First report and integrated analysis of two native Trissolcus species utilizing Bagrada hilaris eggs in California

Abstract

Surveys with sentinel eggs of Bagrada hilaris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in southern California retrieved two parasitoids that were not previously known to be associated with this stink bug, Trissolcus hullensis and T. utahensis (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae). Molecular and morphological analysis of these specimens is used to modify the concept of T. utahensis and assess the factors that contribute to intraspecific variation. We provide an updated couplet to separate T. utahensis from a morphologically similar species, T. cosmopeplae.