research entomologist USDA-ARS Washington, District of Columbia
The spotted wing Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a major soft fruit pest. Two species of eucoiline wasp, Ganaspis brasiliensis and Leptopilina japonica, have been reared from Asia, and released in the United States and Canada, for classical biological control for SWD. In the course of this field work, five populations Ganaspis brasiliensis, or 5 races of Ganaspis brasiliensis, or 5 cryptic speciesm of Ganaspis brasiliensis, have been recognized. We present here tradtional and novel approaches to species delimitation in this species question regarding the Samba Wasp, Ganaspis brasiliensis.
