A New Species of <i>Enicospilus</i> Stephens, 1835 (Ichneumonidae, Ophioninae), from Southern Mexico, Parasitic on <i>Zanola verago</i> Cramer, 1777 (Lepidoptera, Apatelodidae), Feeding on <i>Piper neesianum</i> C. DC. (Piperaceae)

Plant–herbivore–parasitoid systems are poorly studied in the tropics. <i>Enicospilus carmenae</i> Campos and Palacio sp. nov. are described, originating from southern Mexico in the Yucatan Peninsula and establishing a new tri-trophic interaction. This species is a koinobiont larval endop...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Diego Fernando Campos-Moreno, Edgard Palacio, Luis Alberto Lara-Pérez, James B. Whitfield, Carmen Pozo, Lee A. Dyer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Diversity
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/7/466
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Plant–herbivore–parasitoid systems are poorly studied in the tropics. <i>Enicospilus carmenae</i> Campos and Palacio sp. nov. are described, originating from southern Mexico in the Yucatan Peninsula and establishing a new tri-trophic interaction. This species is a koinobiont larval endoparasitoid of the American silkworm moth caterpillar <i>Zanola verago</i> (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Apatelodidae) feeding on the shrub <i>Piper neesianum</i> C.DC. (Piperaceae) in a semi-evergreen forest. The host plant <i>P. neesianum</i> had no herbivore records to date, and a single collection event yielded the rearing of a new species of <i>Enicospilus</i> (Ichneumonidae, Ophioninae). Morphological, molecular (COI), biological, ecological, and geographical data are integrated to delineate the new species.
ISSN:1424-2818