Integrative taxonomic revision of the Nearctic Perilampus hyalinus species complex (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Perilampidae) resolves 100 years of confusion about the host associations of P. hyalinus Say

Abstract

The enigmatic Nearctic parasitoid Perilampus hyalinus Say (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Perilampidae) has long been suspected as a species complex with a wide range of host associations and differing modes of parasitism. In this study we clarify the status of this species by combining morphological evidence, two genes (COI and ITS2) and host information and recognize ten species in the P. hyalinus species complex in the Nearctic region. Eight new species are described: Perilampus arcus Yoo & Darling, sp. nov., P. crassus Yoo & Darling, sp. nov., P. neodiprioni Yoo & Darling, sp. nov., P. monocteni Yoo & Darling, sp. nov., P. pilosus Yoo & Darling, sp. nov., P. seneca Yoo & Darling, sp. nov., P. sonora Yoo & Darling, sp. nov., and P. ute Yoo & Darling, sp. nov. A reared specimen with a COI sequence is designated as the Neotype of P. hyalinus Say establishing this species as either a hyperparasitoid that parasitizes dipteran parasitoids of Orthoptera or a parasitoid of dipteran kleptoparasites of Crabronidae and Sphecidae that provision their nests with Orthoptera. Perilampus sirsiris (Argaman) and four of the new species are hyperparastioids, parasitizing hymenopteran and dipteran parasitoids of Lepidoptera. Perilampus neodiprioni and P. monocteni can develop as both primary parasitoids of Diprionidae (Hymenoptera) and as hyperparasitoids, parasitizing dipteran and hymenopteran parasitoids of diprionid sawflies. Perilampus neodiprioni is strictly associated with Neodiprion sawflies, and P. monocteni is associated with Monoctenus sawflies.