Brief description and life history of an undescribed diapriid (Trichopria sp. nov) found in tropical dry forests in Ecuador

Monday, November 14, 2022

8:00 AM – 8:12 AM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 122

Presenting Author(s)

Alyssa Gooding

PhD Student
University of Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Co-Author(s)

JL

John Luhman

Retired
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Minneapolis, Minnesota
MB

Mariana Bulgarella

University of Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
KA

Katherine Albán Morales

Lab Technician
Charles Darwin Foundation
Duran, Guayas, Ecuador
DM

Denis Mosquera Moñoz

Field Technician
Charles Darwin Foundation
Valdevia, Santa Elena, Ecuador
PP

Paolo Piedrahita

Research Professor
Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral
Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
Charlotte Causton

Senior Research Scientist
Charles Darwin Foundation
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
George E. Heimpel

Professor
University of Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Trichopria sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) is a gregarious endoparasitoid found emerging from puparia of flies in the genus Philornis. This wasp was discovered while searching bird nests for native enemies of Philornis downsi, an invasive bird parasite in the Galapagos Islands. Trichopria sp. nov. was collected in several sites across western Ecuador although phylogenetic information shows that it may also be present (and undescribed) in Costa Rica. The morphological characters that distinguish this species from others are discussed. Placement within a phylogenetic tree based on DNA sequence data is presented and the name Trichopria philonida is proposed. In addition, observations regarding parasitism percentage, brood size and sex ratio, courtship behavior and development are discussed. This parasitoid is of scientific importance as it is being tested as a possible biological control agent of the Philornis downsi in Galapagos.