the 'fabarum' group, which includes L. fabarum, L. cardui (Marshall, 1896), L. confusus, L. hirticornis, L. brachycaudi sp.n., and L. volkli sp.n.; (2) the 'testaceipes' group, which includes L. testaceipes (Cresson, 1880), L. orientalis Starý & Rakhshani, 2010, L. fritzmuelleri Mackauer, 1960, L. balcanicus Starý, 1998, L. desertorum, [and probably L. dissolutus (Nees, 1811)]; and (3) the 'alpinus' group, consisting solely of L. alpinus Starý, 1971. Geometric morphometrics of fore wing shape proved to be a powerful tool to delineate sibling species within the 'fabarum' group. We were able to confirm for the first time sexual lines of L. cardui and L. confusus. Furthermore, an additional potentially asexual Lysiphlebus taxon in Europe is revealed based on the discovery of an asexual line of L. volkli sp.n. in Iran. An illustrated key for identification of the European Lysiphlebus species is provided.