Three cryptic species in Asecodes (Förster) (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) parasitizing larvae of Galerucella spp. (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), including a new species

Abstract

Three morphologically very similar species of Asecodes Förster (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) are reviewed. Asecodes parviclava (Thomson) is removed from synonymy under A. lucens stat. rev., and differentiated from A. lucens (Nees) and A. lineophagum sp. n. All three species develop as gregarious endoparasitoids in larvae of Galerucella spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), but each species has its own unique host range. Asecodes lineophagum attacks only Galerucella lineola (Fabr.) and A. lucens only G. sagittariae (Gyllenhal), whereas A. parviclava parasitizes G. tenella (L.), G. calmariensis (L.) and G. pusilla (Duftschmid). The Asecodes species are similar but display small though distinct morphological differences, and are distinguished also through molecular differences. The genetic distance in mitochondrial CO1 ranged from 2.3% to 7.3% between the species. Five names, one valid and four synonyms, were available for this group of species, but none of them was linked to a primary type. To promote stability of nomenclature, primary types are designated for all five names, neotypes for Eulophus lucens Nees, Entedon mento Walker and Derostenus parviclava Thomson, and lectotypes for Entedon chthonia Walker and Entedon metagenes Walker. Entedon mento, E. chthonia and E. metagenes remain synonymized under A. lucens.