Insects (2020) 11 (10 - 667)

Korana Kocic, Andjeljko Petrovic, Jelisaveta Ckrkic, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Ehsan Rakhshani, Judit Arnó, Yahana Aparicio, Paul D.N. Hebert and Zeljko Tomanovic (2020)
Resolving the taxonomic status of potential biocontrol agents belonging to the neglected genus Lipolexis Förster (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae) with descriptions of six new species
Insects 11 (10 - 667)
Abstract: Lipolexis is a small genus in the subfamily Aphidiinae represented by one species in Europe (Lipolexis gracilis Förster) and by four in Asia (Lipolexis wuyiensis Chen, L. oregmae Gahan, L. myzakkaiae Pramanik and Raychaudhuri and L. pseudoscutellaris Pramanik and Raychaudhuri). Although L. oregmae is employed in biological control programs against pest aphids, the last morphological study on the genus was completed over 50 years ago. This study employs an integrative approach (morphology and molecular analysis (COI barcode region)), to examine Lipolexis specimens that were sampled worldwide, including specimens from BOLD database. These results establish that two currently recognized species of Lipolexis (L. gracilis, L. oregmae) are actually a species complex and also reveal phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Six new species are described and a global key for the identification of Lipolexis species is provided.
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Database assignments for author(s): Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Ehsan Rakhshani, Judit Arnó, Zeljko Tomanovic

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
identification/taxonomy

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Lipolexis oregmae (parasitoid)
Lipolexis gracilis (parasitoid)