Telenomus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) parasitizing Pentatomidae (Hemiptera) in the Palearctic region

Authors: TORTORICI, FRANCESCO - University Of Turin; ORRU, BIANCA - University Of Turin; TIMOKHOV, ALEXANDER - Lomonosov University; BOUT, ALEXANDRE - Inrae; BON, MARIE-CLAUDE - European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL); TAVELLA, LUCIANA - University Of Turin; TALAMAS, ELIJAH - Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services

Submitted to: Journal of Hymenoptera Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/3/2024
Publication Date: 8/13/2024
Citation: Tortorici, F., Orru, B., Timokhov, A.V., Bout, A., Bon, M., Tavella, L., Talamas, E.J. 2024. Telenomus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) parasitizing Pentatomidae (Hemiptera) in the Palearctic region. Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 97: 591-620. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.97.127112.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.97.127112

Interpretive Summary: The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys is a polyphagous bug, native to Asia and is recorded throughout much of the United States and Europe. The presence of this stink bug is of concern to farmers because it feeds on a large number of high-value crops and ornamental plants in its immature and adult life stages. The pestiferous nature of this stink bug and the potential risk of dispersal to other regions in the world has led several institutions worldwide to deepen the taxonomic knowledge of egg parasitoids to control BMSB. Among these egg parasitoids, there are scelionid wasps belonging to the Telenomus genus. For the first time, three West Palearctic species of the Telenomus podisi species group associated with Pentatomidae i.e. Telenomus gifuensis , Telenomus truncatus and Telenomus turesis can be reliably identified, with diagnostic tools based on morphology, DNA-based data and biological information, hence providing a more solid foundation for continued research in sustainable and integrated pest management .

Technical Abstract: In recent years, the collection of eggs of stink bugs (Pentatomidae) has intensified as a result of the attention given to egg parasitoids in classical biological control strategies against Halyomorpha halys (Stål) in Europe. Several specimens belonging to the genus Telenomus emerged from field-collected pentatomid eggs. Taxonomic knowledge to date has not been sufficient to enable the research community to identify these specimens to species level. Three species of scelionid wasps (Scelionidae) associated with Pentatomidae, Telenomus gifuensis Ashmead, Telenomus truncatus (Nees von Esenbeck) and Telenomus turesis Walker, have been characterised on a morphological basis. A COI barcode analysis confirmed the genetic distance between the species. An identification key to the three Telenomus species occurring in the Palearctic region associated with stink bugs is provided.