Resolving the Taxonomic Status of Potential Biocontrol Agents Belonging to the Neglected Genus <i>Lipolexis</i> Förster (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae) with Descriptions of Six New Species
Korana Kocić,
Andjeljko Petrović,
Jelisaveta Čkrkić,
Nickolas G. Kavallieratos,
Ehsan Rakhshani,
Judit Arnó,
Yahana Aparicio,
Paul D. N. Hebert,
Željko Tomanović
Affiliations
Korana Kocić
Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Andjeljko Petrović
Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Jelisaveta Čkrkić
Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Nickolas G. Kavallieratos
Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos str., 11885 Athens, Greece
Ehsan Rakhshani
Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol 98615-538, Iran
Judit Arnó
IRTA Cabrils, 08348 Cabrils, Spain
Yahana Aparicio
IRTA Cabrils, 08348 Cabrils, Spain
Paul D. N. Hebert
Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road, East Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
Željko Tomanović
Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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.