First report in Colombia and diagnosis of Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a parasitoid wasp of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae)

Abstract

Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is herein reported for the first time from Colombia based on specimens collected in the municipality of Palmira, department of Valle del Cauca. Adult male and female wasps of this endoparasitoid are diagnosed based on published literature and character states taken from specimens collected in the present study. The adult parasitoids were ex-tracted from parasitized nymphs (mummies) of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae). Information is provided on the differences in the morphology of parasitized nymphs of D. citri with exit holes made by the two main primary parasitoids, i.e., Tamarixia radiata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and D. aligarhensis. Rates of parasitization on D. citri ranged from 1.5 to 24.2 % for T. radiata and 0.3 to 1.0 % for D. aligarhensis. With the present study, the presence of D. aligarhensis in Colombia becomes the second confirmed report of the species in South America, after Ecuador.