﻿DNA barcoding, integrative taxonomy, citizen science, and Bush Blitz surveys combine to reveal 34 new species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in Australia

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker; Erinn P Fagan-Jeffries; Katherine J Oestmann; Olivia G Portmann; Tiahni M Bament; Andy G Howe; Michelle T Guzik; Tessa M Bradford; Alana R McClelland; Alice Woodward; Sylvia Clarke; Nathan Ducker; José Fernández-Triana

doi:10.3897/zookeys.1227.130467

. 2025 Feb 11;1227:1–128. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1227.130467

DNA barcoding, integrative taxonomy, citizen science, and Bush Blitz surveys combine to reveal 34 new species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in Australia

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker ¹, Erinn P Fagan-Jeffries ^1,^2,^✉, Katherine J Oestmann ¹, Olivia G Portmann ¹, Tiahni M Bament ¹, Andy G Howe ³, Michelle T Guzik ¹, Tessa M Bradford ^1,², Alana R McClelland ¹, Alice Woodward ⁴, Sylvia Clarke ⁴, Nathan Ducker ⁵, José Fernández-Triana ⁶

¹School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

²South Australian Museum, Adelaide, Australia, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, Australia

³Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia

⁴Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, Murray Bridge, Australia, Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, Murray Bridge, Australia

⁵Western Australian Gould League, Wembley, Australia, Western Australian Gould League, Wembley, Australia

⁶Canadian National Collection of Insects, Ottawa, Canada, Canadian National Collection of Insects, Ottawa, Canada

^✉

Corresponding author: Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries (erinn.fagan-jeffries@adelaide.edu.au)

Academic editor: Fedor Konstantinov

^✉

Corresponding author.

Roles

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker: Conceptualization, Writing - original draft, Writing - review and editing, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Supervision

Erinn P Fagan-Jeffries: Conceptualization, Writing - original draft, Writing - review and editing, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Supervision

Katherine J Oestmann: Writing - review and editing, Data curation, Investigation

Olivia G Portmann: Writing - review and editing, Data curation, Investigation

Tiahni M Bament: Writing - review and editing, Data curation, Investigation

Andy G Howe: Writing - original draft, Writing - review and editing, Resources

Michelle T Guzik: Writing - original draft, Writing - review and editing, Supervision

Tessa M Bradford: Writing - review and editing, Investigation, Methodology

Alana R McClelland: Writing - review and editing, Supervision

Alice Woodward: Resources

Sylvia Clarke: Resources

Nathan Ducker: Resources

José Fernández-Triana: Conceptualization, Writing - review and editing, Investigation, Methodology

PMCID: PMC11836623 PMID: 39981057

Abstract

Microgastrinae is a megadiverse subfamily of wasps in the family Braconidae. As parasitoids of caterpillars, members of the subfamily play important roles in regulating native caterpillar populations, and several species are used commercially as biological control agents. The genus Apanteles comprises a large portion of total microgastrine diversity, however it has not been studied in Australia for more than 30 years, with only nine described species previously known from the continent. We explore the diversity and systematics of Apanteles in Australia, using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and Wingless (wg) DNA barcodes from more than 400 Australian Apanteles specimens. Using molecular species delimitation in combination with reduced morphological diagnoses, at least 48 distinct molecular lineages of Apanteles are confirmed in Australia, and 34 new species are formally described, all authored by Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann: A.adustus, A.aeternus, A.alatomicans, A.allapsus, A.amicalis, A.apollo, A.apricus, A.artemis, A.aurantius, A.auroralis, A.banrock, A.breviflagellarius, A.brockhedgesi, A.cuprum, A.darthvaderi, A.doreenwatlerae, A.ethanbeaveri, A.fenestrinus, A.ferripulvis, A.focusalis, A.hades, A.insulanus, A.kelpiellus, A.lamingtonensis, A.ligdus, A.magicus, A.margaritarius, A.pellucidus, A.phantasmatus, A.pharusalis, A.ramsaris, A.rufiterra, A.sinusulus, and A.translucentis.

Key words: Insect investigators, microgastrines, parasitoid wasps

Introduction

Apanteles Foerster, 1863 is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, subfamily Microgastrinae. Currently, Apanteles s. str. is known to contain more than 600 species and the genus occurs worldwide (Fernández-Triana et al. 2020). Contemporary descriptions of Apanteles s. str. have been published from China (Liu et al. 2014, 2015, 2020; Liu and Chen 2023), Mexico (Sánchez-García et al. 2015), Réunion (Rousse and Gupta 2013), Argentina (Martínez et al. 2012), Canada and Alaska (Fernández-Triana 2010), Malaysia (van Achterberg et al. 2009), Mesoamerica (Fernández-Triana et al. 2014), and South America (Whitfield et al. 2001). Australia is expected to host a rich diversity of microgastrines (Fagan-Jeffries et al. 2018), and globally Apanteles s. str. comprises a large portion of known microgastrines. When last studied, before the advent of DNA barcoding, it was estimated that 100–150 Apanteles species may be present in Australia (Austin and Dangerfield 1992). When the genus was last studied in Australia (Austin and Dangerfield 1992), 12 Apanteles species had been recorded for the country, including A.subandinus introduced for biocontrol of the potato tuber moth in the 1960s (Callan 1974). Several species (now Choerasaper (Nixon, 1965)), Dolichogenideaargiope (Nixon, 1965), and Parapantelesfolia (Nixon, 1965) have recently been transferred to other genera (Fernández-Triana et al. 2020), leaving only nine recognised Apanteles in Australia.

Members of Apanteles can be recognised by having the fore wing without an areolet, hypopygium flexible and pleated, relatively long ovipositor sheaths (but there are exceptions), a propodeum fully to partially areolated without a medial carina, and a concave margin of the hind wing vannal lobe (sometimes straight) (Fernández-Triana et al. 2020). The genus is relatively morphologically conserved, and characters used for separating species are often subtle (e.g., Fernández-Triana et al. 2014). This combination, of high diversity with low morphological variation among species, means Apanteles is an ideal candidate for applying integrated taxonomic methods to document species more efficiently.

There is much discussion in the taxonomic community about methods to streamline and accelerate species discovery, documentation, and description. Indeed, the Australian Academy of Science Taxonomy Australia program has named taxonomy acceleration as a major strategic action to facilitate biodiversity discovery and documentation (Taxonomy Decadal Plan Working Group 2018). DNA barcoding using the 658 bp region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) has been used for efficient species-level identification, and investigations of biodiversity, for more than two decades (Hebert et al. 2003; Smith et al. 2008; Srivathsan et al. 2021; Höcherl et al. 2024; Vasilita et al. 2024). The method benefits from the use of rapidly growing online public repositories for COI sequences, such as the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD; Ratnasingham and Hebert 2007) where sequences are grouped with other similar sequences using the RESL algorithm (Ratnasingham and Hebert 2013) into Operational Taxonomic Units called BINs (Barcode Index Numbers). COI barcoding can be particularly useful for tiny, mega-diverse wasps, as they often display highly conserved or reduced morphology, making morphological species delimitation challenging (Quicke et al. 2012; Smith et al. 2013; Stahlhut et al. 2013; Sharkey et al. 2021; Fernández-Triana et al. 2023). The use of the global BOLD information also allows rapid assessment of potential endemicity of species. However, the use of COI alone for molecular analyses beyond DNA barcode identification is typically considered insufficient due to biases that may arise from the use of a single gene (Ahrens et al. 2021; Meier et al. 2021; Sharkey et al. 2022; Zamani et al. 2022). This is especially important to consider when using molecular data as a major line of evidence for species delimitation.

Here, we take a DNA-first approach supported by minimal morphology, where we use DNA barcodes as a ‘first-pass’ to group specimens into potential species based on several molecular species delimitation methods. We then use minimal morphology to provide supporting evidence for those species and highlight molecular species that require further examination. For microgastrine wasps, the use of a 2% COI difference threshold for species delimitation has been particularly well-established owing to the large amount of DNA barcoding data generated from parasitoid wasp rearing in the Area de Conservación Guanacaste in Costa Rica. These studies provide evidence that a ~ 2% COI threshold resolves morphologically or ecologically distinct species in the majority of cases (Smith et al. 2013; Fernández-Triana et al. 2023). There has been much discussion in the taxonomic community about the use of COI DNA barcodes as the primary evidence for recognising and describing species of braconid wasps, and here we take a slightly conservative approach explained in detail in the methods section.

In the present study, the diversity of Australian Apanteles is explored using a high-throughput DNA barcoding approach, including integrative species delimitation using molecular data and morphological evidence. Using specimens from a variety of sources including institutional bulk specimen archives, national surveys, and the schools-based citizen science program, ‘Insect Investigators’, 34 new species are described from Australia, with COI and Wingless (wg) DNA barcodes and images provided of each species. This study aims to contribute to the ‘Taxonomy Australia’ mission of documenting Australia’s biodiversity in an accelerated manner (Taxonomy Decadal Plan Working Group 2018).

Materials and methods

Specimens and sampling

A total of 389 Australian Apanteles specimens were obtained for use in the present study (Fig. 2, detailed specimen information is available in Suppl. material 3). The majority of this material was sourced from existing bulk ethanol collections in Australian museums, highlighting the value of these public resources. A number of specimens were collected as part of Bush Blitz surveys; Bush Blitz is Australia’s largest nature discovery program and aims to bring together taxonomists, land owners, rangers, Traditional Owners, and teachers to document flora and fauna across Australia (https://bushblitz.org.au/). Specimens used for morphological examination were mounted on card points, whilst representatives of most species were also kept in ethanol for ease of future genomic analysis. Many specimens have minor damage from storage, handling, and DNA barcoding.

Figure 2. — IQ-TREE extended majority rule consensus tree of the COI + wg concatenated alignment from Dataset 1 (Australian *Apanteles* specimens, sequences sharing a BIN with Australian material, and other species reported to occur in Australia). Ultrafast bootstrap support is shown on nodes where support was < 95, nodes where support was 95–99 are represented by an asterisk. Nodes without bootstrap support shown had support of 100. Outgroups, and unnamed species delimited by the molecular consensus but not described, are in grey. The tree is rooted with *Microplitisdemolitor* but cropped for clearer visualisation.

Multiple specimens were contributed by the ‘Insect Investigators’ citizen science project (insectinvestigators.com.au), in which 50 regional schools in Australia collected arthropods using Malaise traps during March 2022. Students located and ran Malaise traps on or close to their schools, and sent trap contents to the University of Adelaide. Students participated in workshops, and teachers were provided additional lesson plans about entomology, DNA barcoding, and taxonomy, alongside receiving regular updates from the scientific team as their specimens were processed. We engaged students to name undescribed species caught at their schools through a two-step iterative process. Firstly, 1a) taxonomists supplied students with background information on the genus, including the distribution of known specimens, morphological features specific to the undescribed species, and a supporting video which explained wasp biology, scientific naming rules and instructions for naming; 1b) school teachers facilitated students to brainstorm names, describe reasons behind names, and submit two or three candidate names to an electronic notice board (Padlet). Secondly, 2a) taxonomists subsequently, or in real-time, commented on students’ candidate names, and provided Latin epithets and further guidance, after which 2b) teachers facilitated students to reach a consensus name, using a variety of self-determined voting methods.

DNA extraction and sequencing

DNA barcodes of COI and wg from Australian Apanteles specimens were obtained either from BOLD (see below), were sequenced for COI only as part of the ‘Insect Investigators’ project, or were newly sequenced either using the methods below or standard Sanger sequencing methods.

Specimens newly sequenced using high-throughput barcoding underwent DNA extraction using a modified version of the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding Glass Fibre Plate DNA Extraction Protocol (Ivanova et al. 2006). Library preparation for Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing was performed (Cruaud et al. 2017), for sequencing by the Australian Genome Research Facility (AGRF). Sequencing and bioinformatics followed Fagan-Jeffries et al. (2018), other than the modifications as follows. Whole bodies were used for DNA extraction and then removed from lysis as vouchers. Round one of PCR amplification was performed using the following reagents, totalling 12.5 μL: 7.75 μL nuclease free water, 2.5 μL MRT buffer (1 × Immolase buffer/1.5 mM MgCl2/0.8 mM dNTP), 0.6 μL of each forward (wg: LepWG1, Brower and Desalle 1998; COI: LCO1490, Folmer et al. 1994) and reverse (wg: LepWG2, (Brower and Desalle 1998); COI: III_C_R, (Shokralla et al. 2015)) primer, 0.05 μL Immolase (Bioline; NSW, Australia), and 1 μL of extracted DNA. PCR reactions were run as follows: 95 °C for 10 mins; 35 cycles of 95 °C for 45 s, then 48 °C for 45 s, then 72 °C for 1 min; and 72 °C for 10 mins. Round two of PCR amplification was performed using the following reagents, totalling 12.5 μL: 6.95 μL nuclease free water, 2.5 μL MRT buffer, 0.5 μL each of two 8-bp indexing primers (Meyer and Kircher 2010), 0.05 μL Immolase, and 2 μL of product from PCR one. Addition of indexing primers and PCR product were performed using an Eppendorf epMotion 5075 robot. Round two PCR reactions were run as follows: 95 °C for 10 mins; 7 cycles of 95 °C for 45 s, then 65 °C for 45 s, then 72 °C for 1 min; and 72 °C for 10 mins.

DNA sequence datasets

Two datasets were used in the study:

Dataset 1: Australian Apanteles

The first dataset, used for molecular species delimitation analysis and construction of a phylogeny, included 623 Apanteles specimens, 269 of which were represented by both COI and wg, three that were only represented by wg and 351 which were represented by only COI. This dataset was constructed with:

All of the Australian specimens we identified as belonging to the genus Apanteles (either identified morphologically, or through their placement in a Neighbour Joining COI tree of Australian Microgastrinae) that were newly sequenced as part of the current project, or sequenced as part of previous Australian microgastrine DNA barcoding studies (e.g., Fagan-Jeffries et al. 2018).

Any other sequence from Australia that was available on BOLD as of February 2024, and was either identified as Apanteles, Microgastrinae or Braconidae, and that fell within the Apanteles clade in a Neighbour Joining tree. The majority of these sequences are from a single location in Queensland that was part of the Global Malaise Trap Program.

Any sequences from countries outside Australia that were in the same BIN as a sequence from Australia as of February 2024. These sequences were included to determine if there were patterns within the BINs that the species delimitation methods could verify.

All available sequences of species reported to occur in Australia according to Fernández-Triana et al. (2020) (or Austin and Dangerfield (1992) in the case of A.galleriae) that were not yet included using the criteria above, which included sequences of A.carpatus, A.subandinus, and A.galleriae from countries outside of Australia.

For this dataset, ten representatives from other microgastrine genera (Choeras, Cotesia, Dolichogenidea, Glyptapanteles, Iconella, and Microplitis) that had both COI and wg sequences were included as outgroups. The trees were rooted at Microplitisdemolitor based on previous phylogenomic results (Jasso-Martínez et al. 2022).

Dataset 2: Global Apanteles

The second dataset was used to examine the relationships among Australian and global species. For this dataset, the COI sequences in Dataset 1 (Australian Apanteles and non-Australian members of BINs with an Australian representative) were combined with all sequences available on BOLD as of February 2024 that were identified as Apanteles (with those flagged by BOLD as contaminants or misidentifications removed). Duplicate identical sequences were then removed to reduce the size of the dataset to 3480 sequences (from an original 7233). A sequence of Microplitisdemolitor was used as the outgroup at which the tree was rooted.

We used BOLD as the primary database for building these datasets as it contains a much larger proportion of the publicly available COI sequences of insects compared to other DNA archives. However, in an effort to ensure we were not missing critical data, two checks were performed on the NCBI database: 1) The NCBI nucleotide database was searched with the terms “Apanteles Australia” and also with “Microgastrinae Australia”, but there were no additional sequences identified as Apanteles from Australia available; and 2) the COI sequence for the holotype of each newly described species was compared to the NCBI nucleotide database using BLASTN 2.16.0 (Zhang et al. 2000) to ensure there were no other closely related (<3% divergent) sequences available.

Sequence alignments

Sequences were aligned in Geneious Prime 2023.0.4 (https://www.geneious.com) using MAFFT v. 7.490 (Katoh et al. 2002; Katoh and Standley 2013) with default settings, to give four alignments for phylogenetics and species delimitation:

concatenation of COI and wg for Australian Apanteles (Dataset 1)
COI only for Australian Apanteles (Dataset 1)
wg only for Australian Apanteles (Dataset 1)
COI for global Apanteles (Dataset 2)

Phylogenetic frameworks for species delimitation

Phylogenetic analyses were performed for use as inputs for species delimitation methods, and to provide a framework to guide morphological exploration of Australian Apanteles. Tree appearance was modified using a combination of FigTree 1.4.4 (http://tree.bio.ed.ac.uk/software/figtree/), Inkscape 1.1.2 (https://inkscape.org/) and Adobe Photoshop 2024 software.

Maximum likelihood (ML) analyses

Phylogenies were produced for alignments A, B, and C using the web implementation of IQ-TREE 1.6.12 (Nguyen et al. 2015; Trifinopoulos et al. 2016). Best-fit substitution models were selected using the inbuilt ModelFinder (Kalyaanamoorthy et al. 2017) option, with partitioning by codon positions (with separate partitions for each gene for the concatenated alignment), and partition merging enabled. Best-fit models were input for tree building (A,B = GTR+I+G4+F, C = TPM2u = F = G4), using Ultrafast bootstrapping (Hoang et al. 2018), with 1000 replicates to assess branch support, and 1000 replicates for SH-aLRT.

Visualising global relatedness among Apanteles

A phylogeny of Dataset 2 (Alignment D) was created using IQ-TREE 2.3.3 (Nguyen et al. 2015; Minh et al. 2020), with partitioning and models selected by the inbuilt ModelFinder and Ultrafast bootstrapping was run for 2000 replicates and convergence established. The resulting tree was visualised and edited using iTOL (Letunic and Bork 2024) and Adobe Acrobat.

Molecular species delimitation analyses

Threshold methods

A 2% COI genetic distance threshold was implemented through the program SpeciesIdentifier v. 1.8.2 (Meier et al. 2006), clustering sequences into Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) at 2% difference, using Kimura 2 parameter (K2P) corrected pairwise distances. SpeciesIdentifier was also used to cluster wg pairwise distances at 0% using Kimura 2 parameter (K2P) corrected pairwise distances to infer the number of wg haplotypes – this method has previously been used for species delimitation in microgastrines (Fagan-Jeffries et al. 2018).

Distance based method

The web implementation of Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning (ASAP) (Puillandre et al. 2021) was used for individual COI and wg alignments with the outgroup removed, with K2P substitution model selected and all other settings default. Partitions with the lowest ASAP score were selected for inclusion in consensus determination, but were first assessed with other highly ranked partitions based on their probability values and congruence with other results.

Tree-based method

The web implementation of the Poisson Tree Process (PTP; Zhang et al. 2013: https://mptp.h-its.org/#/tree) was used, inputting IQ-TREE phylogenies for COI and wg, with options to crop the outgroup selected. All other settings were left default.

Imaging

Specimens were imaged using a Canon 5DS R with a MP-E 65mm 1–5× lens attached to a StackShot automontage system. Zerene Stacker v. 1.04 (http://zerenesystems.com/cms/stacker) was used for focus-stacking to produce the final images.

Species delimitation and designation

Species are defined in the present study according to the general lineage species concept (de Queiroz 1998), using a combination of molecular and morphological evidence, with an additional requirement of monophyly on a concatenated COI + wg phylogeny. Species delimitation for Australian Apanteles was performed using the four methods for the COI gene (BINS, 2% divergence, ASAP, and PTP) and three methods for the wingless gene (haplotypes, ASAP, and PTP) detailed above, to allow for assessment of congruence. The results of these analyses were compared to form a consensus delimitation hypothesis representing the most well-supported species groupings according to a majority rule.

Morphological examination

Available specimens for each consensus species were examined using an Olympus SZX16 microscope. Measurements were conducted using the Olympus cellSens software following Fig. 1. Morphological characters were coded and measured only for holotypes, but all available paratypes were informally examined to ensure sequence contaminants or large variations in key characters were not present. A moderate selection of characters was coded for all species to create a baseline and identify potentially useful diagnostic characters. These data are presented in Suppl. material 3, but should be treated with some caution as many are inherently subjective and may vary slightly amongst members of the species.

Figure 1. — Key morphological terms and measurements used in the key and descriptions of *Apanteles* species.

Using these data alongside additional characters where needed, a key to species was constructed focussing on characters that were unambiguous and thought to be easy for non-experts to use when identifying Apanteles specimens. The characters in the key alongside a curated selection of other information form the brief diagnostic description for each species based on the holotype female, with any significant variation noticed in paratypes added where relevant. We do not present exhaustive, uniform descriptions, because we feel these are unlikely to be useful to either future taxonomists or applied entomologists attempting to use morphology to identify species of microgastrines. We supplement these brief diagnoses with multiple images of each species and DNA data, allowing various ways for future users to identify specimens or place new species in the framework of this revision.

Due to the large number of Apanteles described worldwide, it was not feasible to morphologically diagnose new Australian species against all described Apanteles. To make the project logistically feasible, alongside evidence from within the study that there is a very high degree of species-level endemism in Australia, putative species were only morphologically diagnosed against the nine described species known from Australia. The only exceptions to this were when the delimited molecular lineage contained sequences from elsewhere in Australasia, in which case diagnoses were also made with reference to species described from the relevant country. This occurred once for a species which shares a BIN with a specimen from Fiji (although the record on BOLD was only made public after delimitation analyses were conducted) and once for a species which shares a BIN with private records from Pakistan. Where species might potentially be identified as belonging to Parapanteles, species were also diagnosed against species from Australia of that genus, and explanations are given as to why we have chosen to place them in Apanteles.

Many species are only described from a single or relatively few specimens, some of which are damaged. Whilst we acknowledge this is not ideal, there are so few taxonomic workers describing Australian braconids that only by providing a name, sequence data and available context for species, does the biodiversity start to become less opaque. Additional specimens are likely able to be easily assigned to species in the future using molecular data. All new species are authored by Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann.

Distribution data

Distribution data is provided in Figs 4–6 for species of Apanteles confirmed for Australia during this study. These data include both material examined during this study and sequences on BOLD that fell within the delimited molecular lineages. Locations represented only by sequence data should be treated with some caution; see Suppl. material 3 for full details of the distribution data used to construct the maps. Distribution maps were created using uMap (https://umap-project.org/), with map tiles by CartoDB, under CC BY 3.0. and map data © OpenStreetMap contributors under ODbL.

Figure 4. — Known distribution of the *Apanteles* species in Australia AA.adustus, *A.aeternus*, *A.allapsus*, *A.amicalis*, *A.apricus*BA.alatomicans, *A.apollo*, *A.aurantius*, *A.auroralis*, *A.banrock*CA.artemis, *A.breviflagellarius*, *A.brockhedgesi*, *A.ethanbeaveri*, *A.fenestrinus*, *A.ferripulvis*, *A.hades*, and *A.insulanus*. Maps include examined material and public DNA barcode records, see Suppl. material 3 for full details.

Figure 6. — Known distribution of the following *Apanteles* species in Australia and neighbouring regions: AA.magicus, *A.sinusulus*BA.vala, *A.fundulus*, *A.persephone* (all based on approximate locations in Nixon’s description), and *A.oenone*CA.allapsus and the undescribed lineages also potentially found overseas D undescribed lineages where we did not have access to a female specimen. The ‘?’ indicates a private sequence on BOLD where we were unable to obtain the GPS data. Maps include examined material and public DNA barcode records, see Suppl. material 3 for full details.

Terminology

Terms for general morphology follow the Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology (Yoder et al. 2010) and terminology for sculpture follows Eady (Eady 1968). Diagrams depicting specific measurement terms and practices are given in Fig. 1. When discussing parts of the body, we use ‘anterior’ to mean ‘closer to the head’ and ‘posterior’ to mean closer to the ovipositor (Fig. 1). When discussing characters on the wings and legs, we use ‘proximal’ to mean closer to the mesosoma, and ‘distal’ to mean further from the mesosoma (Fig. 1). We refer to the ‘outer side’ of the metafemur and metatibia in the key and in descriptions, which we define as the surface that is facing away from the body when the leg is at rest in lateral view, i.e., the surface visible in Fig. 1.

The following abbreviations are used throughout the key and descriptions:

F2/F14 2^nd flagellomere/14^th flagellomere

L/W length measurement divided by width measurement (used with reference to a particular body part)

T1 first mediotergite

T2 second mediotergite

T3–T6 third to sixth mediotergites

Acronyms

Australian states and territories:

ACT Australian Capital Territory

NSW New South Wales

NT Northern Territory

QLD Queensland

SA South Australia

TAS Tasmania

VIC Victoria

WA Western Australia

Collection codes:

AM Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia

ANIC Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra, Australia

CBG Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Guelph, Canada

CNC Canadian National Collection of Insects, Ottawa, Canada

MV Museums Victora, Melbourne, Australia

NHM Natural History Museum, London, England

QM Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Australia

SAMA South Australian Museum, Adelaide, Australia

TMAG Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart, Australia

WAM Western Australian Museum, Perth, Australia

WINC Waite Insect and Nematode Collection, Adelaide, Australia

Results

Molecular species delimitation of Australian Apanteles

After the molecular species delimitation methods were compared and the consensus was established, 52 provisional species are present in Dataset 1, 48 of these containing material from Australia (Fig. 2, Suppl. material 1).

In more than 80% of cases, a majority of the molecular delimitation methods (i.e., at least five of the seven methods) were congruent (Suppl. material 1), and these molecular hypotheses were considered well supported species. In cases where there was incongruence between several methods, species hypotheses were examined more closely and a decision on the final delimitation was made taking into account all available evidence, including the number of available specimens, average COI distance among potential species, morphological characters, distribution data, and any available host data. An explanation of the reasoning behind the final decision in these cases is given in the remarks section of the relevant species. While this process introduces some subjectivity, we believe it strikes an appropriate balance between increasing the speed of documenting Australia’s biodiversity and creating a relatively robust taxonomic framework for future research.

Of the 45 molecular species hypotheses that did not match an existing named species, 34 delimited groups are described as new species. In six cases, a molecular hypothesis was not described as a new species because there was not a female specimen available for morphological examination during the project. In four cases, a molecular hypothesis was not described because the BIN containing the specimens also contained sequences from outside of Australia and therefore would need to be diagnosed against a very large number of described species, many of which have economic importance or have been introduced to various countries for biological control; to properly delimit or identify these lineages, dedicated projects will be needed. Images of these four lineages are provided as supplementary material (Suppl. material 2) to aid future work. In one final case, a molecular hypothesis was not described because it is very closely related to A.carpatus (Say, 1836), which is a complex cosmopolitan species where the limits are not well defined (Fernández-Triana et al. 2020). This species will need a dedicated project encompassing A.carpatus specimens from around the world to establish firm species boundaries.

Australian Apanteles in a global context

Of the 48 delimited molecular lineages that contained specimens from Australia, only eight shared BINs with sequences from other countries, indicating a high degree of endemism within the Australian fauna. Six of the delimited molecular lineages that contain sequences from other countries are so far only known from northern Australia, whilst A.oenone (found in Australia and Papua New Guinea) is found throughout the continent and A.carpatus (introduced around the world) was collected in SA.

Based on COI, the majority of Australian Apanteles species currently thought to be endemic are clustered in one part of the tree (Fig. 3). Thirty of the Australian delimited molecular lineages (28 which are currently thought to be endemic, plus A.oenone which is known from Papua New Guinea, and A.allapsus which is potentially found in Pakistan) cluster between point ‘A’ and point ‘38&39’ on the tree, with specimens from non-Holarctic regions including Australasia, Afrotropical, Neotropical, and Oriental localities. Seven other currently endemic Australian species are found within a large cosmopolitan clade (the species labelled 5, 46, 12–14, 16, and 35 on Fig. 3).

Figure 3. — IQ-TREE extended majority rule consensus tree of the COI DNA barcoding region for global *Apanteles*. Australian specimens are shown in pink. Numbers next to species correlate to the ‘informal lineage’ code given in Table 1. The full tree in newick format is available as Suppl. material 5. Group A includes informal lineages 36, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45; whilst group B includes informal lineages 1, 9, 10, 11, 15, 18, 20–32, 34, 46.

Point ‘4’ on the tree indicates A.carpatus, a species that attacks tineid moths (family Tineidae) and that has been introduced around the world. Points 6, 7, 8, and 19 are all potential species (delimited with molecular data but not described in this study) found in Australia where we also have molecular evidence that they are found in Oriental (all of the species) and Afrotropical (one of the species) regions.

Taxonomy

We here describe 34 new species of Apanteles found in Australia, increasing the number of named species reported from Australia to 43 (Table 1; Figs 4–6). Only two of the newly described species are potentially found in another country based on public sequence data (A.cuprum in Fiji, and A.allapsus in Pakistan).

Table 1.

Species of Apanteles known from Australia, with their known distribution and host data, and the informal lineage code used in this study. Lineages delimited using molecular data but that are not described in this study are in cells with grey shading at the end of the table. Distribution data not sourced from within this study are taken from Austin and Dangerfield (1992) and Fernández-Triana et al. (2020). Host data (other than for new species) is from Austin and Dangerfield (1992) and, for A.hemara, from Fernández-Triana et al. (2017). ‘?’ Indicates host records we were unable to confirm. The informal lineage codes are provided for ease of data tracking in the future; ‘-’ indicates the species did not have molecular data available, and ‘*’ indicates the species was not recovered amongst Australian material in this study, so was not designated a lineage code.

Species	Distribution	Host	Informal lineage code
Apantelesadustus sp. nov.	NSW, SA	Unknown	MRSB14
Apantelesaeternus sp. nov.	QLD, WA	Unknown	MRSB30
Apantelesalatomicans sp. nov.	NSW, QLD, SA	Unknown	MRSB41
Apantelesallapsus sp. nov.	NT, Pakistan	Unknown	MRSB20
Apantelesamicalis sp. nov.	ACT	Unknown	MRSB24
Apantelesapollo sp. nov.	NT	Unknown	MRSB01
Apantelesapricus sp. nov.	QLD, WA	Unknown	MRSB05
Apantelesartemis sp. nov.	NT	Unknown	MRSB02
Apantelesaurantius sp. nov.	ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, WA	Unknown	MRSB10
Apantelesauroralis sp. nov.	QLD	Unknown	MRSB38
Apantelesbanrock sp. nov.	SA	Unknown	MRSB28
Apantelesbreviflagellarius sp. nov.	QLD	Unknown	MRSB11
Apantelesbrockhedgesi sp. nov.	NSW, SA, WA	Unknown	MRSB34
Apantelescarpatus (Say, 1836)	SA, QLD; Fiji, Hawaiian Islands, New Zealand; all world regions	Tineidae (multiple species)	MRSB04
Apantelescuprum sp. nov.	NT, QLD, WA; Fiji	Unknown	MRSB09
Apantelesdarthvaderi sp. nov.	ACT, NSW, QLD	Unknown	MRSB39
Apantelesdoreenwatlerae sp. nov.	QLD	Unknown	MRSB16
Apantelesethanbeaveri sp. nov.	ACT, NSW, QLD	Lycaenidae: Jalmenuspseudictinus Kerr & Macqueen, 1967, J.ictinus Hewitson, [1865], Ogyrislanthis Waterhouse, 1900	MRSB27B
Apantelesfenestrinus sp. nov.	SA, TAS, WA	Unknown	MRSB21
Apantelesferripulvis sp. nov.	QLD	Unknown	MRSB42
Apantelesfocusalis sp. nov.	NT	Unknown	MRSB25
Apantelesfundulus Nixon, 1965	QLD, Vietnam	Unknown	-
Apantelesgalleriae Wilkinson, 1932	QLD; Hawaiian Islands, New Zealand; found in all world regions	Pyralidae: Galleriamellonella (Linnaeus, 1758)	*
Apanteleshades sp. nov.	NSW, QLD	Unknown	MRSB40
Apanteleshemara Nixon, 1965	ACT; Afrotropical, Oriental and Palearctic	Choreutidae and Crambidae (several species)	*
Apantelesinsulanus sp. nov.	Lord Howe Island	Unknown	MRSB36
Apantelesippeus Nixon, 1965	ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, WA; Vietnam	Plutellidae: Plutellaxylostella (Linnaeus, 1758)	MRSB33
Apanteleskelpiellus sp. nov.	QLD	Unknown	MRSB13
Apanteleslamingtonensis sp. nov.	ACT, QLD	Unknown	MRSB43
Apantelesligdus sp. nov.	QLD	Lycaenidae: Ogyrisiphis Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914	MRSB27A
Apantelesmagicus sp. nov.	ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, WA	Unknown	MRSB45
Apantelesmargaritarius sp. nov.	ACT, NSW, QLD	Unknown	MRSB12
Apantelesoenone Nixon, 1965	NSW, NT, QLD, WA; Papua New Guinea	Gelechiidae: Pectinophoragossypiella (Saunders, 1844), ?P.scutigera (Holloway, 1926), Nolidae: ?Eariasvittella Fabricius, 1794	MRSB32
Apantelespellucidus sp. nov.	QLD	Unknown	MRSB23
Apantelespersephone Nixon, 1965	WA	Unknown	-
Apantelesphantasmatus sp. nov.	NSW, QLD	Unknown	MRSB35
Apantelespharusalis sp. nov.	QLD, WA	Unknown	MRSB15
Apantelesramsaris sp. nov.	SA	Unknown	MRSB37
Apantelesrufiterra sp. nov.	QLD, SA, WA	Unknown	MRSB17
Apantelessinusulus sp. nov.	NSW, QLD, SA, WA	Unknown	MRSB22
Apantelessubandinus Blanchard, 1947	ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA; New Zealand; Afrotropical and Neotropical	Gelechiidae: Phthorimaeaoperculella (Zeller, 1873)	*
Apantelestranslucentis sp. nov.	QLD	Unknown	MRSB31
Apantelesvala Nixon, 1965	QLD	Unknown	-
Apanteles sp. MRSB03	SA	Unknown	MRSB03
Apanteles sp. MRSB06	QLD; Philippines	Unknown	MRSB06
Apanteles sp. MRSB07	NT; several countries in South East Asia	Unknown	MRSB07
Apanteles sp. MRSB08	QLD; several countries in South East Asia and Oriental regions	Unknown	MRSB08
Apanteles sp. MRSB18	QLD	Unknown	MRSB18
Apanteles sp. MRSB19	NT, QLD; Indonesia	Unknown	MRSB19
Apanteles sp. MRSB26	QLD	Unknown	MRSB26
Apanteles sp. MRSB29	NSW	Unknown	MRSB29
Apanteles sp. MRSB44	QLD	Unknown	MRSB44
Apanteles sp. MRSB46	QLD	Unknown	MRSB46
Apantelessp.nrcarpatus	NSW, QLD	Unknown	MRSB04.B

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Key to species

Some important points for users of the key to Australian Apanteles:

Even just within this study, there are multiple lineages of Apanteles that have not been described, and there will be numerous additional unknown species present in under-sampled habitats in Australia. As such, users should be aware that even if a specimen is able to be keyed to a species, there is still a high possibility that it could be an undescribed species. Wherever feasible, morphological species identifications should be supported by DNA barcoding and the placement of the sequence in the context of a phylogeny.
In several cases in the key, we do not provide a morphological character to separate a pair or triplet of closely related species, and recommend identification using molecular data. This only occurs when species were determined to be very distinct molecularly, and therefore very likely to be separate species despite the lack of clear, unambiguous diagnostic characters.
Occasionally where there is a clear visual difference in a character, we refer the user to figures rather than attempting to describe the difference in words, to avoid convoluted and confusing couplets.

Key to species of Australian Apanteles, based on female specimens

1	T1 strongly narrowing posteriorly; AND pterostigma with pale centre AND propodeum smooth with areola poorly defined by rather short carinae on posterior 1/2 (as in Fig. 58B)	A.subandinus Blanchard, 1947
–	T1 parallel, barrel shaped or only narrowing slightly posteriorly (e.g., Fig. 12A); OR pterostigma uniformly pigmented OR propodeum either strongly rugose, IF smooth THEN with areola usually better defined by longer carinae	2
2(1)	Metacoxa pale, significantly paler than mesosoma (e.g., Fig. 7A, B)	3
–	Metacoxa dark, same, or only slightly paler than mesosoma (e.g., Fig. 7C, D)	4
3(2)	T1 anterior width/posterior width ratio ~ 1.7	A.doreenwatlerae sp. nov.
–	T1 anterior width/posterior width ratio ~ 1.2	A.pharusalis sp. nov. ¹
4(2)	Pterostigma with large pale spot in proximal corner (Fig. 7E) AND fore wing veins 1CUa, 1CUb, 1m-cu all pale/unpigmented (Fig. 7E) AND T1 and T2 strongly sculptured	A.carpatus (Say, 1836)
–	Pterostigma either uniformly pigmented, or with paler centre (e.g., Fig. 7G), or with only a very small pale proximal spot (e.g., Fig. 7H); IF with large pale spot in proximal corner THEN at least some of fore wing veins 1CUa, 1CUb, 1m-cu have pigmentation (e.g., Fig. 7F) OR T1 or T2 smooth	5
5(4)	Metafemur with at least some areas significantly paler in colour (yellowish) compared to colour of mesosoma (when pale area only in proximal 1/4, trochanter and trochantellus also pale) (e.g., Fig. 8A–D)	6
–	Metafemur same colouration or only slightly paler (but still clearly brown, not yellowish) than mesosoma (e.g., Fig. 8E, F; note paler brown metafemur in Fig. 8F)	14
6(5)	Metafemur with at least some dark colouration (e.g., Fig. 8C, D)	7
–	Metafemur uniformly pale (e.g., Fig. 8A, B)	11
7(6)	T2 entirely sculptured with strong longitudinal striae; AND T1 slightly widening on posterior 1/2 and entirely and coarsely sculptured; AND propodeum mostly smooth but with complete and strong lateral carinae (Fig. 40B)	A.hemara Nixon, 1965
–	T2 usually smooth, IF sculptured THEN only partially and with less strongly marked sculpture; OR T1 narrowing posteriorly and usually not as strongly sculptured on its entire surface; OR propodeum variably rugose, sometimes with lateral carina difficult to discern amongst sculpturing	8
8(7)	Metafemur mostly pale or orange with dark section only in distal 1/3 (Fig. 8C); T2 with at least some sculpturing	A.aurantius sp. nov.
–	Metafemur mostly dark, with pale area only in proximal 1/4 (e.g., Fig. 8D); T2 smooth	9
9(8)	Anterior side of scape comparatively much paler than head colour (Fig. 9A)	A.kelpiellus sp. nov.
–	Anterior side of scape same or only very slightly paler than head colour (e.g., Fig. 9B)	10 ²
10(9)	T1 comparatively more strongly narrowing posteriorly (Fig. 9D)	A.cuprum sp. nov.
–	T1 parallel sided, or at most slightly narrowing posteriorly (Fig. 9C)	A.margaritarius sp. nov.
11(6)	Ovipositor sheath length < 0.5 × metatibia length; hypopygium without defined ventral pleats	12
–	Ovipositor sheath 0.8–1.0 × metatibia length; hypopygium with clearly defined ventral pleats	13
12(11)	T1 more or less parallel-sided; T2 comparatively more transverse (as in Fig. 20B)	A.apollo sp. nov.
–	T1 narrowing towards posterior margin; T2 comparatively less transverse (as in Fig. 22B)	A.artemis sp. nov.
13(11)	Propodeum with strong rugose sculpture, areola not well defined amongst strong sculpture; T1 slightly narrowing posteriorly (as in Fig. 21D)	A.apricus sp. nov.
–	Propodeum comparatively smoother, areola clearly defined; T1 parallel-sided (as in Fig. 24B)	A.auroralis sp. nov.
14(5)	Pterostigma with outer border darker than centre, centre of pterostigma pale or transparent/hyaline (e.g., Figs 7G, 11A, C, E, G; see Fig. 11E for a less extreme example)	15
–	Pterostigma centre uniformly pigmented (pterostigma may have pale spot proximally, but never hyaline in centre) (e.g., Fig. 7H)	20
15(14)	Fore wing with veins M+CU, 1 cu-a, 1M, 1CUa, 1CUb, (RS+M)a, 2RS, and 1m-cu all unpigmented, pale, or transparent (e.g., Fig. 10A)	16
–	Fore wing with some of those veins with pigmentation, either M+CU, 1 cu-a, 1M, 1CU, (RS+M)a, 2RS, or 1m-cu (e.g., Fig. 10B)	18
16(15)	T1 smooth	A.fenestrinus sp. nov.
–	T1 with rugose sculpturing or at a minimum with strong punctures on lateral sides	17
17(16)	Metatibia mostly dark, or with dark colouration occupying at least 1/2 of tibia length (Fig. 10C, D)	A.oenone Nixon, 1965
–	Metatibia mostly pale (Fig. 10E, F)	A.aeternus sp. nov. or A.translucentis sp. nov.³
18(15)	Fore wing veins M+CU and 1M pigmented less than 1/2 their lengths (e.g., Fig. 11A, C); comparatively larger ocelli, OOD/POD < 2.5 (Fig. 11B, D)	A.rufiterra sp. nov. and A.pellucidus sp. nov.⁴
–	Fore wing veins M+CU and 1M pigmented for most of their lengths (Fig. 11E, G); comparatively smaller ocelli, OOD/POD > 2.5 (Fig. 11F, H)	19
19(18)	T1 with strong sculpture; propodeal areola strongly V-shaped (as in Fig. 25D); propodeum with strong sculpture	A.banrock sp. nov.
–	T1 smooth; propodeal areola slightly rounded (as in Fig. 18B); propodeum relatively smooth	A.allapsus sp. nov.
20(14)	Ovipositor sheath length < 0.5 × metatibia length	21
–	Ovipositor sheath length > 0.6 × metatibia length	23
21(20)	T1 strongly narrowing posteriorly; propodeal areola comparatively narrow, median length of propodeum 2.0 × maximum width of areola (Fig. 12A)	A.breviflagellarius sp. nov.
–	T1 parallel sided; propodeal areola comparatively broad, median length of propodeum 1.2 × maximum width of areola (Fig. 12B, C)	22
22(21)	Scutoscutellar sulcus narrower and with much smaller pits (Fig. 12B); T2 comparatively more transverse (Fig. 12B); T2 with posterior margin more or less straight or very slightly curved	A.ligdus sp. nov.
–	Scutoscutellar sulcus wider and with much larger pits (Fig. 12C); T2 comparatively less transverse (Fig. 11C); T2 with posterior margin clearly curved	A.ethanbeaveri sp. nov.
23(20)	Antennae significantly shorter (~ 0.6–0.7 ×) than body length AND T3 with multiple rows of setae (Fig. 38B)	A.galleriae Wilkinson, 1932
–	Antennae usually similar size (at least 0.8 ×) or usually longer than body length; IF significantly shorter than body THEN with setae on T3 reduced to a single row along posterior margin	24
24(23)	Pterostigma with large conspicuous pale spot (as in Fig. 7F) AND propodeal areola comparatively narrow (as in Fig. 42B)	A.ippeus Nixon, 1965
–	Pterostigma uniformly coloured (no pale spot), IF pale spot present, THEN small and restricted to very edge of pterostigma OR propodeal areola comparatively wide and V-shaped (as in Fig. 27B)	25
25(24)	Metatibia mostly dark with pale band discrete (tibia goes abruptly from dark to pale) and pale band restricted to proximal 1/2 of tibia (Fig. 13A–F)	26
–	Metatibia mostly pale with dark colouration only on distal 1/3 OR metatibia displaying a gradient of colouration from pale to dark, with a significant area that is an intermediate/blending of the two colours (Fig. 13G–L)	31⁵
26(25)	Fore wing membrane completely hyaline/transparent, without trace of any infuscation in the membrane (Fig. 13Q)	27
–	Fore wing membrane with at least a small amount of infuscation, particularly noticeable around r vein (Fig. 13N, O)	29 ⁶
27(26)	T3–T6 with setae reduced to a single row on each tergite (occasionally tergites may have a few additional scattered setae but most are in single row); fore wing vein r particularly short, always shorter, or just equal in length compared to vein 2RS]	A.darthvaderi sp. nov. ⁷
–	T3–T6 with setae not reduced, irregularly arranged or in multiple rows; fore wing with vein r equal in length or slightly longer than vein 2RS	28
28(27)	Pale band on metatibia comparatively shorter and more discrete, T2 posterior width/medial length ratio comparatively smaller (~ 4.1), T2 usually smooth	A.phantasmatus sp. nov. ⁸
–	Pale band on metatibia comparatively longer and less discrete (Fig. 13M), T2 posterior width/medial length ratio comparatively larger (~ 2.6), T2 often with some shallow sculpturing	A.adustus sp. nov.
29(26)	Infuscation on fore wing covering most of membrane; basal cell of fore wing comparatively more densely setose; pterostigma length/width ratio 2.6–3.0 (e.g., Fig. 13N)	30
–	Infuscation on fore wing restricted to area around veins r and 1CUb; basal cell of fore wing comparatively less densely setose; pterostigma length/width ratio 2.2–2.5 (e.g., Fig. 13O, P)	A.hades sp. nov., A.alatomicans sp. nov., and A.magicus sp. nov.⁹
30(29)	T3–T6 with setae reduced to a single row on each tergite	A.lamingtonensis sp. nov.
–	T3–T6 with setae not reduced to a single row; setae irregularly arranged	A.ferripulvis sp. nov.
31(25)	T1 mostly smooth, or at most with small rugose ‘trough’ in centre	32
–	T1 with strong sculpture over at least most of posterior 1/2 of tergite	33
32(31)	Pterostigma with small pale spot at proximal corner; setae on T3–T6 reduced to single row at posterior edge of tergites	A.fundulus Nixon, 1965
–	Pterostigma without pale spot at proximal corner; T3–T6 with multiple rows of setae	A.focusalis sp. nov. and A.sinusulus sp. nov.
33(31)	Mesoscutellar disc punctate throughout	A.adustus sp. nov.
–	Mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or at most with scattered punctures along margins	34
34(33)	Fore wing vein 1M much less pigmented (often transparent/pale) compared to pigmentation of vein 1CUa (e.g., Fig. 14A)	35
–	Fore wing veins 1M and 1CUa of similar pigmentation (e.g., Fig. 14B)	36
35(34)	Scutoscutellar sulcus comparatively narrower and with comparatively smaller pits (Fig. 14C)	A.brockhedgesi sp. nov.
–	Scutoscutellar sulcus comparatively wider and with comparatively larger pits (Fig. 14D)	A.insulanus sp. nov. and A.ramsaris sp. nov.¹⁰
36(34)	T2 posterior length/width ratio ~ 5.0	A.amicalis sp. nov. ¹¹
–	T2 posterior length/width ratio ~ 3.5	A.vala Nixon, 1965 N

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Figure 58. — *Apantelessubandinus***A, C, D, G***WINC* (Australia – SA) **B, E, F***CNC* CNCHYM 00221 (USA) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and metasoma C anterior head D dorsal head E lateral metasoma F fore wing G dorsal habitus.

Figure 12. — AA.breviflagellariusBA.ligdusCA.ethanbeaveri. The pink arrow indicates the direction to assess the ‘width’ of the scutoscutellar sulcus.

Figure 7. — AA.doreenwatleraeBA.pharusalisCA. MRSB41 DA.auroralisEA.carpatusFA.ippeus (image flipped along vertical axis for ease of comparison) GA.oenoneHA.brockhedgesi. Abbreviations: mc: metacoxa; ms: mesosoma; p: pterostigma.

Figure 8. — **A–D** metafemur with some pale areas AA.apricusBA.auroralisCA.aurantiusDA.margaritariusE, F metafemur completely dark EA.alatomicansFA.lamingtonensis. Abbreviations: ms: mesosoma; mf: metafemur; t: trochanter/trochantellus.

Figure 40. — *Apanteleshemara*A lateral habitus (holotype) B dorsal propodeum and metasoma (Yemen – CNC661375) C fore wing (holotype) D anterior head (holotype) E dorsal habitus (holotype).

Figure 9. — AA.kelpiellusBA.margaritariusCA.margaritariusDA.cuprum.

Figure 20. — *Apantelesapollo* (holotype AUMIC051-18) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 C anterior head D dorsal head E fore wing F dorsal habitus.

Figure 22. — *Apantelesartemis* (holotype AUMIC479-18) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1– 2 C dorsal head D anterior head E fore and hind wing F dorsal habitus.

Figure 21. — *Apantelesapricus* (holotype AUMIC068-18) A lateral habitus B anterior head C dorsal head D dorsal propodeum and T1–3 E dorsal habitus and wings.

Figure 24. — *Apantelesauroralis* (holotype AUMIC1526-24) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 C anterior head D dorsal head E dorsal habitus and wings.

Figure 11. — **A, B**A. sp. MRSB19 **C, D***A.pellucidus***E, F***A.banrock***G, H***A.allapsus*.

Figure 10. — AA.aeternus fore wing veins all pale BA. sp. MRSB19 with veins 1CUa, 1CUb, and part of M+CU pigmented **D, E***A.oenone* hind tibia EA.translucentis hind tibia FA.aeternus hind tibia.

Figure 25. — *Apantelesbanrock* (holotype AUMIC590-23) A lateral habitus B dorsal head C anterior head D dorsal propodeum and T1–2 E fore and hind wing F dorsal habitus.

Figure 18. — *Apantelesallapsus* (holotype AUMIC048-18) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–T3 C dorsal head D anterior head E fore wing F dorsal habitus.

Figure 38. — *Apantelesgalleriae*A lateral habitus (France – CNC497178) B dorsal mesosoma and metasoma (France – CNC497178) C lateral habitus (India – *WINC*).

Figure 42. — *Apantelesippeus* examined material A lateral habitus (AUMIC313-18) B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 (AUMIC745-23) C fore and hind wing (AUMIC745-23) D anterior head (AUMIC313-18) E dorsal head (AUMIC313-18) F dorsal habitus (AUMIC745-23).

Figure 27. — *Apantelesbrockhedgesi*A lateral habitus (examined material AUMIC085-18) B dorsal propodeum and T1–2 (examined material AUMIC085-18) C anterior head (holotype AUMIC326-18) D dorsal head (examined material AUMIC085-18) E fore and hind wing (holotype AUMIC326-18) F dorsal habitus (examined material AUMIC085-18).

Figure 13. — **A–M** hind tibia **N–Q** fore wing; AA.alatomicansBA.phantasmatusCA.darthvaderiDA.hadesEA.ferripulvisFA.lamingtonensisGA.focasalisHA.sinusulusIA.brockhedgesiJA.amicalisKA.insulanusLA.ramsarisMA.adustusNA.lamingtonensisOA.magicusPA.alatomicansQA.darthvaderi.

Figure 14. — AA.brockhedgesiBA.amicalisCA.brockhedgesiDA.insulanus. The pink arrow indicates the direction of ‘width’ of the scutoscutellar sulcus.

Taxonomic treatment of species

. Apanteles

Foerster, 1863

9DC9D616-8DF2-5F77-AF6A-73EEB6112AAC

Apanteles Foerster, 1863: 245.

Type species.

Microgasterobscurus Nees, 1834, by original designation and monotypy.

Remarks.

See Fernández-Triana et al. (2020) for full list of synonyms and additional information, including discussions on the limits of the genus in a global context, and for a world checklist of species. We do not alter the diagnosis of Apanteles given in Fernández-Triana et al. (2020), which is as follows: Apanteles can be recognised by the propodeum usually fully to partially areolated, rarely smooth and never with a median longitudinal carina; fore wing without an areolet; hind wing with the vannal lobe usually strongly concave or straight; ovipositor sheaths relatively long (however, a few species, including some described in this paper, have the sheaths much shorter); and the hypopygium almost always flexible and pleated (with rare exceptions, including two species described here).

Species with longer ovipositor sheaths can often be misidentified as Dolichogenidea, especially if the vannal lobe setosity is difficult to assess (i.e., depending on how setae are distributed and its length, at times this character cannot be interpreted unambiguously); however, Apanteles is very distinct from this genus using molecular data. Species of Apanteles with short ovipositor sheaths and an inflexible hypopygium could be confused with Parapanteles or Pholetesor, and it is possible that they may actually belong in these genera. However, because the limits of both Parapanteles and Pholetesor are not well defined, and the species cluster closely with Apanteles in the phylogenies, we here choose to place these species in Apanteles and highlight them as candidates for future phylogenomic work revising the relationships within Microgastrinae.

. Apanteles adustus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

28DEDFDF-3EF3-5A78-A5E7-D157322E1DDB

https://zoobank.org/DA895592-D135-46C4-92CA-6F0C1FFFF66B

Fig. 4A (distribution), Fig. 15 (holotype and paratype)

Figure 15. — *Apantelesadustus*A lateral habitus (holotype AUMIC247-18) B dorsal propodeum and T1–T3 (paratype AUMIC212-18) C anterior head (holotype AUMIC247-18) D dorsal head (holotype AUMIC247-18) E dorsal habitus and wings (paratype AUMIC212-18).

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; NSW, Braidwood, Glenmore Rd.; -35.4232, 149.771; 17–29 Dec. 2005; C. Stephens leg.; Malaise trap; exotic/native garden blend in pasture setting; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC247-18; AM: K.647409. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; as holotype except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC204-18; AM: K.647410. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC212-18; AM: K.647411. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC248-18; AM: K.647412. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC249-18; AM: K.647413. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC250-18; SAMA: 32-47776. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC254-18; SAMA: 32-47777. • ♀ (head detached); as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC233-18; AM: K.647414. • ♀ (head detached); as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC252-18; AM: K.647415. • ♂ (head detached); SA, Cox Scrub Con. Pk.; -35.3311, 138.747; 1–14 May. 2016; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC093-18; SAMA: 32-47778.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.8 mm; fore wing length: 2.5 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.9; F14L/W ratio: 1.4. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with seven pits; mesoscutellar disc punctate throughout; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): all dark; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.4. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.0.

Apantelesadustus can be separated from the other species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur, ovipositor sheaths > 0.6 × metatibia length, antennae of similar size or longer than the length of the body, a completely hyaline fore wing membrane, and a uniformly pigmented pterostigma (no paler centre region, and no pale spot on proximal corner), by having T1 with strong rugose sculpture over most of length, the mesoscutellar disc punctate throughout, T3 densely setose, and T2 posterior width/medial length ratio ~ 2.6.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘singed/burnt’ and is inspired by the dark colouration, particularly the two-tone metatibia.

Distribution.

Apantelesadustus is currently known from two sites, one in NSW and one in SA.

Molecular information.

Apantelesadustus is currently represented by sequences in BIN BOLD:ADL3155. The COI sequences are at least 5% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 19 bp different to any other species. All molecular species delimitation methods separated Apantelesadustus as a distinct species.

. Apanteles aeternus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

3E08C000-1FAD-5AFB-9A83-D9A863A95562

https://zoobank.org/35B82166-6F3B-4132-B486-B3564F7CC9E4

Fig. 4A (distribution), Fig. 16 (holotype)

Figure 16. — *Apantelesaeternus* (holotype AUMIC1220-24) A lateral habitus B anterior head C dorsal propodeum and T1–T3 D dorsal head E fore and hindwing F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, roadside south of Laura; -15.6553, 144.544; 19 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; Sweeping high on Corymbiagrandifolia; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1220-24; QM: T261213. Paratype. Australia • ♂; WA, West Kimberley, Wunaamin Conservation Park, SSS3; -17.049, 125.236; 21 Jul. 2022; E.P. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Sweeping; Bush Blitz West Kimberley; BOLD Process ID: AUHYM012-22; WAM: 130565.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.4 mm; fore wing length: 2.4 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.0; F14L/W ratio: 1.0. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with 11 pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma paler (more hyaline) than outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.8. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.0.

Apantelesaeternus can be separated from the other species of Apanteles in Australia which have the metacoxa and metafemur dark and the pterostigma with a paler centre by having fore wing with veins M+CU, 1 cu-a, 1M, 1CUa, 1CUb, (RS+M)a, 2RS, and 1m-cu all unpigmented or transparent, T1 with strong rugose sculpturing and the metatibia mostly pale. Apantelesaeternus is easily separated from A.translucentis using morphology, but the two species cluster discretely using COI and wg barcodes.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘everlasting/eternal’.

Distribution.

Apantelesaeternus is currently known from two remote sites, one in northern WA and one in northern QLD.

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apantelesaeternus currently form BIN BOLD:AEZ9092. The COI sequences are at least 4% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 6 bp different to any other species. Five species delimitation methods delimited A.aeternus as a discrete species, however COIASAP and wgPTP analyses grouped the sequences with A.translucentis and A.oenone.

. Apanteles alatomicans

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

25D29275-3B97-5F75-92C6-B07BE1D0069B

https://zoobank.org/6EEC3062-6E0B-4E8E-BF95-16303C4BE292

Fig. 4B (distribution), Fig. 17 (holotype)

Figure 17. — *Apantelesalatomicans* (holotype AUMIC430-18) A dorsal propodeum and T1–T3 B lateral habitus C fore and hindwing D dorsal head E anterior head F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Masthead Island; -23.537, 151.723; 5–7 Oct. 2008; QM/QPWS party leg.; Malaise trap; site 6 Casuarina camp site; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC430-18; QM: T208349. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; NSW, Bendemeer; -30.819, 151.142; 19 Dec. 2020–4 Jan. 2021; A. Goodwin, R. Noakes leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC628-23; AM: K.647425. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC630-23; AM: K.647426. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC631-23; QM: T261232. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC632-23; QM: T261233. • ♂; QLD, Chinchilla Botanic Parkland; -26.7393, 150.629; 08 Oct. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL414-21; QM: T261234. • ♀; QLD, Masthead Island; -23.537, 151.721; 5–7 Oct. 2008; QM/QPWS party leg.; Malaise trap; site 7 Casuarina forest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC074-18; QM: T208348. • ♀; QLD, Prospect Creek State School; -24.4218, 150.43; 6 Oct.–4 Nov. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries & Prospect Creek State School leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC640-23; QM: T261235. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC641-23; QM: T261236. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC643-23; QM: T261237. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC644-23; QM: T261238. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC645-23; QM: T261239. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC646-23; AM: K.647427. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC647-23; QM: T261240. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC648-23; QM: T261241. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC649-23; QM: T261242. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC667-23; QM: T261243. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC669-23; QM: T261244. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC670-23; AM: K.647428. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC671-23; QM: T261245. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC657-23; QM: T261246. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC660-23; QM: T261247. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC661-23; QM: T261248. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC663-23; QM: T261249. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC633-23; QM: T261250. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC635-23; QM: T261251. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC636-23; QM: T261252. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC638-23; QM: T261253. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC639-23; QM: T261254. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC673-23; AM: K.647429. • ♀ (head detached); QLD, Springsure; -24.115, 148.087; 8–15 Mar. 2022; Springsure State School students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII486-22; QM: T261184. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: ASMII482-22; QM: T261186. • ♂; as previous except: 22–29 Mar. 2022; BOLD Process ID: ASMII550-22; QM: T261185.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 3.0 mm; fore wing length: 2.6 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.2; F14L/W ratio: 1.1. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with nine pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.4. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.1.

Apantelesalatomicans can be separated from most species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur, and uniformly pigmented pterostigma by having the hind tibia mostly dark with a bright, discrete pale band in the proximal 1/3, and by having infuscation on the fore wing which is restricted to area around veins r and 1CUb, and the basal cell of fore wing comparatively less densely setose than found in A.lamingtonensis and A.ferripulvis. We recommend separating A.alatomicans from A.hades and A.magicus using COI or wg barcodes and evaluating the placement of the sequence in a phylogeny amongst the validated references provided here.

Etymology.

This species was named by students in year 9 at Springsure State School in QLD, who in year 7 ran the Malaise trap that collected several of the paratype specimens. The epithet should be treated as an adjective and is formed from the Latin ‘alatus’ (furnished with wings) and ‘micans’ (twinkling) and the wasp was affectionately given the nickname “Mr Twinkle Wings” in the taxonomy workshop. In the words of the class teacher, Peter Spencer: “The reason for naming refers to the beauty of the wasp and the shiny/twinkle of its wings particularly, and the fact the students also believe it is found in a place representing Australian beauty – the outback.”

Distribution.

Apantelesalatomicans is known from multiple locations in eastern QLD.

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apantelesalatomicans currently form BIN BOLD:ADL2797. The COI sequences are at least 5% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. Other than the wg sequence of AUMIC673-23, which is likely a lab contamination, the wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 3 bp different to any other species and is identical within A.alatomicans. Ignoring the likely contaminant, six species delimitation methods delimited A.alatomicans as a discrete species, however wgASAP analysis grouped the sequences with A.hades.

. Apanteles allapsus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

53447515-79BD-5666-B5AB-586D9C2EBA67

https://zoobank.org/4D96E39D-2F13-4824-A589-1E7901671634

Fig. 6D (distribution), Fig. 18 (holotype)

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; NT, Gregory NP, Limestone Gorge; -16.0503, 130.402; 6–13 Jun. 2001; ME Irwin, FD Parker, C Lambkin leg.; Malaise in dry gully; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC048-18; ANIC: 32-130194.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 1.6 mm; fore wing length: 1.7 mm., Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 1.9; F14L/W ratio: 1.2. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with ten pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma paler (more hyaline) than outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.3. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly smooth; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.0.

Apantelesallapsus can be separated from the other species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur and the pterostigma with outer border darker than centre, centre of pterostigma pale or transparent/hyaline by having most fore wing veins pigmented, including 1CUa, 1CUb, M+CU, and 1M pigmented for most of their lengths, T1 smooth; propodeal areola slightly rounded, and the propodeum relatively smooth.

Apantelesallapsus can be separated from the described species known from Pakistan as follows: from A.angustibasis (Gahan, 1925) by having the ovipositor sheath/metatibia ratio ~ 1.0, and the antenna similar length to the body (A.angustibasis has the ovipositor and antenna quite short – images of the holotype examined); from A.angalti Muesebeck, 1956 by having the T2 comparatively more transverse (images of the holotype examined), from A.cypris Nixon, 1965 and from A.significans (Walker, 1860) by having the pterostigma pale/hyaline in the centre (both A.cypris and A.signficans have the pterostigma uniformly pigmented with a pale spot in proximal corner; images of the holotype of A.cypris were examined, and illustration of A.significansNixon (1965; fig. 58)); and from A.telon Nixon, 1965 (original description used) by more complete carination of the propodeal areola (A.telon has the areola reduced), a shorter ovipositor sheath (A.telon described as having the sheath 1.5 × longer than metatibia), and much smaller in size (A.telon is > 3 mm long). We are unable to locate the description or images of A.quadratus Anjum & Malik, 1978, and therefore cannot compare versus this species.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a participle in the nominative case and is Latin for a ‘gliding approach/a flowing near’ and is an oblique reference to the comparatively smooth T1 and propodeum of this species, and also to the collection locality of Limestone Gorge.

Distribution.

Apantelesallapsus is known from one specimen from northern NT, and potentially from Pakistan (see note in ‘Molecular Information’.

Molecular information.

The holotype of Apantelesallapsus is currently in BIN BOLD:ADL2832, which also contains three private sequences from male specimens originating from a Malaise trap in Pakistan, with a maximum divergence of 1.4%. We have not been able to examine the specimens (other than images on BOLD), but this low divergence suggests that A.allapsus may also occur in Pakistan. The COI sequences in that BIN are at least 6% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 5 bp different to any other species. All species delimitation methods delimited A.allapsus as a discrete species.

. Apanteles amicalis

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

A2AF1EC8-08DE-511A-81FF-44C6B8523895

https://zoobank.org/3B1CDE73-2E28-4FDD-872E-9EB5CC2BE153

Fig. 4A (distribution), Fig. 19 (holotype)

Figure 19. — *Apantelesamicalis* (holotype AUMIC910-23) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–T3 C fore and hindwing D anterior head E dorsal head F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; ACT, Canberra, Black Mtn Res; -35.2795, 149.105; 9–30 Apr. 2020; KM Bayless leg.; Malaise trap over stream near ANBG pumphouse; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC910-23; ANIC: 32-085529.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.5 mm; fore wing length: 2.6 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 3.6; F14L/W ratio: 1.5. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with eight pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.1. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.2.

Apantelesamicalis can be separated from the other species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur and the pterostigma uniformly pigmented (no pale centre or large pale spot on the proximal corner), the ovipositor sheath lengths > 0.8 × metatibia length and the antenna of similar size to the body length, by having T1 with strong sculpture over at most of posterior 1/2 of tergite, the mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, fore wing veins 1M and 1CUa of similar pigmentation, and T2 posterior length/width ratio ~ 5.0.

This species is not diagnosable against A.persephone Nixon, 1965 at the current time, but as A.persephone was described from two specimens near Perth in WA, and we have only a single specimen from Canberra ACT, we think it is unlikely that it is the same species. However, we acknowledge that synonomy may be required in the future if DNA is able to be obtained from the holotype or paratype of A.persephone.

Etymology.

The species epithet is from a Latin adjective meaning friendly and refers to the friendly exchange of specimens between dipterist K.M. Bayless, the collector of the holotype, and the authors; they thank him for generously sharing bulk Hymenoptera from his many Malaise traps!

Distribution.

Apantelesamicalis is known from one specimen from the ACT.

Molecular information.

The holotype of Apantelesamicalis is the only sequence currently in BIN BOLD:AFF0137, and the COI sequences in that BIN are at least 6% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is 1 bp different to the undescribed lineage A. sp. MRSB26, and ≥ 5 bp different to any other described species. Six of the molecular delimitation methods separated A.amicalis as a distinct species; the wgASAP analysis grouped the species with A.pellucidus and A. sp. MRSB26.

. Apanteles apollo

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

64F8536F-C167-5709-B32D-E9D3C2C46605

https://zoobank.org/6B507DDA-208A-4C30-A949-8C272E55EE59

Fig. 4B (distribution), Fig. 20 (holotype)

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; NT, Gregory Nat Park 8.3 km N Humbert Junction; -16.0406, 130.455; 6–12 Jun. 2001; ME Irwin, FD Parker, C Lambkin leg.; Malaise in dry bed nr flowing ck; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC051-18; ANIC: 32-130197.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.4 mm; fore wing length: 2.2 mm. Head: anterior scape colour much paler, dramatically different colour than head (a bright orange in holotype); F2L/W ratio: 2.8. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with 11 pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour uniformly pale (a bright orange in the holotype). Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.5. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; hypopygium without defined ventral pleats; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.4.

Apantelesapollo can be separated from other species of Apanteles in Australia that have the metacoxa dark and the metafemur uniformly pale by the ovipositor sheaths short (< 0.5 × metatibia length), the hypopygium without defined ventral pleats and T1 and T2 as in Fig. 20B. It is also one of the few species with the scape considerably paler than the head colour when viewed from the anterior side of the head.

Due to this species potentially being identified as Parapanteles, we also diagnose it against the three species of Parapanteles known from Australia. Images of the holotypes and the treatment in Nixon (1965) were referred to. Apantelesapollo can be separated from all three species by having the metafemur pale (all Parapanteles known in Australia have the metafemur dark) and additionally from Parapantelesfolia (Nixon, 1965) by having the pterostigma uniformly pigmented (Apantelesfolia has the pterostigma more hyaline in the centre); from Parapanteleshyposidrae (Wilkinson, 1928) by having a comparatively narrower T1; and from Parapantelesmasoni Austin & Dangerfield, 1992 by having the propodeum rugose (P.masoni has the propodeum relatively smooth with complete carina).

Etymology.

This species is named for Apollo, an Olympian god from Greek mythology.

Distribution.

Apantelesapollo is currently only known from one specimen from Gregory National Park in the NT.

Molecular information.

Apantelesapollo is currently BIN BOLD:ADL5064. The COI sequences are at least 7% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 26 bp different to any other species. All molecular species delimitation methods separated Apantelesapollo as a distinct species. The phylogenetic position of the species is unresolved, falling outside the main Apanteles clade in the concatenated analysis of COI and wg of Australian species (Fig. 2). However, in the tree of global ApantelesCOI sequences, the sequences cluster within the larger clade that contains many Australian species.

Remarks.

This species is potentially better placed in Parapanteles because of the short ovipositor sheaths and the comparatively solid hypopygium without ventral pleats. However, Parapanteles is currently poorly defined and until a more conclusive revision of the genus is completed, we feel it is more useful to place A.apollo in Apanteles because of the molecular data clustering it with morphologically ‘true’ Apanteles. We note, however, that this species would be an ideal candidate to include in phylogenomic studies of microgastrine genera limits as it may well belong in a different genus.

. Apanteles apricus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

EB797968-2F98-5A7B-95EB-D38B648AF9D1

https://zoobank.org/CC0BD92F-FCF6-4E25-AD54-EB587435973D

Fig. 4A (distribution), Fig. 21 (holotype)

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Cainbable Quarry, OF; -28.145, 153.113; 03–19 Feb. 2009; F. Turco leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC068-18; QM: T208356. Paratype. Australia • ♀; WA, Kalumburu; -14.292, 126.642; 15–22 Mar. 2022; Kalumburu Remote Community School students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII13755-22; WAM: 130573.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.8 mm; fore wing length: 2.8 mm. Head: anterior scape colour moderately paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 3.2; F14L/W ratio: 1.9. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with seven pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly pale. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.1. Metasoma: T1 shape narrowing distally, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.8.

Apantelesapricus can be separated from other species of Apanteles in Australia with a dark metacoxa by having the metafemur uniformly pale, the ovipositor sheath 0.8–1.0 × metatibia length and hypopygium with clearly defined ventral pleats, and the propodeum with strong rugose sculpture, areola not well defined amongst strong sculpture and T1 slightly narrowing posteriorly.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning sunny and relates to the sunshine-filled places the species is currently known from, as well as its yellowish metafemur.

Distribution.

Apantelesapricus is currently known from two specimens collected in northern Australia, one near Brisbane and one in northeastern WA.

Molecular information.

Apantelesapricus is currently BIN BOLD:ADL3302. The COI sequences are at least 6% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 17 bp different to any other species. All molecular species delimitation methods separated Apantelesapricus as a distinct species.

. Apanteles artemis

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

CBE0DE6B-95C2-5BC0-85BA-87EAF2F62EDA

https://zoobank.org/8527B27F-5886-442E-BD21-0933BEBBFA78

Fig. 4C (distribution), Fig. 22 (holotype)

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; NT, Gregory NP, 5.7 km N Humbert Junction; -16.0622, 130.451; 6–12 Jun. 2001; ME Irwin, FD Parker, C Lambkin leg.; Malaise in dry creek bed; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC479-18; ANIC 32-130236.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.5 mm; fore wing length: 3.3 mm. Head: anterior scape colour much paler, dramatically different colour than head; F2L/W ratio: 2.4; F14L/W ratio: 1.5., scutoscutellar sulcus with 11 pits; mesoscutellar disc punctate throughout; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly pale; metafemur colour uniformly pale (a very light brown/orange in the holotype). Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.7. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, then narrowing in distal 1/3., T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose in distal 1/2, mostly in smooth basal 1/2; T2 mostly smooth; hypopygium without defined ventral pleats; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.3.

Apantelesartemis can be separated from other species of Apanteles in Australia that have the metacoxa dark and the metafemur uniformly pale by the ovipositor sheaths short (< 0.5 × metatibia length), the hypopygium without defined ventral pleats, T1 narrowing and T2 as in Fig. 22B. It is also one of the few species with the scape considerably paler than the head colour in when viewed from the anterior of the head.

Due to this species potentially being identified as Parapanteles, we also diagnose it against the three species of Parapanteles known from Australia. Apantelesartemis can be separated from all three species by having the metafemur pale (all Parapanteles known in Australia have the metafemur dark) and by having T1 more strongly narrowing posteriorly (all Parapanteles known in Australia have a relatively parallel T1).

Etymology.

This species is named for Artemis, an Olympian goddess from Greek mythology.

Distribution.

Apantelesartemis is currently only known from one specimen from Gregory National Park in the NT.

Molecular information.

Apantelesartemis is currently represented by sequences in BIN BOLD:ADL5654. The COI sequences are at least 8% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 15 bp different to any other species. All molecular species delimitation methods separated Apantelesartemis as a distinct species. The phylogenetic position of the species is unresolved, falling outside the main Apanteles clade in the concatenated analysis of COI and wg of Australian species (Fig. 2) and in the COI phylogeny of global Apanteles (Fig. 3). Based on the molecular data, Apantelesartemis is closely related to a delimited species from South Australia (Apanteles sp. MRSB03) which was not described because no female specimens were available.

Remarks.

This species is potentially better placed in Parapanteles because of the short ovipositor sheaths and the comparatively solid hypopygium without ventral pleats. However, Parapanteles is currently poorly defined and until a more conclusive revision of the genus is completed, we feel it is more useful to place A.artemis in Apanteles because of the molecular data clustering it with morphologically ‘true’ Apanteles. We note, however, that this species would be an ideal candidate to include in phylogenomic studies of microgastrine genera limits as it may well belong in a different genus.

. Apanteles aurantius

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

FF79CC3B-90FD-5F01-A329-31A0430ED02E

https://zoobank.org/3C611CB3-163E-4560-A290-F1EE6A4C9C69

Fig. 4B (distribution), Fig. 23 (holotype)

Figure 23. — *Apantelesaurantius*A lateral habitus (paratype AUMIC238-18) B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 (paratype AUMIC1063-24) C hind leg (paratype AUMIC238-18) D anterior head (paratype AUMIC238-18) E dorsal head (paratype AUMIC238-18) F fore and hind wing (paratype AUMIC238-18) G dorsal habitus (paratype AUMIC238-18).

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Samsonvale Cemetery, 8.5 km SSE Dayboro; -27.2703, 152.856; 50 m; 22 Oct.–14 Nov. 2014; S. Wright leg.; Malaise trap; Casuarina/open forest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC411-18; QM: T208366. Paratypes. Australia • ♂; ACT, Canberra, Cook, 8 Moss Street; -35.261, 149.059; 632 m; 10 Apr. 2011; P.Hebert, R.Labbee, V.Levesque-Beaudin, J.McCormick, J.Sones, J.Webb leg.; BOLD Process ID: AACTA4990-20; ANIC: 32-085566. • ♀; NSW, Eden, Bungo Street; -37.0611, 149.903; 21–27 Dec. 2005; C. Stephens leg.; Malaise trap; in exotic native garden blend nr Eucalypt Forest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC238-18; ANIC: 32-085555. • ♀; QLD, Charters Towers; -20.058, 146.272; 1–8 Mar. 2022; Columba Catholic College students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII204-22; QM: T261167. • ♂; QLD, Eungella National Park, Credition Loop Road; -21.1908, 148.542; 23 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; Sweeping vegetation; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1214-24; QM: T261196. • ♂; QLD, Gladstone; -23.8522, 151.258; 29 m; 04 Oct. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL422-21; QM: T261197. • ♀; QLD, Samsonvale Cemetery, 8.5 km SSE Dayboro; -27.2703, 152.856; 50 m; 22 Oct.–14 Nov. 2014; S. Wright leg.; Malaise trap; Casuarina/open forest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC088-18; QM: T208365. • ♀; QLD, Toowoomba, Kearney Springs Historical Park; -27.5941, 151.942; 665 m; 26 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1063-24; QM: T261198. • ? abdomen missing; QLD, Townsville, Hermit Park; -19.283, 146.801; 10 m; 21 Jul. 2011; G. V. Cocks leg.; BOLD Process ID: HYQTB106-11; QM: T261264. • ♂; as previous except: 03 Dec. 2016; UV Light Trap; BOLD Process ID: GCQT1055-17; QM: T261265. • ♂; as previous except: 22 Jul. 2016; UV Light Trap; BOLD Process ID: GCQT1101-17; QM: T261266. • ♂; as previous except: 11 Sep. 2011; BOLD Process ID: HYQTB145-12; QM: T261267. • ♀; SA, SE Kangaroo Island, Heritage Agreement 1302 S boundary ~ 5.5 km NW D`Estrees Bay; -34.0912, 137.557; 27 Dec. 2017; RV Glatz leg.; swept from foliage of Leptospermumcontinentali or dry grass at base of bush; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC859-23; QM: T261187. • ♀; WA, Newman; -23.363, 119.734; 15–22 Mar. 2022; South Newman Primary School students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII6178-22; WAM: 130552. • ♀; as previous except: 22–29 Mar. 2022; BOLD Process ID: ASMII6217-22; WAM: 130553.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.7 mm; fore wing length: 2.5 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.9; F14L/W ratio: 1.3. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with ten pits; mesoscutellar disc punctate throughout; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly Pale with dark band in distal 1/3. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.4. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width narrow, >2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.0.

Apantelesaurantius can be separated from other species of Apanteles in Australia by the distinctive colouration of the metafemur (mostly pale/orange with a dark area distally).

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘orange’ and refers to the bright orange colour on the metafemur and metatibia.

Distribution.

Apantelesaurantius has a broad distribution, with collection records down the east coast of Australia, and isolated records in SA and WA.

Molecular information.

Apantelesaurantius contains sequences currently in BIN BOLD:AAG8155. The COI sequences are at least 10% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 7 bp different to any other species. All molecular species delimitation methods separated Apantelesaurantius as a distinct species.

. Apanteles auroralis

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

0E237F12-5429-5CBB-9D12-986579F6006F

https://zoobank.org/6D483022-CF76-4948-9BC5-9D281141BD35

Fig. 4B (distribution), Fig. 24 (holotype)

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Great Sandy NP, Bymien Picnic Area; -25.9536, 153.102; 05 Dec. 2017; D. Yeates & X. Li leg.; By hand; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1526-24; QM. Paratypes. Australia • ♂; as holotype except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1523-24; ANIC: 32-085571. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1524-24; ANIC: 32-085572. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1525-24; QM: 32-085573. • ♀; QLD, Lamington NP; -28.148, 153.137; 13–23 Jan. 2007; C Lambkin, N. Starick leg.; Malaise trap; IBISCA Plot # IQ-300-A rainforest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC077-18; QM: T208364.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.1 mm; fore wing length: 2.2 mm. Head: anterior scape colour moderately paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.6; F14L/W ratio: 1.3. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with 11 pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): pale, pale, dark; metafemur colour mostly pale. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 0.8. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.0.

Apantelesauroralis can be separated from most other species of Apanteles in Australia with a dark metacoxa, a completely pale metafemur and a uniformly pigmented pterostigma by the ovipositor sheath 0.8–1.0 × metatibia length and hypopygium with clearly defined ventral pleats. The species can be separated from A.apricus by the propodeum comparatively smoother, areola clearly defined and T1 parallel-sided; A.apricus has the propodeum with much stronger sculpturing and T1 slightly narrowing posteriorly.

Etymology.

The species epithet is an adjective formed from the Latin noun aurora meaning dawn/sunrise and relates to the strong colour contrast between the two yellow pro- and mesocoxae, and the dark metacoxa.

Distribution.

Apantelesauroralis is known from two sites in southern QLD.

Molecular information.

Apantelesauroralis contains sequences currently in BIN BOLD:ADL4428. The COI sequences are at least 11% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 3 bp different to any other species. Whilst the four COI delimitation methods separated Apantelesauroralis as a distinct species, there are two wg haplotypes within the species (1 bp difference), and the wgASAP and PTP analyses grouped A.auroralis with A.darthvaderi.

. Apanteles banrock

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

B9352B29-72EE-51D9-9635-E3DA59D73FB1

https://zoobank.org/16EE8822-6408-400F-A835-A3B1432876C0

Fig. 4B (distribution), Fig. 25 (holotype)

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; SA, Banrock Site 10; -34.1891, 140.334; 21–22 Apr. 2018; R. Glatz leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC590-23; SAMA: 32-47750. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; SA, Banrock; -34.1891, 140.334; 20–21 Apr. 2018; R. Glatz leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC575-23; SAMA: 32-47751. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC576-23; SAMA: 32-47752. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC578-23; SAMA: 32-47753. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC577-23; SAMA: 32-47754. • ♀; as previous except: 21–22 Apr. 2018; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC655-23; SAMA: 32-47755. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC589-23; SAMA: 32-47756. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC592-23; SAMA: 32-47757. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC593-23; SAMA: 32-47758. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC591-23; SAMA: 32-47759. • ♀; as previous except: Banrock site 8; -34.1714, 140.314; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC584-23; SAMA: 32-47761. • ♂; SA, Banrock Site 10; -34.2045, 140.341; 20 Apr. 2021; R. Glatz leg.; on aquatic veg. (purple flowers and lanceolate leaves); BOLD Process ID: AUMIC603-23; SAMA: 32-47760.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.5 mm; fore wing length: 2.5 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 3.6; F14L/W ratio: 1.1. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with nine pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations, sculpturing stronger in anterior half; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma paler (more hyaline) than outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.4. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, then narrowing in distal 1/3; T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.8.

Apantelesbanrock can be separated from most other species of Apanteles in Australia with a dark metacoxa and metafemur by the pterostigma with outer border darker than centre, centre of pterostigma pale or transparent/hyaline (but much less extreme than other species), the fore wing with M+CU, 1 cu-a, 1M, 1CU, (RS+M)a, 2RS and 1m-cu pigmented for most of their lengths, T1and propodeum with strong sculpture, and the propodeal areola strongly V-shaped.

Etymology.

This species is named for Banrock Station, the collection locality, to honour the commitment of the winery to restoring and protecting the natural environment. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Currently known only from Banrock Station in the Riverland region of SA.

Molecular information.

Apantelesbanrock contains sequences currently in BIN BOLD:AFF1781. The COI sequences are at least 3.2% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 11 bp different to any other species. All delimitation methods separated Apantelesbanrock as a distinct species.

. Apanteles breviflagellarius

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

171BFB02-FD3D-5208-888E-FAC39F75F611

https://zoobank.org/3619FEB1-465F-435C-AA30-90652B417A66

Fig. 4C (distribution), Fig. 26 (holotype)

Figure 26. — *Apantelesbreviflagellarius* (holotype AUMIC081-18) A lateral habitus B dorsal head C anterior head D dorsal propodeum and T1–T3 E dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Samsonvale Cemetery, 8.5 km SSE Dayboro; -27.2703, 152.856; 50 m; 8 Feb.–28 Mar. 2015; S. Wright leg.; Malaise trap; Casuarina/open forest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC081-18; QM: T208355.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.1 mm; fore wing length: 2.0 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 1.7; F14L/W ratio: 0.9. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with 11 pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.0. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, then narrowing in distal 1/3, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly smooth; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.4.

Apantelesbreviflagellarius is a slightly unusual species of Apanteles and quite distinct; it can be separated from other species of Apanteles in Australia by the dark metacoxa and metafemur, the short ovipositor sheaths and hypopygium with a ventral membranous area, the antennae shorter than the body length, pterostigma uniformly pigmented and T1 strongly narrowing posteriorly.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin adjective formed from brevi meaning short, and flagellum, relating to the short antennae of this species.

Distribution.

Apantelesbreviflagellarius is currently only known from one specimen collected in southern QLD.

Molecular information.

Apantelesbreviflagellarius contains sequences currently in BIN BOLD:ADI5121. The COI sequences are at least 7% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 12 bp different to any other species. All delimitation methods separated Apantelesbreviflagellarius as a distinct species.

. Apanteles brockhedgesi

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

C848786F-E4D4-59B5-B3CC-149F90FC7B46

https://zoobank.org/04DC65A2-909F-4B9B-BBB7-69AAC6E0FE56

Fig. 4C (distribution), Fig. 27 (examined material and holotype)

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; SA, Witchelina Stn; -30.1056, 137.738; 20 Oct. 2010; R. Kittel leg.; sweeping Acacia sp. in sand dune; Bush Blitz Svy RK069; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC326-18; SAMA: 32-47816. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; SA, Andamooka Arid Explorers Garden; -29.5519, 137.167; 2 May. 2021; E. Fagan-Jeffries, SA Museum Waterhouse Club members leg.; General vegetation sweep, several flowering plants; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC734-23; SAMA: 32-47817. • ♀; SA, Andamooka school road; -30.4479, 137.167; 2 May. 2021; E. Fagan-Jeffries, SA Museum Waterhouse Club members leg.; General vegetation sweep; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC740-23; SAMA: 32-47818. • ♀; SA, Bon Bon Stn; -30.3602, ?; 28 Oct. 2010; G.S. Taylor leg.; Swept Acaciaaneura; Bush Blitz 063 (B24); BOLD Process ID: AUMIC347-18; SAMA: 32-47819. • ♂; SA, Great Victoria Desert, Cook Road; -29.0067, 130.012; 29 Aug. 2015; J. A. Forrest & R. Leijs leg.; Vehicle net; 28.9684°S, 130.0772°E to 29.0449°S, 129.9475°E; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1265-24; SAMA: 32-47767. • ♂; SA, Great Victoria Desert, Cook Road; -29.0067, 130.012; 29 Aug. 2015; J. A. Forrest & R. Leijs leg.; Vehicle net; 28.9684°S, 130.0772°E to 29.0449°S, 129.9475°E; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1262-24; SAMA: 32-47768. • ♂; SA, Hiltaba; -32.1033, 135.092; 234 m; 26 Sep. 2021; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; sweeping vegetation; flowering yellow Eucalyptus; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC928-23; SAMA: 32-47820. • ♀; SA, Walker flat, Mallee Rd; -34.8086, 139.494; 2 May. 2021; BA Parslow leg.; sweeping vegetation; Eucalyptus flowers; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC865-23; SAMA: 32-47769. • ♀; SA, Witchelina Stn; -30.0186, 137.901; 23 Oct. 2010; R. Kittel leg.; sweeping Acaciavictoriae; Bush Blitz Svy RK091; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC352-18; SAMA: 32-47821. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC353-18; SAMA: 32-47822. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC354-18; SAMA: 32-47823. • ♀; WA, Western Pilbara, Nanutarra-Wittenoom Rd., 1.7 km north of Hamersley Rd. turnoff.; -22.2317, 117.983; 29 May. 2004; D.R. Britton & A. Donnelly leg.; light trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1295-24; AM: K.247578.

Examined material.

Australia • ♀; SA, Bon Bon Stn; -30.3139, 135.448; 28 Oct. 2010; R. Kittel leg.; sweep netting on Acaciavictoriae; Bush Blitz Svy RK129; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC085-18; SAMA: 32-47815. [This specimen was not included with the paratype material as it was badly damaged during imaging, but the morphology is consistent with the holotype and the COI sequence is only 2 bp different to that of the holotype (wg sequence is identical).]

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.8 mm; fore wing length: 2.6 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.7; F14L/W ratio: 1.1. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with 12 pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges with a pale spot proximally; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.2. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.8.

Apantelesbrockhedgesi can be separated from most other species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur and the pterostigma without a pale centre, the ovipositor sheath length > 0.6 × metatibia length and the antenna of similar size to the body length by the pterostigma having a small pale spot proximally, the metatibia displaying a gradient of colouration from pale to dark, the colours merging in the centre, T1 with strong sculpture over at least most of posterior 1/2 of tergite, mesoscutellar disc with at most scattered punctures along margins, fore wing vein 1M much less pigmented (often transparent/pale) compared to pigmentation of vein 1CUa, and the scutoscutellar sulcus comparatively narrower and with comparatively smaller pits than most species.

Etymology.

This species is named after Brock Hedges, who facilitated the field trip which resulted in the collection of the specimen at Hiltaba Nature Reserve. Dr Hedges has provided considerable support to several authors of this paper for many years.

Distribution.

Apantelesbrockhedgesi is a commonly collected species with a broad distribution across SA, with a single collection record in WA.

Molecular information.

Apantelesbrockhedgesi contains sequences currently in BIN BOLD:ADI3291. The COI sequences are at least 8% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 14 bp different to any other species. All delimitation methods separated Apantelesbrockhedgesi as a distinct species.

. Apanteles carpatus

(Say, 1836)

7700C989-C67B-5D2F-B7D2-BC3B2CB748A5

Fig. 5A (distribution in Australia/New Zealand from this study), Fig. 28 (Australian specimen), Fig. 29 (Canadian specimen)

Figure 5. — Known distribution in the of the following *Apanteles* species in Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand: AA.carpatus, *A.sp.nrcarpatus*, *A.cuprum*, *A.ippeus*, *A.kelpiellus*, *A.ligdus*BA.darthvaderi, *A.focusalis*, *A.lamingtonensis*, *A.pellucidus*, *A.phantasmatus*CA.doreenwatlerae, *A.margaritarius*, *A.pharusalis*, *A.rufiterra*, *A.translucentis*. Maps include examined material and public DNA barcode records, see Suppl. material 3 for full details.

Figure 28. — *Apantelescarpatus* (Australia – AUMIC864-23) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 C dorsal head D anterior head E dorsal habitus and wings.

Figure 29. — *Apantelescarpatus* (Canada – MIC000036) A lateral habitus B dorsal mesosome C dorsal metasoma D anterior head E wings.

Holotype information.

♀; USA (lost).

Examined material.

Australia • ♀; SA, Aberfoyle Park, inside private residence; -35.0641, 138.607; 11 May. 2021; BA Parslow leg.; At light indoors; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC864-23; SAMA: 32-47772. • ♀; SA, Adelaide; -34.941, 138.643; 14 Nov. 2021; A. Bird leg.; hand caught; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL6285-22; SAMA: 32-47773. • ? (missing abdomen); SA, Cox Scrub Con. Pk.; -35.3319, 138.746; 03–17 Apr. 2016; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC062-18; SAMA: 32-47774. • ♀; SA, The University of Adelaide, Darling Building; -34.919, 138.603; 25 May. 2021; B. Hedges leg.; hand caught; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC877-23; SAMA: 32-47775.

The material above matched identified DNA barcodes of A.carpatus on BOLD. Images of an identified specimen from the CNC (MIC000036, from Canada) were also examined.

Diagnosis.

Apantelescarpatus can be separated from all described species of Apanteles in Australia with the metacoxa dark by having the pterostigma with large pale spot in proximal corner, fore wing veins 1CUa, 1CUb, 1m-cu all pale/unpigmented and T1 and T2 strongly sculptured.

Notes.

The Australian specimens listed above have identical COI barcodes to verified specimens from Canada and New Zealand, their morphology aligns well with descriptions and available images of previously identified specimens (e.g., Fig. 29, A.carpatus from Canada, held in the CNC). Additionally, the collection locality of three specimens being inside buildings makes sense given the known hosts of A.carpatus are clothes moths (Tineidae). We feel this is a reasonably certain identification of these specimens, and we provide the first sequences (to our knowledge) of the species from Australia. We note the colouration of Australian specimens, particularly on the legs, is much darker than the specimen imaged from Canada.

. Apanteles cuprum

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

1DB26814-7A9D-5F0B-A064-0936C6BC0583

https://zoobank.org/BE19CFB1-7FA2-44B8-95F5-82A3C055F632

Fig. 5A (distribution), Fig. 30 (holotype)

Figure 30. — *Apantelescuprum*A lateral habitus (paratype ASMII3877-22) B dorsal mesoscutellar disc, propodeum and T1–3 (holotype AUMIC1395-24) C dorsal head (holotype AUMIC1395-24) D anterior head (holotype AUMIC1395-24) E dorsal habitus (holotype AUMIC1395-24).

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; NT, Keep River NP, Hazard Creek, 23.7 km SSW Jarrnarm Camp Ground; -15.9592, 129.017; 3–8 Jun. 2001; M. E. Irwin, F. D. Parker & C. Lambkin leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1395-24; ANIC: 32-085574. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; QLD, Gununa, Wellesley Islands; -16.666, 139.182; 1–8 Mar. 2022; Mornington Island State School P-10 students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII3877-22; QM: T261165. Australia • ♂; QLD, Mount Molloy; -16.674, 145.336; 8–15 Mar. 2022; Mount Molloy State School students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII12307-22; QM: T261166. • ♀; WA, Kununurra; -15.769, 128.737; 15–22 Mar. 2022; East Kimberley Kununurra students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII9771-22; WAM: 130551. FIJI • ♀; Viti Levu, Sigatoka Province, Sigatoka Sand Dunes Nat. Park; -18.1678, 177.506; 31 m; 28 Nov.–3 Dec. 2003; Irwin & Schlinger leg.; Malaise Trap; BOLD Process ID: CNCHW953-09; CNC: CNCH2363.

Examined material.

The following specimen agrees in general morphology to the type series, and has a matching COI barcode; however, it is significantly smaller in size; we leave this specimen out of the type material in case it represents a contaminated sequence.

Australia • ♂; QLD, Laura; -15.5811, 144.458; 15 Mar. 2017; R. Leijs leg.; vehicle netting from Laura caravan park to Quinkan Bush Blitz Site SSS2 (Welcome Rd); BOLD Process ID: AUMIC972-24; QM: T261164.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.5 mm; fore wing length: 2.5 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 3.8; F14L/W ratio: 1.3. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with seven pits; mesoscutellar disc punctate throughout; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.4. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel but narrowing slightly in posterior 1/3 or 1/4, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 with fine sculpture; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.0.

Apantelescuprum can be separated from the other species of Apanteles known from Australia with a dark hind coxa by the metafemur with pale area in the proximal 1/4, the trochanter and trochantellus also pale, the anterior side of the scape similar in colour to the head (not much paler), T2 smooth, and T1 narrowing posteriorly as in Fig. 30B.

Due to this species also occurring in Fiji (identified through a COI sequence from Fiji in the same BIN, with the specimen (CNC CNCHW953-09) examined and morphology aligning to that of the Australian material) we also diagnose this species against those known from Fiji. Diagnoses are based on the information in Nixon (1965) unless otherwise noted. Apantelescuprum can be separated from:

Apantelesaglaus Nixon, 1965 and Apantelesdaimenes Nixon, 1965 by the ovipositor sheath approximately the same length as the metatibia (A.aglaus and A.daimenes described as having the ovipositor sheath only 2/3 as long as the metatibia).

Apanteleseurynome Nixon, 1965 by the fore wing membrane hyaline (no infuscation) and the antennae at least as long as the body length (A.eurynome is described as having a “faint proximal cloud of the fore wing [that] hardly extends into the median cell” and “the antenna is short with the three preapical segments slightly transverse.”

Apanteleshymeniae Wilkinson, 1935 by having T2 smooth and the hind leg mostly brown (although pale on the proximal 1/2 of the metatibia and the trochanter), whilst A.hymeniae is described by Nixon (1965) as “characterised essentially by the weakly transverse, heavily rugose median field of tergite (2 + 3) and the bright yellow legs.”

Apantelesorphne Nixon, 1965 by the fore wing membrane hyaline and the ovipositor sheath approximately the same length as the metatibia; A.orphne is described as having a “proximal cloud of the fore wing [which fills] only about distal sixth of the median cell” and the ovipositor sheaths 1.5 × as long as the metatibia.

Apantelessamoanus Fullaway, 1940 by the T1 being close to 2 × longer than wide (if anterior width is measured) or > 2 × longer than wide (if posterior width is measured), and narrowing in posterior 1/3 or 1/4; whilst A.samoanus is described as the “1^st tergite a little longer than wide with parallel sides” (from original description, not treated by Nixon (1965)).

Apantelestirathabae Wilkinson, 1928 by the antennae similar length to the body length (A.tirathabae has the antenna short, thick, with segments 16 and 17 not longer than wide).

Apantelestrifasciatus Muesebeck, 1946 by having the fore wing membrane hyaline (A.trifasciatus has very strong infuscated areas, images of type compared: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3ff1ddf70-f69e-4d29-97f1-7c4dffd71683).

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin noun in apposition (genitive case) and was named by students at Mount Molloy State School, who collected two paratype specimens during ‘Insect Investigators’. The Latin noun means ‘copper’ (the metal) and the students chose the name to relate to the rich copper resources found in the Mount Molloy region. Whilst the species is found in many places without copper mining, we think this name is also apt because of the more coppery colour of this species compared to many others in the genus.

Distribution.

Apantelescuprum is found in the north of Australia (northern NT, QLD, WA) and also in Fiji.

Molecular information.

Apantelescuprum is currently represented by sequences in BIN BOLD:AAM7397. The COI sequences are at least 6% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. There is only a wg sequence available for the specimen from Laura (AUMIC972-24), but all COI delimitation methods resolved A.cuprum as a discrete species.

. Apanteles darthvaderi

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

129ACB05-7431-5BDF-9F49-B73328B76230

https://zoobank.org/AB7AC3CB-5E68-4A00-942D-59ED06CC5682

Fig. 5B (distribution), Fig. 31 (holotype)

Figure 31. — *Apantelesdarthvaderi* (holotype AUMIC637-23) A anterior head B lateral habitus C dorsal propodeum and T1-3 D dorsal head E fore and hind wing F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Prospect Creek State School; -24.4218, 150.43; 6 Oct.–4 Nov. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries & Prospect Creek State School leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC637-23; QM: T261222. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; ACT, Canberra, Cook, 8 Moss Street; -35.261, 149.059; 10 Apr. 2011; P.Hebert, R. Labbee, V.Levesque-Beaudin, J.McCormick, J.Sones, J.Webb leg.; BOLD Process ID: AACTA4853-20; ANIC: 32-085567. • ♀; as previous except 02 Apr. 2011; BOLD Process ID: AACTA5193-20; ANIC: 32-085568. • ♀; NSW, Bendemeer; -30.819, 151.142; 19 Dec. 2020–04 Jan. 2021; A. Goodwin, R. Noakes leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC626-23; AM: K.647416. • ♀; NSW, Bendemeer; -30.819, 151.142; 19 Dec. 2020–04 Jan. 2021; A. Goodwin, R. Noakes leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC627-23; AM: K.647417. ♀; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC629-23; AM: K.647418. • ♂; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC946-24; AM: K.647419. • ♂; NSW, Hat Head; -31.063, 153.052; 20–27 Dec. 2012; Paul Hebert leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUSMA270-14; QM: T261271. • ♂; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUSMA277-14; QM: T261275. • ♂; as previous except 10–17 Dec. 2010; BOLD Process ID: HYAS463-11; QM: T261276. • ♂; as previous except 22 Feb. 2019; BOLD Process ID: NSWHP4438-19; QM: T261277. • ♀; NSW, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, East Kunderang Track; -30.8181, 152.136; 07 Nov. 2015; D.M. Bray leg.; pan trap - blue; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1249-24; AM: K.379878. • ♀; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1250-24; AM: K.646439. • ♀; NSW, Wonboyn; -37.2447, 149.903; 26 Jan.–10 Feb. 2020; P. Whitington, K-L. Harris leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC900-23; ANIC: 32-085561. • ♀; QLD, Back Plains; -27.892, 151.783; 1–8 Mar. 2022; Back Plains State School students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII13121-22; QM: T261181. • ♂; QLD, Cockburn Rvr Camp; -31.0522, 151.144; 10 Dec. 2019; J. B. Dorey leg.; General sweep over Brachychiton flowering species in sclerophyll forest along dry creekbed; Sunny and warm ~ 33C; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1139-24; ANIC: 32-085562. ♂; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1140-24; ANIC: 32-085563. • ♂; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1141-24; QM: T261223. • ♂; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1142-24; QM: T261224. • ♂; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1180-24; QM: T261225. • ♂; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1181-24; QM: T261226. • ♂; QLD, Crediton; -21.2079, 148.521; 23 Nov. 2019; JB Dorey leg.; General sweep over white flowering Acacia in farmland with big gums around.; Sunny and warm.; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1226-24; QM: T261227. • ♀; QLD, Prospect; -24.42, 150.43; 22 Mar.–1 Apr. 2022; Prospect Creek State School students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII7957-22; QM: T261182. • ♀; as previous except 15–22 Mar. 2022; BOLD Process ID: ASMII7910-22; QM: T261183. • ♀; as previous except 6 Oct.–4 Nov. 2020; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC664-23; QM: T261228. • ♂; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC674-23; QM: T261229. • ♂; as previous; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC662-23; QM: T261230. • ♀; as previous except 12 Aug.–15 Sep. 2020; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL418-21; AM: K.647420. • ♀; QLD, Townsville, Hervey Range; -19.3812, 146.449; 380 m; 23 Jun. 2017; Graeme Cocks leg.; netted; BOLD Process ID: GCQT1802-17; QM: T261272.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.2 mm; fore wing length: 2.2 mm. Head: Anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 3.1; F14L/W ratio: 1.2. Mesosoma: Scutoscutellar sulcus with 12 pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur completely dark; outer side of metatibia mostly dark with pale area in proximal 1/3. Wing: Fore wing membrane completely hyaline/transparent, without any trace of infuscation in the membrane. Centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; no large pale spot present on pterostigma; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 0.8. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; T3–6 with setae reduced to a single row on each tergite (exceptionally there may be a few extra setae laterally on some tergites but most setae are in a single row on each tergite); ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.0.

Apantelesdarthvaderi can be diagnosed from the other species with a dark metacoxa and metafemur, the outer side of metatibia mostly dark with a paler area in the proximal 1/3, an ovipositor > 0.6 × metatibia length, the pterostigma uniformly pigmented (no hyaline centre or large pale spot), and T1 with rugose sculpturing, by the fore wing membrane completely hyaline (no infuscation) and T3–T6 with setae mostly reduced to a single row on each tergite.

Etymology.

The species was named by students from Back Plains State School. The students named the species for a fictional character from the Star Wars space opera franchise, “because this mean little wasp is from the dark side like Darth Vader, because it sucks the life out of the caterpillars.” The species epithet is a noun in the genitive case.

Distribution.

Apantelesdarthvaderi is currently known from along the east coast of Australia, from as far north as Townsville, as far south as Wonboyn, and as far inland as Canberra.

Molecular information.

Apantelesdarthvaderi contains a single BIN (BOLD:AAU8286). The COI sequences are at least 8% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The species contains a single wg haplotype which is ≥ 3 bp different to any other species. We consider A.darthvaderi a well-supported species, with 5/7 congruent molecular delimitation methods. PTP and ASAP using wg grouped the species with A.auroralis, but as there are clear morphological differences (A.darthvaderi has the metafemur dark, A.auroralis has the metafemur completely pale), we believe these methods were too conservative in this case.

Remarks.

Apantelesdarthvaderi closely resembles A.persephone and runs to the same couplet in the key if A.persephone is treated as having the metatibia mostly dark. We do not have a strong morphological character to separate these species, but also hesitate to identify the specimens here as A.persephone. Apantelespersephone was described from two specimens collected from near Perth in Western Australia, whilst A.darthvaderi is only currently known from the east coast. We have decided to describe A.darthvaderi as new based on this geographic disparity, but note that DNA sequencing of the type material of A.persephone, or at minimum sequencing a matching specimen from near the type locality, would resolve these two species more confidently.

. Apanteles doreenwatlerae

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

0897724C-BBFE-547A-9A2D-55ABFC283A65

https://zoobank.org/93DA20A7-D28B-447E-885C-C5DF174E9A7E

Fig. 5C (distribution), Fig. 32 (holotype)

Figure 32. — *Apantelesdoreenwatlerae* (holotype OZBOL431-21) A dorsal propodeum, T1, and T2B lateral habitus C fore wing D anterior head E dorsal head F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Kuranda; -16.814, 145.643; 395 m; 26 Jul.–26 Aug. 2020; M.S. Moulds leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL431-21; QM: T261203. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; QLD, Kuranda; -16.8135, 145.643; 317 m; 12 Feb.–6 Apr. 2020; M. S. Moulds leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1491-24; QM: T261204. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1506-24; QM: T261206. • ♂; QLD, Kuranda; -17.0564, 145.786; 19 May–8 Aug. 2017; M. S. Moulds leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1294-24; QM: T261205.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.6 mm; fore wing length: 2.4 mm. Head: anterior scape colour much paler, dramatically different colour than head; F2L/W ratio: 2.9; F14L/W ratio: 1.4. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with seven pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): pale all; metafemur colour mostly pale. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 2.1. Metasoma: T1 shape narrowing distally, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.0.

Apantelesdoreenwatlerae can be separated from all other described Apanteles species in Australia other than A.pharusalis by the pale metacoxa. It can be diagnosed against A.pharusalis by the T1 anterior width/posterior width ratio (~ 1.7 in A.doreenwatlerae and ~ 1.2 in A.pharusalis).

Etymology.

This species is named for Doreen Watler, for her contribution to hosting numerous visiting students and researchers (including EPFJ) at the CNC; her hospitality enables a considerable number of the international entomology exchanges in Ottawa.

Distribution.

Apantelesdoreenwatlerae is currently only known from northern QLD.

Molecular information.

Apantelesdoreenwatlerae contains sequences currently in BIN BOLD:AAM7396. The COI sequences are at least 9% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 7 bp different to any other species. All delimitation methods separated Apantelesdoreenwatlerae as a distinct species.

. Apanteles ethanbeaveri

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

8852936B-D588-5229-B438-EF183C503946

https://zoobank.org/7C70625F-B5AF-40C4-9B70-61CF7C6DC1D2

Fig. 4C (distribution), Fig. 33 (holotype)

Figure 33. — *Apantelesethanbeaveri* (holotype AUMIC730-23) A lateral habitus B dorsal head C anterior head D propodeum and T1–3 E lateral habitus and wings.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Specimen Hill, Herberton; -17.3823, 145.372; 08 Mar. 2021; E.P. Beaver, M.F. Braby leg.; Reared from Instar IV larva of Jalmenuspseudictinus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) collected 04 March 2021 on Acaciaflavescens; wasp pupa next to dead larva. Adult wasp eclosed 08 March 2021; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC730-23; QM: T261210. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; ACT, Lyneham Ridge; -35.2386, 149.116; 11 Feb. 2017; M. F. Braby leg.; Reared from larva of Jalmenusictinus (Lep: Lycaenidae); BOLD Process ID: AUMIC492-18; QM: T261211. • ♂; NSW, Pilliga East SCA; -30.7918, 149.489; 22 Jun. 2021; E.P. Beaver, M.F. Braby leg.; Reared from larva Ogyrislanthis (Lep: Lycaenidae); BOLD Process ID: AUMIC731-23; QM: T261212.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 3.6 mm; fore wing length: 2.9 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.1; F14L/W ratio: 1.2. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with ten pits; mesoscutellar disc with punctures in outer regions, centre smooth; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 2.1. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 with fine sculpture; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.3.

Apantelesethanbeaveri can be separated from most other species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur, the pterostigma without a pale centre, and the ovipositor sheath length < 0.5 × the metatibia length, by T1 parallel sided; the median length of propodeum 1.2 × the maximum width of areola. Apantelesethanbeaveri can be separated from A.ligdus by the scutoscutellar sulcus wider and with much larger pits, T2 comparatively less transverse, and T2 with posterior margin clearly curved.

Etymology.

This species is named for lepidopterist Ethan Beaver who reared two of the specimens and passed them on to EPFJ. Parasitoid wasp researchers owe much to lepidopterists who keep their parasitoid specimens and generously share their host data.

Distribution.

Apantelesethanbeaveri is known from three collection localities in eastern Australia, each from a different but closely related host species.

Molecular information.

Apantelesethanbeaveri contains sequences currently in BIN BOLD:ADL4962. The COI sequences are at least 2.4% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 1 bp different to A.ligdus, and ≥ 11 bp different to any other species. The molecular delimitation of this species relative to A.ligdus is poorly resolved: BINs, a 2% threshold, and the wg haplotypes split the two species, COIASAP and wgASAP and PTP grouped the two species, whilst COIPTP split the two species and also split the ACT paratype (AUMIC492-18) from the other two specimens.

Remarks.

The collectors who reared the type series are professional lepidopterists, and therefore the host records of this species should be treated with reasonable confidence. The species is closely related to A.ligdus and may potentially be conspecific. We feel the available evidence at present supports them being distinct species (multiple subtle morphological differences, 2.7% COI divergence, wg barcodes 1 bp different, non-overlapping host species) but a larger sample size and further study may change this species hypothesis.

. Apanteles fenestrinus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

A0F2AC18-E889-57FC-B6C6-1E1FD589E6EF

https://zoobank.org/74C3BF3F-3B2C-4C47-B27F-2A41F62EC3F9

Fig. 4C (distribution), Fig. 34 (holotype)

Figure 34. — *Apantelesfenestrinus* (holotype AUMIC1310-24) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum, T1, and T2C anterior head D dorsal head E dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; WA, Western Pilbara Hamersley station, Railway Rd. just past Cooks Bore turnoff, Ridge paddock, UWA exclusion site; -22.3017, 117.695; 28 Oct.–02 Nov. 2005; Conservation Volunteers Australia leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1310-24; WAM: 130559. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; SA, Witjira NP, Purni Bore, 88k EbS Mt Dare Hotel.; -26.2847, 136.085; 19–22 Mar. 2017; D. Yeates, A. Landford, Y. Su, X. Li, J. Lumbers & M. Irwin leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1151-24; ANIC: 32-085569. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1154-24; ANIC: 32-085570. • ♀; TAS, Southwest National Park, Hartz Mountain, Hartz Mountain Road.; -43.1844, 146.796; 1–9 Feb. 2016; K. Moore leg.; Yellow Pans; Bush Blitz; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1155-24; TMAG: F150418. • ♀; WA, Western Pilbara, Hamersley station, Railway Rd. just past Cooks Bore turnoff, Ridge paddock, UWA exclusion site.; -22.3017, 117.695; 8 Oct.–02 Nov. 2005; Conservation Volunteers Australia leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1345-24; WAM: 130560.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.0 mm; fore wing length: 2.2 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.8; F14L/W ratio: 1.4. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with 11 pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma paler (more hyaline) than outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 0.8. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly smooth; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.6.

Apantelesfenestrinus can be separated from the other described species of Apanteles known from Australia with a dark metacoxa and metafemur and the pterostigma with outer border darker than centre, centre of pterostigma pale or transparent/hyaline by having the fore wing with veins M+CU, 1 cu-a, 1M, 1CUa, 1CUb, (RS+M)a, 2RS, and 1m-cu all unpigmented, pale, or transparent and T1 smooth.

Etymology.

The species epithet is an adjective formed from the Latin noun fenestra meaning window and relates to the hyaline centre of the pterostigma.

Distribution.

Apantelesfenestrinus is represented by very dispersed collection records in northern WA, northern SA, and TAS.

Molecular information.

Apantelesfenestrinus contains sequences currently in BIN BOLD:AFQ4941. The COI sequences are at least 6.5% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 5 bp different to any other species. The molecular delimitation methods other than COIPTP separated A.fenestrinus as a discrete species; COIPTP split the Western Australian specimens from the individuals from SA/TAS.

. Apanteles ferripulvis

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

E91443B0-FC94-5B15-9F4A-E3CE441B4BDE

https://zoobank.org/74C3BF3F-3B2C-4C47-B27F-2A41F62EC3F9

Fig. 4C (distribution), Fig. 35 (holotype)

Figure 35. — *Apantelesferripulvis* (holotype AUMIC403-18) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 C anterior head D dorsal head E fore wing F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, 4 km SSE HS [homestead] Noonbah Station (NB3 M); -24.142, 143.196; 19 Jan.–7 Feb. 2009; A. Emmott leg.; Malaise trap; Sandy Plain, ghost gums; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC403-18; QM: T208351.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.1 mm; fore wing length: 2.2 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar colour or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 3.7; F14L/W ratio: 1.4. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with eight pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.4. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.9.

Apantelesferripulvis can be diagnosed from the other species with a dark metacoxa and metafemur, the outer side of metatibia mostly dark with a paler area in the proximal 1/3, antennae of similar length to the body, an ovipositor > 0.6 × metatibia length, the pterostigma uniformly pigmented (no hyaline centre or large pale spot), and the metatibia mostly dark with proximal pale band discrete, by infuscation on fore wing that covers most of membrane, and T3–T6 with setae not reduced to a single row, instead irregularly arranged.

Etymology.

The species epithet was formed from the Latin ferrous (made of iron) and pulvis (dust) and reflects both the red dust of the collection locality and the rusty-brown colour of the wings. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Apantelesferripulvis is currently only known from a single specimen from central QLD.

Molecular information.

Apantelesferripulvis contains sequences currently in BIN BOLD:ADL4706. The COI sequences are at least 6% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 3 bp different to any other species. The molecular delimitation methods other than wgASAP separated A.ferripulvis as a discrete species; wgASAP grouped the species with the QLD individuals of A.lamingtonensis.

. Apanteles focusalis

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

B36BC50B-A119-5533-8630-FCFBD12D0C8B

https://zoobank.org/D3D9964F-D8B9-47F8-9D0B-91825F827C4D

Fig. 5B (distribution), Fig. 36 (holotype)

Figure 36. — *Apantelesfocusalis* (holotype AUMIC474-18) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–T3 C lateral head D fore wing E dorsal habitus F anterior head G dorsal head.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; NT, Keep River National Park: Bail-Me-Up Cr. 23.7 km SSW Jarrnarm Camp Ground; -15.9653, 129.031; 13–20 Jun. 2001; ME Irwin, FD Parker, C Lambkin leg.; Malaise in dry creekbed; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC474-18; ANIC: 32-130232.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.1 mm; fore wing length: 2.3 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.7. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with ten pits; mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.2. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width ~2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly smooth; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.8.

Apantelesfocusalis can be separated from most of the other species of Apanteles with dark metacoxa and metafemur, ovipositor sheaths > 0.6 × metatibia length, and antenna similar length or longer than body length, by having the metatibia mostly pale, the pterostigma uniformly coloured without a paler centre or pale spot on the proximal corner, and T1 mostly smooth with only a small rugose area in the centre. We do not diagnose this species against A.sinusulus, but as the species are not closely related based on molecular data, they can be identified through DNA barcoding and the placement of the sequences on a phylogeny in the context of the holotype barcodes.

Etymology.

This species was collected in a campground, a place which invokes imagery of campfires and warmth. The species was named for this location and also in honour of the love that KJO’s husband, Jordan Pincher, holds for cosy fires. The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘pertaining to hearth, fireplace, central point’.

Distribution.

Apantelesfocusalis is currently only known from a single specimen from northern NT.

Molecular information.

The holotype of Apantelesfocusalis is the only sequence in BIN BOLD:ADL3396. The COI sequences are at least 3% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is at least 7 bp different to any other species and all delimitation methods resolved A.focusalis as a discrete species.

. Apanteles fundulus

Nixon, 1965

E8BC0BAA-4726-5F7C-92E0-4E5A9AA923E2

Fig. 6B (distribution), Fig. 37A (holotype)

Figure 37. — AApantelesfundulus holotype (*NHM*) BApantelespersephone holotype (*NHM*).

Examined material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; S.E. QLD; Tambourine Mts.; 1–9 May1935; R. E. Turner leg.

An image of the holotype held in the NHM (Fig. 37A), with the description of the species (Nixon, 1965) were used as the basis of the diagnosis of this species.

Diagnosis.

Apantelesfundulus can be separated from other species of Apanteles known from Australia with a dark metacoxa, dark metafemur, the pterostigma without a pale centre area, the ovipositor sheath length > 0.6 × metatibia length, and the antenna similar length to the body by the metatibia mostly pale with a darker area only in the distal 1/3, T1 mostly smooth, with small rugose ‘trough’ in centre, the pterostigma with small pale spot at proximal corner; and setae on T3–T6 reduced to single row at posterior edge of tergite.

Notes.

We do not believe we have collected any material of A.fundulus in this study. As with all species before the advent of DNA barcoding, if it was possible to sequence DNA of the type, the placement of A.fundulus amongst modern material would be more certain.

. Apanteles galleriae

Wilkinson, 1932

D73865B0-3167-5EC6-B75D-B691548B416E

Fig. 38 (examined material)

Holotype information.

♀; France (NHM).

Examined material.

Type not examined, but images of a female specimen from France (CNC497178) and one female with label data “India. N.P. Bee Res. Stat. Nagrota - Bagwan (Kangra) VI.1984; of Achroiagrisella in hives of Apisindica, C.I.E.A. 16226; Apantelesgalleriae Wilk. det. A.D. Austin, 1984.” (WINC) formed the basis of the diagnosis.

Diagnosis.

Apantelesgalleriae can be separated from the other species of Apanteles known from Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur, and the pterostigma without a pale centre and the ovipositor sheath length > 0.6 × metatibia length by having the antennae significantly shorter (~ 0.6–0.7×) than body length and T3 with multiple rows of setae.

Notes.

Apantelesgalleriae is a parasitoid of several species of wax moths (Pyralidae) associated with honey bees (Fernández-Triana et al. 2014) and the species is found in numerous countries around the world (Fernández-Triana et al. 2020). Whilst the species definitely occurs in New Zealand, confirmed by DNA barcoding (e.g., BOLD Process ID: NZMG202-11), we have not confirmed the presence of the species in Australia during this study. The record of A.galleriae occurring in Australia is from Austin and Dangerfield (1992), but we have not been able to trace that record to the corresponding literature or specimens.

. Apanteles hades sp. nov.

6B5B68F5-762C-548A-9F2D-904D54B9D600

https://zoobank.org/B484A091-F85E-4492-BFED-C4F10DD5247A

Fig. 4C (distribution), Fig. 39 (holotype/paratype)

Figure 39. — *Apanteleshades*A lateral habitus (holotype AUMIC244-18) B propodeum and T1–3 (holotype AUMIC244-18) C fore wing (paratype OZBOL412-21) D dorsal head (holotype AUMIC244-18) E anterior head (holotype AUMIC244-18) F dorsal habitus and wings (holotype AUMIC244-18).

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; NSW, Pearl Beach, Cormellin Biological Field Station; -33.5511, 151.298; Dec. 2009; A.D. Austin leg.; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC244-18; AM: K.647421. Paratypes. Australia • ♂; NSW, Barren Grounds, NR 21 m NE off Barren Ground Rd.; -34.6697, 150.712; 1–6 Feb. 2020; K. M. Bayless & J. G. Lumbers leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1166-24; ANIC: 32-085543. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1168-24; ANIC: 32-085544. • ♀; NSW, Budderoo NP, Carrington Falls, off Boundary Tk.; -34.6276, 150.655; 3–10 Feb. 2020; K. M. Bayless, J. G. Lumbers & D. K. Yeates leg.; 6m Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1171-24; ANIC: 32-085545. • ♀; NSW, Pearl Beach, Cormellin Biological Field Station; -33.5511, 151.298; Nov. 2009; A.D. Austin leg.; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC241-18; AM: K.647422. • ♀; as previous except: Dec. 2009; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC245-18; AM: K.647423. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC304-18; AM: K.647424. • ♀; QLD, Cainbable Quarry, OF; -28.145, 153.113; 06–22 Jan. 2009; G. Monteith leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC070-18; QM: T208347. • ♀; QLD, Cliento Conservation Reserve Nambour; -26.6146, 152.953; 02 Oct. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL412-21; QM: T261231.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.5 mm; fore wing length: 2.3 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.3; F14L/W ratio: 1.1. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with ten pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.6. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.1.

Apanteleshades is part of a trio of species (with A.alatomicans and A.magicus) that are difficult to diagnose morphologically from each other; for the identification of these species, we recommend DNA barcoding and the placement of the unknown sequence in the context of a phylogeny that includes validated sequences. However, A.hades can be separated from the other described species of Apanteles known from Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur, pterostigma without a pale centre, ovipositor sheaths approximately the same length as the metatibia, and antennae of similar length to the length of the body, by having the metatibia with a very pale (almost white) discrete band in the proximal 1/3 and otherwise dark and with infuscation on fore wing which is restricted to area around veins r and 1CUb.

Etymology.

The species epithet references Hades, the god of the Underworld in ancient Greek mythology, and was inspired by the morphological similarity of this species (amongst others) to A. persephone Nixon; Persephone was Queen of the Underworld and Hades’ spouse. The epithet should be treated as a noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Apanteleshades is known from along the east coast of Australia.

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apanteleshades are currently in two BINs: BOLD:ADL5325 and BOLD:ADL3408. The sequences in different BINs are up to 4.5% divergent, which is irregularly high for intraspecific divergence in microgastrines. However, the wg sequences of individuals in the two BINs are identical to each other, and at least 3 bp different to other species. COIASAP and wgPTP delimitation analyses resolved A.hades as a discrete species, COIPTP split the species into two (following the BINs/2% divergence grouping), whilst wgASAP grouped the species with A.alatomicans. Apanteleshades is therefore not a well resolved species, however we have taken the balanced approach to split it from A.alatomicans but retain individuals from both BINs listed above in a single species because of the identical nuclear gene, despite the large divergence in COI. More data, including host information or further genetics, may resolve this species more clearly.

. Apanteles hemara

Nixon, 1965

608D43CA-DF65-5EAF-B77A-B8C72BBF5147

Fig. 40

Holotype information.

♀; India (NHM).

Examined material.

Images of the holotype were examined alongside images of verified specimens held in the CNC. The redescription in Fernández-Triana et al. (2017) was also consulted to form the diagnosis.

Diagnosis.

Apantleshemara is particularly distinctive amongst the other species of Apanteles in Australia. It can be distinguished from other species with a dark metacoxa and pale trochanter by the T2 entirely sculptured with strong longitudinal striae, the T1 slightly widening on posterior 1/2 and entirely and coarsely sculptured, and propodeum mostly smooth but with complete and strong lateral carinae.

Notes.

The record of A.hemara occurring in Australia comes from the original description of Nixon (1965) where he lists a specimen from the “F.C.T. [ACT]”. However, we have not located or examined the specimen, which we assume would be located in the NHM or potentially ANIC. Regardless, we did not collect any conspecific specimens in Australia during this study. Apanteleshemara is reported to parasitise several species of moths in the families Choreutidae and Crambidae, including species which occur in Australia.

. Apanteles insulanus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

6583EC46-AF3C-5276-8FC6-AFA27CD9D4E9

https://zoobank.org/94FDDCCE-4F92-406B-83FC-178BE993FB4C

Fig. 4C (distribution), Fig. 41 (holotype)

Figure 41. — *Apantelesinsulanus* (holotype AUMIC1205-24) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 C dorsal head D anterior head E dorsal habitus and wings.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; NSW, Lord Howe Island, Lidgbird, East shelf.; -31.5636, 159.085; 9–16 Feb. 2017; C.A. Reid leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1205-24; AM: K.377411.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 3.0 mm; fore wing length: 2.9 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.5; F14L/W ratio: 1.2. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with nine pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.7. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.4.

Apantelesinsulanus can be separated from most other species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur and the pterostigma without a pale centre, the ovipositor sheath length >0.6 × metatibia length and the antenna of similar size to the body length by the pterostigma having a small pale spot proximally, the metatibia displaying a gradient of colouration from pale to dark, the colours merging in the centre, T1 with strong sculpture over at least most of posterior 1/2 of tergite, mesoscutellar disc with at most scattered punctures along margins, and fore wing vein 1M much less pigmented (often transparent/pale) compared to pigmentation of vein 1CUa. Compared to A.brockhedgesi, A.insulanus has the scutoscutellar sulcus comparatively wider and with comparatively larger pits. The species can currently be best separated from A.ramsaris by DNA barcoding, and placement of the unknown sequence in the context of a phylogeny with the holotype barcodes of both species.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘of or pertaining to an island’ and relates to the collection locality.

Distribution.

Apantelesinsulanus is currently only known from one specimen collected on Lord Howe Island as part of an Australian Museum expedition.

Molecular information.

The holotype of Apantelesinsulanus is the only sequence in BIN BOLD:AFQ4216. The COI sequences are at least 2.4% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is at least 2 bp different to any other species. Most delimitation methods resolved A.insulanus as a discrete species, except for wgASAP and PTP, which grouped the species with A.ramsaris.

Remarks.

We do not have a strong morphological character to separate A.insulanus from A.ramsaris, and as both the COI and wg sequences have low divergences, it is possible these species are conspecific. However, because of the concordance among the majority of the molecular delimitation methods, and the disparate collection localities (Riverland SA and Lord Howe Island) we split this group into two species for now.

. Apanteles ippeus

Nixon, 1965

93C1652A-5A9D-529D-9E2F-BFC82CE34FA3

Fig. 5A (distribution), Fig. 42 (examined material), Fig. 43B (holotype)

Figure 43. — AApantelesvala (holotype, *NHM*) BApantelesippeus (holotype, *NHM*).

Holotype information.

♀; Australia, Canberra, “bred from Plutellamaculipennis, (F. Wilson)” (NHM). Images of the type examined.

Examined material.

64♀, 13♂, 2?; from ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, and WA; see Suppl. material 3 for full collection details.

Diagnosis.

Apantelesippeus can be separated from the other species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur, the pterostigma without a pale centre, the ovipositor sheaths > 0.6 × metatibia length and the antenna of similar length to the body length by T1 having very straight parallel sides, the pterostigma with large conspicuous pale spot and propodeal areola narrower than most species (i.e., as in Fig. 42B).

Notes.

The specimens collected in this study were initially identified through a DNA barcode match to a specimen collected and sequenced as part of an investigation into predators and parasitoids in brassica crops in southern Australia (Juen et al. 2012). Morphology aligned with that of the holotype of A.ippeus, reared from Plutellaxylostella, a known pest of brassica in Australia, and we therefore consider this a reasonably reliable identification.

. Apanteles kelpiellus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

975B4319-8C35-56E7-8E45-1CBCD17C2C09

https://zoobank.org/E775FEF6-7634-42DC-BEA8-7012DF6FA7DA

Fig. 5B (distribution), Fig. 44 (holotype)

Figure 44. — *Apanteleskelpiellus* (holotype AUMIC334-18) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum T1–2 C dorsal head D anterior head E dorsal habitus and wings.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Kuranda; -16.8154, 145.643; 16 Mar.–12 Apr. 2017; M.S. Moulds leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC334-18; QM: T261199. Paratypes. Australia • ♂; QLD, Daintree National Park; -16.0765, 145.472; 28 m; 17 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries & J. B. Dorey leg.; Sweeping vegetation; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1233-24; QM: T261200. • ♀; QLD, Kuranda; -16.8154, 145.643; 16 Mar.–12 Apr. 2017; M.S. Moulds leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC330-18; QM: T261201.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.0 mm; fore wing length: 2.2 mm. Head: anterior scape colour moderately paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 3.2; F14L/W ratio: 1.4. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with eight pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.0. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.7.

Apanteleskelpiellus can be separated from the other described species of Apanteles known from Australia with a dark metacoxa by the metafemur mostly dark with pale area only in proximal 1/4, T2 smooth, and the anterior side of scape moderately paler than head colour.

Etymology.

The species epithet means ‘little kelpie’. A kelpie is a breed of dog in Australia commonly used as a sheepdog or companion animal. The epithet references the yellow anterior of the scape of the new species, which resembles the spots above a kelpie’s eyes. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Apanteleskelpiellus is currently only known from northern QLD.

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apanteleskelpiellus are currently in BIN BOLD:ADL3948. The COI sequences are at least 7% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is at least 5 bp different to any other species. Most delimitation methods resolved A.kelpiellus as a discrete species, however COIPTP split one of the paratypes apart, and wgPTP grouped the species with A.margaritarius.

. Apanteles lamingtonensis

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

1CDE045E-B5B0-5E91-8A15-E2093BFEE586

https://zoobank.org/0C18363E-00D1-4563-980D-5301FD1B112E

Fig. 5B (distribution), Fig. 45 (holotype)

Figure 45. — *Apanteleslamingtonensis* (holotype AUMIC436-18) A lateral habitus B anterior head C dorsal propodeum and T1–T3 D dorsal head E fore and hind wing F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Lamington NP; -28.21, 153.139; 15–25 Jan. 2007; C Lambkin, N. Starick leg.; Malaise trap; IBISCA Plot # IQ-500-C rainforest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC436-18; QM: T208354. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; QLD, Lamington NP; -28.21, 153.139; 15–25 Jan. 2007; C Lambkin, N. Starick leg.; Malaise trap; IBISCA Plot # IQ-500-C rainforest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC435-18; QM: T208352. • ♀; QLD, Lamington NP; -28.188, 153.121; 10–20 Apr. 2007; Lambkin, Marcora, Starick leg.; Malaise trap; IBISCA Plot # IQ-700-A rainforest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC439-18; QM: T208353.

Examined material.

Australia • ♀; ACT, Canberra, CSIRO Black Mountain, close to Botanic Garden fence; -35.2736, 149.102; 31 Jan.–6 Feb. 2018; T. Pleines & J. Rodriguez leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1149-24; ANIC: 32-085546. • ♀; as previous except: 2 Apr.–17 Aug. 2017; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1000-24; ANIC: 32-085547.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.0 mm; fore wing length: 2.1 mm. Head: anterior scape colour slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 3.0; F14L/W ratio: 0.9. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with six pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.3. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.0.

Apanteleslamingtonensis can be diagnosed from the other species with a dark metacoxa and metafemur, the outer side of metatibia mostly dark with a discrete proximal paler area, antennae of similar length to the body, an ovipositor > 0.6 × metatibia length, and the pterostigma uniformly pigmented (no hyaline centre or large pale spot), by infuscation on fore wing that covers most of membrane, and T3–6 with setae reduced to a single row.

Etymology.

The epithet is an adjective formed from the type locality, Lamington National Park.

Distribution.

Apanteleslamingtonensis is currently known from the east coast of QLD and potentially from the ACT (see Remarks).

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apanteleslamingtonensis are currently in BIN BOLD:ADL3013. The COI sequences are at least 5% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of paratype AUMIC439-1 (no wg available for the holotype) is at least 3 bp different to any other species. The molecular delimitation of this species is poorly resolved, with COI divergence <2%, and the sequences of both the QLD and ACT material group in a single BIN. However, COIASAP groups the species with A.magicus, COIPTP splits one sequence (not examined material, a sequence on BOLD from QLD) from the other A.lamingtonensis material, there are two wg haplotypes 5 bp different that match the wgPTP split (split between QLD and ACT individuals), and the wgASAP analysis groups the species with A.ferripulvis. In short, molecular delimitation failed to reach any sort of concordance.

Remarks.

It is important to note that the individuals from the ACT are much darker (the classic black/dark brown colouration found in most Australian Apanteles) than the holotype, the antennae are uniformly dark brown, and they have less infuscation on the membrane (so that they become difficult to separate from the wing infuscation of species like A.alatomicans). There is also slight variation in the rugosity of the propodeum, with the ACT specimens with more rugose sculpturing on the anterior 1/2 of the propodeum. With the incongruence of the molecular delimitation, including the wg barcodes being 5 bp different to the individuals from Lamington NP (the type locality) it is very possible that the ACT specimens are actually a different species. For now, we assign the ACT material to A.lamingtonensis but do not include them in the type series, and hope that greater sampling effort can help better define the species boundaries.

. Apanteles ligdus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

2D4EF4E9-A85D-58C5-A25D-30C7D3F3F82B

https://zoobank.org/4F444A0A-3DC8-4EED-B65E-8741B83AB7D8

Fig. 5A (distribution), Fig. 46 (holotype)

Figure 46. — *Apantelesligdus* (holotype AUMIC729-23) A lateral habitus B dorsal head C anterior head D fore and hind wing E dorsal propodeum and T1–3 F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Specimen Hill, Herberton; -17.3823, 145.372; 14 Mar. 2021; E.P. Beaver, M.F. Braby leg.; Reared from Instar III larva of Ogyrisiphis (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) collected 05 March 2021 on Dendrophthoe sp.; wasp larva emerged and pupated same day. Adult eclosed 14 March 2021; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC729-23; QM: T261208. Paratype. Australia • ♂; as previous except: wasp larva emerged and pupated 14 March 2021, adult eclosed 21 March 2021; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC728-23; QM: T261209.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 3.4 mm; fore wing length: 2.8 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.3; F14L/W ratio: 1.4. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with 13 pits; mesoscutellar disc with punctures in outer regions, centre smooth; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.6. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 with fine sculpture; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.4.

Apantelesligdus can be separated from most other species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur, the pterostigma without a pale centre, and the ovipositor sheath length < 0.5 × the metatibia length, by T1 parallel sided; the median length of propodeum 1.2 × the maximum width of areola. Apantelesligdus can be separated from A.ethanbeaveri by the scutoscutellar sulcus narrower and with much smaller pits, T2 comparatively more transverse and T2 with posterior margin more or less straight or very slightly curved.

Etymology.

The species epithet references Ligdus from Greek mythology, who threatened to kill his child (Iphis) if it was born female; relevant because the new species parasitises and kills the lepidopteran Ogyrus iphis. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Apantelesligdus is currently only known from one collection event in northern QLD, from two different host individuals of Ogyrisiphis on Dendrophthoe sp.

Molecular information.

The two sequences of A.ligdus are currently in BIN BOLD:AFF1514. The COI sequences are at least 2.4% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 1 bp different to A.ethanbeaveri, and ≥ 10 bp different to any other species. The molecular delimitation of this species relative to A.ethanbeaveri is poorly resolved: BINs, a 2% threshold, COIPTP and the wg haplotypes split the two species, COIASAP and wgASAP and wgPTP grouped the two species together.

Remarks.

The collectors who reared the type series are professional lepidopterists, and therefore the host records of this species should be treated with reasonable confidence. The species is closely related to A.ethanbeaveri and may potentially be conspecific. We feel the available evidence at present supports considering them as being distinct species (multiple subtle morphological differences, > 2% COI divergence, wg barcodes 1 bp different, non-overlapping host species) but a larger sample size and further study may change this species hypothesis.

. Apanteles magicus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

5A0F58D7-0E40-5170-A490-E00B390E69AE

https://zoobank.org/23F2FDF6-8F1C-41DC-B93E-F4867C299103

Fig. 6A (distribution), Fig. 47 (holotype), Fig. 48 (paratype)

Figure 47. — *Apantelesmagicus* (holotype AUMIC620-23) A dorsal head B lateral habitus C anterior head D dorsal mesoscutellar disc, propodeum and T1–3 E dorsal habitus.

Figure 48. — *Apantelesmagicus* (paratype AUMIC283-18) A anterior head B lateral head C dorsal propodeum and T1– 2 D fore and hind wing E dorsal head F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; SA, Kangaroo Island, Lot 51 HA just near end of driveway near 3^rd power pole; -35.9038, 137.551; 13–17 Apr. 2020; R. Glatz leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC620-23; SAMA: 32-47763. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; ACT, Canberra, Black Mtn Res; -35.2741, 149.111; 28 Feb.–19 Mar. 2018; K. M. Bayless leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1200-24; ANIC: 32-085548. • ♀; ACT, Namadgi NP Birrigai, track to Mushroom Rock; -35.458, 148.961; 27 Nov.–05 Dec. 2018; Evangelista & Rodriguez leg.; Malaise trap; Bush Blitz; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC986-24; ANIC: 32-085549. • ♀; ACT, Tidbinbilla Nat. Res., Birrigai Outdoor School; -34.4538, 148.959; 27 Nov.–05 Feb. 2018; Evangelista & Rodriquez leg.; Malaise trap; Bush Blitz; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1170-24; ANIC: 32-085550. • ♀; NSW, Bendemeer; -30.819, 151.142; 9–23 Feb. 2020; A. Goodwin & R. Noakes leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1006-24; ANIC: 32-085564. • ♀; NSW, Yanununbeyan; Apple Box Flat; Woolcara Ln; -35.5478, 149.352; 6 Nov.–03 Dec. 2020; KM Bayless, T Wallenius leg.; Malaise trap over seasonal stream; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC844-23; ANIC: 32-085551. • ♀; NT, Casurina coastal Reserve Darwin; -12.3617, 130.868; 14 Jun. 2005; Austin/PCD leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC111-18; ANIC: 32-085565. • ♂; QLD, Cape Melville NP, Bathurst Bay, creek upstream from Nookai day-use area; -14.3994, 144.458; 7–11 Nov. 2019; C. J. Burwell leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC976-24; QM: T261178. • ♂; QLD, as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC978-24; QM: T261179. • ♀; QLD, Cape York, Steve Irwin Reserve, Bluebottle Ck.; -12.3589, 142.237; 24–26 Jul. 2018; C. Lambkin leg.; White pan trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC981-24; QM: T261180. • ♀; QLD, Cliento Conservation Reserve Nambour; -26.6146, 152.953; 02 Oct. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL410-21; QM: T261255. • ♀; QLD, Cooktown, Grassy hill lookout; -15.4604, 145.254; 18 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries & J. B. Dorey leg.; Sweeping vegetation; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1224-24; QM: T261256. • ♀; QLD, Cow Bay, Cape Tribulation, Daintree Discovery Centre; -16.2382, 145.427; 13 Jun. 2015; C.J. Bennett leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: GMQQT456-18; QM: T261273. • ♀; QLD, Cowra; -33.8345, 148.683; 12 Dec. 2019; J. B. Dorey leg.; General sweep over tall ?Angophora sp. in park right next to river.; Some other floral resources available nearby, Eucalyptus on far side of river. Sunny, warm and quite smokey 30C; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1120-24; QM: T261257. • ♀; QLD, Kuranda; -16.8135, 145.643; 8 Jan.–11 Feb. 2020; M. S. Moulds leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1194-24; QM: T261258. • ♀; QLD, Laura; -15.5594, 144.445; 15 Nov. 2019; J. B. Dorey leg.; General sweep off tree near end of flowering in township.; Hot and sunny ~ 32C; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1184-24; QM: T261259. • ♀; QLD, Noosa National Park; -26.4008, 153.106; 02 Oct. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL420-21; QM: T261260. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: OZBOL421-21; QM: T261261. • ♀; QLD, Plevna Downs, Tompilly Hill base (PD6 M); -26.728, 142.651; 16 Sep.–2 Oct. 2008; Lambkin Mackenzie Starick leg.; Malaise trap; Gidgee; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC114-18; QM: T208346. • ♀; QLD, Stanthorpe, Mt Marlay Lookout; -28.6537, 151.946; 27 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; Sweeping vegetation; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1206-24; QM: T261262. • ♀; QLD, Townsville, Hermit Park; -19.2829, 146.801; 01 Jan. 2017; Graeme Cocks leg.; light trap; BOLD Process ID: GCQT064-17; QM: T261274. • ♀; QLD, Wide water reserve bush camp near Taroom; -25.6262, 149.794; 25 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; Sweeping vegetation; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1068-24; QM: T261263. • ♂; SA, Adelaide, Sheidow Park, Hamilton Court; -35.0774, 138.536; 31 Mar. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries & R. Ellinger leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC966-24; SAMA: 32-47824. • ♀; SA, Belair N.P. Gate 11; -35.009, 138.654; 11–24 Nov. 2007; J.T. Jennings leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC206-18; SAMA: 32-47825. • ♀; as previous except: 08–30 Mar. 2008; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC209-18; SAMA: 32-47826. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC211-18; SAMA: 32-47827. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC215-18; SAMA: 32-47828. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC426-18; SAMA: 32-47836. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC216-18; SAMA: 32-47829. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC218-18; SAMA: 32-47830. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC263-18; SAMA: 32-47831. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC265-18; SAMA: 32-47832. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC260-18; SAMA: 32-47840. • ♀; as previous except: 1–8 Mar. 2008; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC266-18; SAMA: 32-47833. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC267-18; SAMA: 32-47834. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC268-18; SAMA: 32-47835. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC227-18; SAMA: 32-47838. • ♀; as previous except: 25 Nov.–1 Dec. 2007; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC461-18; SAMA: 32-47837. • ♀; as previous except: 2–5 Dec. 2006; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC351-18; SAMA: 32-47839. • ♂; SA, Calperum station homestead; -34.0428, 140.712; 14 Apr. 2021; B.A. Parslow, A.J. Bird leg.; Light sheet (LepiLED); BOLD Process ID: AUMIC867-23; SAMA: 32-47770. • ♂; as previous except; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC869-23; SAMA: 32-47771. • ♀; SA, Cox Scrub Con. Pk.; -35.3311, 138.747; 27 Dec. 2003–17 Jan. 2004; A. Austin leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC283-18; SAMA: 32-47841. • ♂; SA, Hiltaba Shearers Quarters; -32.1608, 135.092; 27 Sep. 2021; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Methane vapour light; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC697-23; WINC: 32-47842. • ♀; SA, Kangaroo Island, Lot 51 HA just near end of driveway near 3^rd power pole; -35.9038, 137.551; 20–26 Mar. 2021; R. Glatz leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC921-23; SAMA: 32-47764. • ♀; SA, Mt Barker, 8 km S Bugle Ranges; -35.113, 138.871; 31 Mar.–7 Apr. 2008; R. Lavigne leg.; Mallee Scrub; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC009-18; SAMA: 32-47843. • ♀; SA, nr Wistow; -35.115, 138.912; 01.–08 Oct. 2001; Malaise Trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC270-18; SAMA: 32-47844. • ♀; WA, Albany Highway. Gleneagle State Forest.; -32.2711, 116.163; 03 Apr.–7 May. 2005; M.S. Harvey leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC016-18; WAM: 130569. • ♀; WA, Barrow Island; -20.8647, 115.407; 6 May. 2006; S. Callan & R. Graham leg.; N05 SUC; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC032-18; WAM: 130570. • ♀; WA, Gleneagle State Forest; -32.2711, 116.163; 29 Nov. 2005; M.S. Harvey leg.; Malaise Trap; date assumed trap collection end, unknown start date; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC018-18; WAM: 130571. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC284-18; WAM: 130572. • ♂; WA, Kariijini NP, Weano Gorge Rd; -22.3883, 118.256; 711 m; 25 Apr.–14 May. 2003; C Lambkin, T Weir leg.; Malaise beside drying pool bank in grassland; ANIC 2054; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL472-21; ANIC: 32-085552. • ♀; WA, Karikini NP, Juna Downs Rd; -22.7394, 118.407; 19–25 Apr. 2003; C. Lambkin & T. Weir leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1389-24; ANIC: 32-085553. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1388-24; WAM: 32-085554.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.6 mm; fore wing length: 2.3 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.6; F14L/W ratio: 1.2. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with ten pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.5. Some infuscation present on the fore wing membrane (not present on all specimens). Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.7 (0.7–1.2 in paratypes).

Apantelesmagicus can be separated from most of the other species of Apanteles in Australia by the metafemur and metacoxa dark in colouration, the ovipositor sheath length > 0.6 × metatibia length, the antenna similar length to the body length, the pterostigma not paler in the centre, the metatibia mostly dark, and T1 with strong rugose sculpturing, and infuscation on the fore wing restricted to the area around r and 1CUb veins. Apantelesmagicus can be difficult to morphologically diagnose against A.hades and A.alatomicans, and some specimens lack the infuscation in the fore wing. This species is morphologically not particularly distinct, and ideally identification should be confirmed with molecular data.

Etymology.

This species name is inspired by EPFJ’s husband, Rob Ellinger, who helped collect one of the specimens during a suburban walk during COVID lockdowns in South Australia. The epithet magicus is the Latin adjective for magical and relates to R. Ellinger’s profession as a magician. The name is also fitting for this species because of its seemingly magical distribution and common collection yet complete lack of reared records and host data... and perhaps, like a magic trick, the species is not all that it seems as suggested by the complex molecular delimitation and potential for cryptic species.

Distribution.

Apantelesmagicus is a very broadly distributed species throughout Australia that appears to be found in an incredibly wide range of habitats.

Molecular information.

The specimens assigned to Apantelesmagicus are currently spread across five BINs on BOLD: BOLD:ADG0556, BOLD:ADY2399, BOLD:ADW8360, BOLD:ADL5561, BOLD:ADG0556, and BOLD:ADL5484. Despite this, there is only a maximum of 2.6% divergence among the COI barcodes of the species, and > 6% divergence to any other species included in the analysis. There are three wg haplotypes currently assigned to the species, up to 3 bp difference among them.

Remarks.

This species appears to be highly variable, with multiple COI and wg haplotypes and variation amongst paratypes in morphological characters such as the wing infuscation and hind tibia colouration. It is also one of the most commonly collected and widely distributed species of Apanteles in Australia, and would be a good candidate for intensive research to establish the species boundaries more definitively.

. Apanteles margaritarius

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

ABCD43B7-3B70-5644-8D87-8092E46850F6

https://zoobank.org/76E36B28-8CB6-4753-8809-E3CEEC9DB092

Fig. 5C (distribution), Fig. 49 (paratype)

Figure 49. — *Apantelesmargaritarius*A lateral habitus (paratype AUMIC282-18) B dorsal head (paratype AUMIC282-18) C anterior head (holotype AUMIC1148-24) D dorsal propodeum and T1–3 (paratype AUMIC282-18) E fore wing (paratype AUMIC282-18) F dorsal habitus (paratype AUMIC282-18).

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; ACT, Canberra, CSIRO Black Mountain, close to Botanic Garden fence; -35.2736, 149.102; 538 m; 31 Jan.–6 Feb. 2018; T. Pleines & J. Rodriguez leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1148-24; ANIC: 32-085527. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; NSW, near Crommellin Biological Field Stn.; -33.5518, 151.299; 18 Feb. 2008; A.D. Austin leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC282-18; ANIC: 32-085556. • ♂; QLD, Eungella National Park, Sky Window; -21.1453, 148.499; 768 m; 23 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; Sweeping vegetation; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1239-24; ANIC: 32-085557.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.0 mm; fore wing length: 2.1 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 3.1; F14L/W ratio: 1.6. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with nine pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.1. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.9.

Apantelesmargaritarius can be separated from the other described species of Apanteles known from Australia with a dark metacoxa by the metatrochanter pale, the metafemur mostly dark with small pale area proximally, T2 smooth, anterior side of scape same or only very slightly paler than head colour, and T1 parallel sided, not strongly narrowing posteriorly.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘of/related to pearl’ and connects to the collection locality of one of the paratypes, near Pearl Caves.

Distribution.

Apantelesmargaritarius is currently known from three collection localities in eastern Australia.

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apantelesmargaritarius are currently in BIN BOLD:ADL4093. The COI sequences are at least 8% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is at least 5 bp different to any other species. Most delimitation methods resolved A.margaritarius as a discrete species, however and wgPTP grouped the species with A.kelpiellus.

. Apanteles oenone

Nixon, 1965

58FB8E41-D6C2-5219-B0A2-9F697524043B

Fig. 6B (distribution), Fig. 50 (examined material), Fig. 51 (holotype)

Figure 50. — *Apantelesoenone* (AUMIC036-18) A lateral habitus B fore wing C anterior head D dorsal head E dorsal habitus.

Figure 51. — *Apantelesoenone* holotype.

Holotype information.

♀; Australia, QLD, Ayr, 15 Jun. 1949, bred from “Eariashuegeli (W.A.S.)” [syn. Eariasvittella (Fabricius, 1794)] (NHM).

Examined material.

Australia • ♀; NT, 18 km W of Gemtree Caravan Park; -22.9651, 134.069; 01 Oct. 2018; M.M. Giannotta leg.; Sweeping; Collected from Capparis spinosa; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC862-23; ANIC: 32-085558. • ♀; NT, Gregory NP, 17.4 km N Humbert Junction; -15.9714, 130.488; 24 May–4 Jun. 2001; T Weir, K Pullen, P Bouchard leg.; Malaise in damp meadow; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC103-18; ANIC: 32-130203. • ♀; NT, Gregory NP, 5.7 km N Humbert Junction; -16.0622, 130.451; 6–12 Jun. 2001; ME Irwin, FD Parker, C Lambkin leg.; Malaise in dry creekbed; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC478-18; ANIC: 32-130235. • ♂; NT, Kakadu NP, Mirray Lookout; -12.8768, 132.704; 17 Nov. 1992; Austin/PCD leg.; Sweep net open acacia; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC110-18; ANIC: 32-085559. • ♂; NT, Keep River National Park, Bail-Me-Up Cr., 23.7 km SSW Jarrnarm Camp Ground.; -15.9653, 129.017; 13–20 Jun. 2001; M. E. Irwin, F. D. Parker & C. Lambkin leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1412-24; ANIC: 32-085531. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC037-18; ANIC: 32-130185. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC473-18; ANIC: 32-130231. • ♀; QLD, Banana, Roadside 2 km north of Banana; -24.4524, 150.138; 25 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; Sweeping vegetation, mistletoe: Dendrophthoeglabrescens; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1218-24; QM: T261215. • ♂; QLD, Eungella National Park, Fern Flats Campground; -21.1697, 148.5; 22 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; To light sheet with blue, green and UV LEDs; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1212-24; QM: T261216. • ♀; QLD, Kuranda; -16.8112, 145.635; 20 Nov. 2019; J. B. Dorey leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1186-24; QM: T261217. • ♂; QLD, Laura; -15.5811, 144.458; 15 Mar. 2017; R. Leijs leg.; Vehicle net; vehicle netting from Laura caravan park to Quinkan Bush Blitz Site SSS2 (Welcome Rd); BOLD Process ID: AUMIC973-24; QM: T261169. • ♀; QLD, Nardoo Patch, 11 km NNE 12 Mile Bore; -23.0667, 138.192; 18–21 Apr. 2007; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC034-18; ANIC: 32-130182. • ♀; QLD, Newrybar Macadamia farm; -28.7355, 153.548; 28 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1062-24; QM: T261218. • ♀; QLD, Townsville, Mt. Stuart; -19.3509, 146.801; 18 Feb. 2017; Graeme Cocks leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: GCQT689-17; CBG: gvcT09199. • ♀; QLD, Yolde Camp; -35.5452, 148.303; 12 Dec. 2019; J. B. Dorey leg.; General sweep over lots of Kunzea along roadside in schlerophyll forest.; Sunny and warm ~ 28C; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1135-24; QM: T261219. • ♀; WA, Barrow Island; -20.7847, 115.394; 1 May. 2007; S. Callan K. Edwards leg.; N28 DHC; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC183-18; WAM: 130566. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC186-18; WAM: 130567. • ♀; WA, Kariijini NP, Juna Downs Rd; -22.7394, 118.413; 25 Apr.–14 May. 2003; C Lambkin T weir leg.; Malaise dry Turee creek grassy open Eucalypt scrub; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC036-18; ANIC: 32-130184. • ♂; WA, Kununurra; 11 Jun. 1975; R. A. Meedved leg.; “ex. Pectinophoragossypiella on Cotton, R 75-44; Apantelesoenone”; BOLD Process ID: HYCND1892-11; CNC: CNCHYM 00182. • ♀; USA, Riverside Co., ex. pink bollworm; 28 Jul. 1975; lab reared, “Apantelesoenone Nixon, det. Marsh”; BOLD Process ID: HYCND1893-11; CNC: CNCHYM 00183.

Diagnosis.

Apantelesoenone can be separated from the other species of Apanteles in Australia with a dark metacoxa and dark metafemur, and a pterostigma with outer border darker than centre, the centre of pterostigma pale or transparent/hyaline by the fore wing with veins M+CU, 1 cu-a, 1M, 1CUa, 1CUb, (RS+M)a, 2RS, and 1m-cu all unpigmented/pale, T1 with rugose sculpturing, and metatibia mostly dark, or at least with distal 1/2 dark in colouration.

Notes.

The examined material was identified through a DNA match (0–4 bp difference) to two partial barcodes on BOLD from specimens identified as A.oenone. The specimens, held at the CNC, were examined and the morphology aligned with the examined material and with the original description of A.oenone.

. Apanteles pellucidus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

7260D59A-87FF-52FD-8AF1-3D95F93B1ACC

https://zoobank.org/A4D210B9-6498-45C0-8582-8BC34EFA2DB4

Fig. 5B (distribution), Fig. 52 (holotype)

Figure 52. — *Apantelespellucidus* (holotype AUMIC333-18) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 C fore wing D anterior head E dorsal head F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Kuranda; -16.8154, 145.643; 16 Mar. 2017; M.S. Moulds leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC333-18; QM: T261207.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.1 mm; fore wing length: 2.3 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.9. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with nine pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma paler (more hyaline) than outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 0.6. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.9.

Apantelespellucidus can be separated from most of the other described species of Apanteles known from Australia with a dark metafemur and metacoxa and the centre of the pterostigma pale/hyaline by fore wing vein 1CUa pigmented whilst fore wing veins M+CU and 1M pigmented no more than half of their lengths. We do not morphologically diagnose this species against A.rufiterra, but as the species are not closely related based on molecular data, they can be identified through DNA barcoding and the placement of the sequences on a phylogeny in the context of the holotype barcodes.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘clear/transparent’ and relates to the hyaline centre of the pterostigma.

Distribution.

Apantelespellucidus is currently only known from one collection locality in northeastern QLD.

Molecular information.

The holotype sequence of Apantelespellucidus is currently in BIN BOLD:ADL5338. The COI sequence is at least 8% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is at least 5 bp different to any other species. Most delimitation methods resolved A.pellucidus as a discrete species, however and wgASAP grouped the species with A.amicalis and A. sp. MRSB26 (undescribed lineage).

. Apanteles persephone

Nixon, 1965

2D9F87A0-14F9-55C5-AB22-86852FC71A45

Fig. 6B (distribution), Fig. 37B (holotype)

Holotype information.

♀; Australia, WA, Yanchep, 3–19 Dec. 1935, R. E. Turner leg. (NHM).

Examined material.

Image of the holotype and original description used to form the diagnosis.

Diagnosis.

Apantelespersephone is a difficult species to diagnose due to us having access to only a single image of the holotype. The species can be separated from many Apanteles in Australia by the dark metacoxa and metafemur, antenna of similar length to the body length, uniformly coloured pterostigma, fore wing veins 1M and 1CUa of similar pigmentation, hyaline fore wing membrane, parallel-sided and rugose T1, smooth T2, smooth mesoscutellar disc, and setae reduced to a single row on each of T3–T6. Apantelespersephone is difficult to diagnose against A.darthvaderi and A.amicalis (see key and notes under those species for more information).

Notes.

Whilst we collected several species that closely resembled A.persephone, we hesitate to designate any of our delimited lineages as this species without either DNA of the type, or at minimum a specimen from close to the type locality (currently not available).

. Apanteles phantasmatus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

7C14FCB0-B7F8-5B05-A195-6F47FA3FAB48

https://zoobank.org/B931DC22-F104-4B5B-912B-19205E5BE493

Fig. 5B (distribution), Fig. 53 (holotype)

Figure 53. — *Apantelesphantasmatus* (holotype AUMIC087-18) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 C dorsal head D anterior head E dorsal habitus and wings.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Samsonvale Cemetery, 8.5 km SSE Dayboro; -27.2703, 152.856; 5–22 Oct. 2014; S. Wright leg.; Malaise trap; Casuarina/open forest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC087-18; QM: T208361. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; NSW, Hat Head; -31.063, 153.052; 26 Dec. 2009; Paul D.N. Hebert leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: HYAS060-10; QM: T261269. • ♂; as previous except: 18 Feb. 2018; Trap #4; BOLD Process ID: NSWHO4562-18; QM: T261270. • ♀; as holotype except; 23 Sep.–05 Oct. 2014; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC071-18; QM: T208357. • ♀; as holotype except; 14 Nov.–16 Dec. 2014; S. Wright leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC090-18; QM: T208362. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC091-18; QM: T208358. • ♀; as holotype except: 22 Oct.–14 Nov. 2014; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC410-18; QM: T208363. • ♀; as holotype except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC413-18; QM: T208359. • ♀; as holotype except: 6 Jan.–8 Feb. 2015; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC414-18; QM: T208360. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1437-24; QM: T261171. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1439-24; QM: T261172. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1441-24; QM: T261173. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1443-24; QM: T261174. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1444-24; QM: T261175. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1445-24; QM: T261176. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1442-24; QM: T261177.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.3 mm; fore wing length: 2.3 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 3.1; F14L/W ratio: 1.3. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with eight pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.1. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.6.

Apantelesphantasmatus can be separated from the other species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur, ovipositor sheaths > 0.5 × metatibia length, antennae of similar size or longer than the length of the body, a completely hyaline fore wing membrane, and a uniformly pigmented pterostigma (no paler centre region, and no large pale spot on proximal corner), by the metatibia mostly dark with a very pale (almost white) band discrete and restricted to proximal 1/3 of the tibia, T3 with setae not reduced to a single row (setae more irregularly arranged), and T2 posterior width/medial length ratio ~ 4.1). The species could be confused with the individuals of A.magicus that lack fore wing infuscation, but the DNA barcodes of the two species cluster discretely in a phylogeny.

Etymology.

The species epithet is an adjective formed from the Latin noun phantasma meaning ghost and relates to the collection of most of the specimens from a cemetery.

Distribution.

Apantelesphantasmatus is currently known from the east coast of Australia.

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apantelesphantasmatus are currently in BIN BOLD:AAU8268. The COI sequences are at least 9% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequences of the species are at least 8 bp different to any other species. All delimitation methods resolved A.phantasmatus as a discrete species.

. Apanteles pharusalis

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

8E7D7112-E20F-5482-ABC4-E27FDEDCA848

https://zoobank.org/DBCF9EDA-70C4-4DFC-A46F-B32AF3EAA4F7

Fig. 5C (distribution), Fig. 54 (holotype)

Figure 54. — *Apantelespharusalis* (holotype AUMIC1223-24) A lateral habitus B anterior head C dorsal head D dorsal propodeum and T1, T2E dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Cooktown, Grassy hill lookout; -15.4604, 145.254; 140 m; 18 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries & J. B. Dorey leg.; Sweeping vegetation; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1223-24; QM: T261202. Paratypes. Australia • ♂; QLD, Townsville, Mt. Stuart; -19.3509, 146.801; 400 m; 04 Jul. 2017; Graeme Cocks leg.; netted; BOLD Process ID: GCQT1820-17; QM: T261268. • ♀; WA, Northwest Kimberly, Dambimangari Spatial block 2, M26/1R3se; -15.4011, 124.649; 28 Jan. 2013; OR Edwards & RK Didham CSIRO leg.; Malaise trap sample (7 days); BOLD Process ID: AUMIC056-18; WAM: 130554.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 1.9 mm; fore wing length: 1.7 mm. Head: anterior scape colour much paler, dramatically different colour than head; F2L/W ratio: 3.0; F14L/W ratio: 1.3. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with nine pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): all pale; metafemur colour mostly pale. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.5. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly rugose; T2 with fine sculpture; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.0.

Apantelespharusalis can be separated from all other described Apanteles species in Australia other than A.doreenwatlerae by the pale metacoxa. It can be diagnosed against A.doreenwatlerae by the T1 anterior width/posterior width ratio (~ 1.2 in A.pharusalis and ~ 1.7 in A.doreenwatlerae).

Etymology.

This species is named for the lighthouse present at the collection locality of the holotype. The species epithet is an adjective formed from the Latin pharus, which comes from Pharos, an island near Alexandria where there was a famous lighthouse.

Distribution.

Apantelespharusalis is currently known from northern Australia, from sites on both the east and west coast.

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apantelespharusalis are currently in BIN BOLD:ADL3000. The COI sequences are at least 9% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequences of the holotype is at least 7 bp different to any other species. All delimitation methods resolved A.pharusalis as a discrete species.

. Apanteles ramsaris

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

3BC20971-36A5-56EC-954D-70ECB2685EC3

https://zoobank.org/790D8547-2D60-4F77-8DB8-02578534D916

Fig. 5B (distribution), Fig. 55 (holotype)

Figure 55. — *Apantelesramsaris* (holotype AUMIC651-23). A lateral habitus B dorsal head C anterior head D dorsal propodeum and T1–3 E fore and hind wing F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; SA, Banrock site B; -34.1708, 140.319; 12–14 Dec. 2019; R. Glatz leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC651-23; SAMA: 32-47762.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.1 mm; fore wing length: 2.6 mm. Head: antennae slightly shorter than body length; anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.6; F14L/W ratio: 1.0. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with nine pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): all dark; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.2. Metasoma: T1 shape almost barrel shaped, very curved on lateral margins; T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose distal 1/2, mostly smooth basal 1/2; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.2.

Apantelesramsaris can be separated from most other described species of Apanteles in Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur and the pterostigma without a pale centre, the ovipositor sheath length > 0.6 × metatibia length by the pterostigma having a small pale spot proximally, the metatibia displaying a gradient of colouration from pale to dark, the colours merging in the centre, T1 with strong sculpture over at least most of posterior 1/2 of tergite, mesoscutellar disc with at most scattered punctures along margins, and fore wing vein 1M much less pigmented (often transparent/pale) compared to pigmentation of vein 1CUa. Compared to A.brockhedgesi, A.ramsaris has the scutoscutellar sulcus comparatively wider and with comparatively larger pits. The species can currently be best separated from A.insulanus by DNA barcoding, and placement of the unknown sequence in the context of a phylogeny with the holotype barcodes of both species (which are > 7% divergent).

Etymology.

The species epithet is an adjective formed from the term ‘Ramsar’ relating to the Ramsar accredited wetlands at Banrock Station, the collection locality.

Distribution.

Apantelesramsaris is currently only known from the type locality in the Riverland region of SA.

Molecular information.

The holotype of Apantelesramsaris is the only sequence in BIN BOLD:AFE7524. The COI sequences are at least 7% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is at least 2 bp different to any other species. Most delimitation methods resolved A.ramsaris as a discrete species, except for wgASAP and PTP, which grouped the species with A.insulanus.

. Apanteles rufiterra

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

038F20D4-E03F-549C-96B7-49FB9DAEAC5F

https://zoobank.org/97546163-7F25-45B7-AAE9-AD69FD2C93FD

Fig. 5C (distribution), Fig. 56 (holotype)

Figure 56. — *Apantelesrufiterra* (holotype AUMIC1351-24) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 C fore and hindwing D anterior head E dorsal head F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; WA, Western Pilbara, Hamersley station, Nanutarra-Wittenoom Rd., approx. 25 km NE of Railway Rd. crossing, North side of hill on East ridge.; -22.3558, 117.915; 15–19 May. 2006; Conservation Volunteers Australia leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1351-24; WAM: 130555. Paratypes. Australia • ♀; QLD, 3.6 km NW Homestead on Plum Pudding Track, Cravens Peak Station; -23.3128, 138.562; 21–24 Apr. 2007; C Lemann leg.; Malaise trap; Spinifex; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC049-18; ANIC: 32-130195. • ♂; SA, Witjira NP, Purni Bore, 88 km EbS Mt Dare Hotel; -26.2847, 136.085; 19–22 Mar. 2017; D. Yeates, A. Landford, Y. Su, X. Li, J. Lumbers & M. Irwin leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1047-24; WAM: 130556. • ♀; WA, Karikini NP, Juna Downs Rd; -22.7394, 118.407; 19–25 Apr. 2003; C. Lambkin & T. Weir leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1386-24; WAM: 130557. • ♀; WA, Watheroo NP, Jingemia Caves; -30.2542, 115.999; 273 m; 17 Sep.–7 Nov. 2003; C Lambkin, N Starick, J Recsei leg.; Malaise closed heath; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC448-18; ANIC: 32-130210. • ♀; WA, Western Pilbara, Hamersley station, Nanutarra-Wittenoom Rd., approx. 10 km NE of Railway Rd. crossing, nr railway crossing; -22.4433, 117.813; 22–27 Sep. 2005; Conservation Volunteers Australia leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1316-24; AM: K.247579. • ♂; WA, Western Pilbara, Hamersley station, Nanutarra-Wittenoom Rd., approx. 13 km NE of Railway Rd. crossing, near fence line; -22.4356, 117.83; 27–30 May. 2004; A. Donnelly & G. Carter leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1350-24; WAM: 130558.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.5 mm; fore wing length: 2.4 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.8; F14L/W ratio: 1.4. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with 12 pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.9. Metasoma: T1 shape narrowing in posterior third, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly smooth; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.6.

Apantelesrufiterra can be separated from most of the other described species of Apanteles known from Australia with a dark metafemur and metacoxa and the centre of the pterostigma pale/hyaline by fore wing vein 1CUa pigmented whilst fore wing veins M+CU and 1M pigmented no more than half of their lengths. We do not morphologically diagnose this species against A.pellucidus, but as the species are not closely related based on molecular data, they can be identified through DNA barcoding and the placement of the sequences on a phylogeny in the context of the holotype barcodes.

Etymology.

The species epithet is roughly translated as ‘red earth/dirt’ from the Latin rufus (reddish) and terra (earth/soil) and relates to the beautiful red earth of many of the collection localities of this species in outback Australia. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Apantelesrufiterra is found throughout the central latitudes of Australia, in both SA and WA.

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apantelesrufiterra are currently in BIN BOLD:ADL3292. The COI sequences are at least 8% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequences of the species are at least 19 bp different to any other species. All delimitation methods resolved A.rufiterra as a discrete species.

. Apanteles sinusulus

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

F23523C0-D493-51BA-843B-FC7F81EECE5D

https://zoobank.org/D4A177E6-018B-4AC7-859E-4F6AE5E7CC33

Fig. 6A (distribution), Fig. 57 (holotype)

Figure 57. — *Apantelessinusulus* (holotype AUMIC1313-24) A lateral habitus B anterior head C dorsal head D dorsal propodeum and T1–T3 E lateral habitus and wings.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; WA, Western Pilbara, Hamersley station, Nanutarra-Wittenoom Rd., approx. 25 km NE of Railway Rd. crossing, North side of hill on East ridge; -22.3558, 117.915; 15–19 May. 2006; Conservation Volunteers Australia leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1313-24; WAM: 130561. Paratypes. • 1? (missing metasoma); NSW, Canterbury-Bankstown region, Little Salt Pan Creek; -33.9606, 151.027; 08 Feb. 2006; K. Harvey & J. Lee leg.; vacuum sampler; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1338-24; AM: K.379883. • ♀; NSW, Canterbury-Bankstown region, Little Salt Pan Creek; -33.9606, 151.027; 08 Feb. 2006; K. Harvey & J. Lee leg.; vacuum sampler; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1337-24; AM: K.646432. • ♂; QLD, Townsville, Hermit Park; -19.2829, 146.801; 10 m; 14 Feb. 2017; Graeme Cocks leg.; UV Light trap; BOLD Process ID: GCQT658-17; WAM: 130562. • ♂; as previous except: 22 Feb. 2017; BOLD Process ID: GCQT712-17; WAM: 130563. • ♀; SA, Andamooka Station; -30.727, 137.204; 31 Aug. 2016; R. Leijs leg.; Vehicle net; Bush Blitz Lake Torrens, from -30.8198802, 137.1783585 to -30.6998403, 137.1574435; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC126-18; SAMA: 32-035446. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC359-18; SAMA: 32-035447. • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1252-24; SAMA: 32-035788. • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC136-18; SAMA: 32-035456. • ♀; SA, Andamooka Station, 3.1 km ESE Andamooka HS; -30.7394, 137.229; 31 Aug.–3 Sep. 2016; B.A. Parslow & G. Taylor leg.; Malaise trap; chenopods on gibber BS 1097 AND002, Bushblitz Lake Torrens; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC132-18; SAMA: 32-035790. • ♀; SA, Australian Arid Land Botanic Gardens; -32.4618, 137.744; 72 m; 15 Sep. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL401-21; WAM: 130564. • ♀; SA, Streaky Bay; -32.798, 134.2; 22–29 Mar. 2022; Streaky Bay Area School students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII8316-22; SAMA: 32-47749.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.2 mm; fore wing length: 2.4 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.5; F14L/W ratio: 1.7. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with eight pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): all dark; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.4. Metasoma: T1 shape narrowing distally, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T1 mostly smooth; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 0.6.

Apantelessinusulus can be separated from most of the other species of Apanteles with dark metacoxa and metafemur, ovipositor sheaths > 0.6 × metatibia length, and antenna similar length or longer than body length, by having the metatibia mostly pale, the pterostigma uniformly coloured without a paler centre or pale spot on the proximal corner, and T1 mostly smooth with only a small rugose area in the centre. We do not morphologically diagnose this species against A.focusalis, but as the species are not closely related based on molecular data, they can be identified through DNA barcoding and the placement of the sequences on a phylogeny in the context of the holotype barcodes.

Etymology.

This species was named by students at Streaky Bay Area School (SA) who collected one of the paratypes. The epithet is a noun in apposition and means ‘little bay’, formed from the Latin ‘sinus’ (bay).

Distribution.

Apantelessinusulus has a broad distribution, with collection records in WA, SA, and NSW.

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apantelessinusulus are currently in BIN BOLD:ADH8678. The COI sequences are at least 8% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequences of the species are at least 24 bp different to any other species. All delimitation methods resolved A.sinusulus as a discrete species.

. Apanteles subandinus

Blanchard, 1947

000EE649-3B33-5E42-B03E-056E1D06579C

Fig. 58 (examined material)

Holotype information.

♀; Argentina (MACN).

Examined material.

Diagnosis based on a female specimen from the USA: CNCHYM00221 (CNC); and a female specimen with the label data: “W.A.R.I [Waite Agricultural Research Institute] Glen Osmond SA, A. Eduayah, ex Phthorimaeaoperculella; ♀Apantlessubandinus Blanchard, I.D Naumann det. 1979 (WINC).

Diagnosis.

Apantelessubandinus is extremely distinct from all other described Apanteles species known from Australia, easily separated by T1 strongly narrowing posteriorly, pterostigma with pale centre, and the propodeum smooth with areola poorly defined by rather short carinae on posterior 1/2.

Notes.

Apantelessubandinus was introduced to Australia for biocontrol of the potato tuber moth (Phthorimaeaoperculella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)) in the 1960s (Callan 1974) and was considered established, with shipments subsequently made to New Zealand in 1966 (Cameron et al. 1989). Whilst we have not collected any material that could possibly be A.subandinus during this project, it is possible it is restricted to agricultural areas where the host is present.

. Apanteles translucentis

Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.

8133CE5E-FE52-5AA5-A8CE-59B1DA389BA4

https://zoobank.org/1A1A3D07-78C4-49D5-9EA3-1ECA2325A150

Fig. 5C (distribution), Fig. 59 (holotype)

Figure 59. — *Apantelestranslucentis* (holotype AUMIC1230-24). A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T1–3 C dorsal head D anterior head E fore and hindwing F dorsal habitus.

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Banana, Roadside few km south of Banana; -24.013, 150.88; 25 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; sweeping vegetation; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC1230-24; QM: T261214.

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.8 mm; fore wing length: 2.9 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F2L/W ratio: 2.3; F14L/W ratio: 1.1. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with 11 pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly dark. Wings: centre of pterostigma paler (more hyaline) than outer edges; fore wing r vein length/2RS vein length ratio: 1.3. Metasoma: T1 shape mostly parallel, T1 medial length/anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose; T2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length/metatibia length ratio: 1.2.

Apantelestranslucentis can be separated from the other species of Apanteles in Australia which have the metacoxa and metafemur dark and the pterostigma with a paler centre by having fore wing with veins M+CU, 1 cu-a, 1M, 1CUa, 1CUb, (RS+M)a, 2RS, and 1m-cu all unpigmented or transparent, T1 with strong rugose sculpturing and the metatibia mostly pale. Apantelestranslucentis cannot be easily separated from A.aeternus using morphology, but the two species cluster discretely using COI and wg barcodes.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin participle (in the genitive case) of translucens, meaning translucent, and refers to the centre of the pterostigma.

Distribution.

Apantelestranslucentis is currently only known from one collection record in northern QLD, from the town of Banana (which is famously named after a yellowish coloured bullock called “Banana”).

Molecular information.

The DNA barcode of the holotype of Apantelestranslucentis is the only sequence currently in – BIN BOLD:AFR5983. The COI sequence is at least 4% divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is at least 4 bp different to any other species. BINs, 2% divergent threshold, COIPTP and wg haplotypes resolved A.translucentis as a discrete species, whilst wgASAP grouped it with A.oenone. COIASAP and wgPTP grouped A.translucentis, A.oenone, and A.aeternus together. This complex of species is not well resolved and would benefit from more intensive study to better establish species boundaries.

. Apanteles vala

Nixon, 1965

7C6F5A7D-F4FD-509F-9E12-09C2000260E2

Fig. 6B (distribution), Fig. 43A (holotype)

Holotype information.

♀; Australia, QLD, Tambourine Mts., 11–17 May 1935 R. E. Turner leg. (NHM).

Examined material.

Image of the type and original description used to form the diagnosis.

Diagnosis.

Apantelesvala can be separated from the other species of Apanteles in Australia with a dark metacoxa and metafemur, a uniformly pigmented pterostigma, ovipositor sheaths > 0.6 × metatibia length and antennae similar size to the body, by the metatibia mostly pale with dark colouration only on distal 1/3, T1 with strong sculpture over at least most of posterior 1/2 of tergite, mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, fore wing veins 1M and 1CUa of similar pigmentation, and T2 posterior length/width ratio: ~ 3.5.

Notes.

We did not collect any specimens that appeared to be conspecific with A.vala.

Discussion

Australia’s insect biodiversity is fundamentally undiscovered and under-described (Raven and Yeates 2007) and the need for accelerated identification and bioassessment tools of hyper-diverse insect taxa is high (Meierotto et al. 2019; Meier et al. 2024). Parasitoid wasps perform high-value ecosystems services (Zhu et al. 2020) and their documentation as a hyper-diverse taxon group is known to be extremely difficult. Here, in a major contribution to accelerated taxonomy of Australia’s insect fauna we contribute 34 new species of parasitic wasp from the braconid genus Apanteles in Australia, increasing the number of named Apanteles species reported from Australia by 370%. In doing so, we contribute to the Taxonomy Australia mission of documenting Australia’s biodiversity in a generation (Taxonomy Decadal Plan Working Group 2018). We adopted a moderately accelerated approach using high-throughput DNA barcoding and a species concept of integrative species delimitation using a combination of molecular and morphological evidence. In more than 80% of cases, at least five of the seven molecular delimitation methods were congruent, and these molecular hypotheses were often supported by morphological characters. While there were cases of incongruence among methods, and several ‘less certain’ species that we recommend need more intensive research, the species hypotheses presented here attempts to strike a balance between increasing the speed of documenting Australia’s biodiversity and creating an accessible taxonomic framework for future research.

Sharkey et al. (2021) and Meierotto et al. (2019) advocate for minimalist approaches to taxonomic description using DNA barcodes, Barcode of Life Database identification codes, and specimen photographs alone as a mechanism for ameliorating a global taxonomic impediment (Wheeler et al. 2004), focussing on parasitic wasps for exemplar species descriptions. A substantial backlash from the taxonomic community followed (e.g., Meier et al. 2021; Zamani et al. 2021, 2022; Sharkey et al. 2022), highlighting the value that the taxonomic community places on rigorous and morphology-based taxonomic descriptions. However, with most researchers, we recognise that DNA sequence data and species delimitation play a critical role in a unified species concept (De Queiroz 2007) for incorporating and characterising genetic diversity in hyper-diverse groups. Without the use of DNA barcodes, our study would not have been possible; the rapid initial sorting of specimens into potential species, the identification of named species amongst our material, and the awareness that some of the lineages in Australia are found in other countries, were all made possible only by DNA barcoding and public reference databases.

Re-sampling from existing bulk material has revealed the exceptional biodiversity discovery resources available in bulk samples collected during field campaigns, frequently collected as part of collaborative programs, and stored in public institutions. Through using specimens collected up to 30 years ago and stored in bulk ethanol vials, we have demonstrated that the quality of the specimen morphology and DNA integrity is still high despite long-term storage, and therefore the value of museum collections to modern biodiversity documentation cannot be understated. A weakness of the specimen dataset used in this study is that almost all are devoid of host relationship information, having been mostly collected in Malaise traps and by sweep netting. However, it is hoped that by providing images and sequence data, that when Apanteles are reared by lepidopterists (both professional and amateur) in the future, that species can be gradually associated with hosts.

We also highlight the unique opportunity of engaging school children in citizen science projects. ‘Insect Investigators’, a citizen science program (2022) that partnered scientists with 50 schools in three Australian states, provided new specimens at locations frequently too expensive to undertake exhaustive surveys or expeditions. The program contributed 12,000+ new arthropod DNA sequences to public databases and 17 specimens of seven different species to the current study. The program successfully demonstrated the role of citizen scientists, especially school children and teachers, in documenting Australia’s insect biodiversity.

Supplementary Material

XML Treatment for Apanteles

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment1.xml^{(8.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles adustus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment2.xml^{(25.4KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles aeternus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment3.xml^{(21.5KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles alatomicans

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment4.xml^{(44.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles allapsus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment5.xml^{(22.4KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles amicalis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment6.xml^{(20.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles apollo

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment7.xml^{(25.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles apricus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment8.xml^{(19.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles artemis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment9.xml^{(69.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles aurantius

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment10.xml^{(33.7KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles auroralis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment11.xml^{(23.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles banrock

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment12.xml^{(26.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles breviflagellarius

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment13.xml^{(18.5KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles brockhedgesi

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment14.xml^{(35.8KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles carpatus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment15.xml^{(20.7KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles cuprum

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment16.xml^{(34KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles darthvaderi

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment17.xml^{(46.1KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles doreenwatlerae

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment18.xml^{(22.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles ethanbeaveri

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment19.xml^{(25.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles fenestrinus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment20.xml^{(23.8KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles ferripulvis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment21.xml^{(19.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles focusalis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment22.xml^{(18.4KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles fundulus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment23.xml^{(12.4KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles galleriae

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment24.xml^{(13KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles hades

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment25.xml^{(30KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles hemara

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment26.xml^{(10.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles insulanus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment27.xml^{(21.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles ippeus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment28.xml^{(18.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles kelpiellus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment29.xml^{(21.1KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles lamingtonensis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment30.xml^{(28KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles ligdus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment31.xml^{(23.5KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles magicus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment32.xml^{(70.7KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles margaritarius

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment33.xml^{(21.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles oenone

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment34.xml^{(35.4KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles pellucidus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment35.xml^{(18.5KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles persephone

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment36.xml^{(13KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles phantasmatus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment37.xml^{(28.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles pharusalis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment38.xml^{(21.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles ramsaris

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment39.xml^{(19.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles rufiterra

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment40.xml^{(25.5KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles sinusulus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment41.xml^{(28.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles subandinus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment42.xml^{(10.8KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles translucentis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment43.xml^{(21.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles vala

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment44.xml^{(11.9KB, xml)}

Acknowledgements

We would particularly like to thank the following teachers and students who helped name new species of which they collected material: Peter Spencer, experienced senior secondary teacher and his bright, young year 9 (2024) science students at Springsure State School, QLD; Lara Waters, principal and her extremely enthusiastic primary students at Back Plains State School, QLD; Eve Walsh and her class at Streaky Bay Area School, SA; class teacher Songa Craven and principal Zarah-Rae Budgen and their students at Mount Molloy State School. We also thank teachers and students from the following schools who collected material as part of ‘Insect Investigators’ in 2022 that were used in this study: Ceduna Area School, Columba Catholic College, Crystal Brook Primary School, East Kimberley College, Kalumburu Remote Community School, Mornington Island State School, Prospect Creek State School, and South Newman Primary School.

Other material in this study was collected on various Bush Blitz expeditions; we would like to thank the Traditional Owners and rangers and Bush Blitz expedition teams for their collaboration. The vast amount of material in this paper has been gathered from bulk collections held in the state museums of Australia, and we cannot thank enough the numerous collectors who ensured their material was accessioned and available to future researchers. Particular thanks to collection managers and curators who facilitated visits, loans, and accessions of type material: Derek Smith, Matt Shaw, and Russell Cox (AM); Bonnie Koopmans and Juanita Rodriguez (ANIC); Simon Hinkley (MV); Simon Grove and Kirrily Moore (TMAG); Susan Wright, Karin Koch, and Christine Lambkin (QM), Ben Parslow (SAMA); Nik Tatarnic (WAM); Allison Brown (CBG); Gavin Broad (NHMUK). We thank Carline Boudreault for taking the images of the specimens from the CNC, and Muhammad Ashfaq (University of Guelph) for the information about the sequences from Pakistan. Finally, EFJ would like to thank members of the Hymenoptera unit at the Canadian National Collection of Insects who facilitated a productive research visit that enabled the finalisation of this manuscript.

Citation

Slater-Baker M-R, Fagan-Jeffries EP, Oestmann KJ, Portmann OG, Bament TM, Howe AG, Guzik MT, Bradford TM, McClelland AR, Woodward A, Clarke S, Ducker N, Fernández-Triana J (2025) DNA barcoding, integrative taxonomy, citizen science, and Bush Blitz surveys combine to reveal 34 new species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in Australia. ZooKeys 1227: 1–128. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1227.130467

Funding Statement

Bush Blitz Tactical Taxonomy Grant (DNP-BCK-2122-021) Biology Society of South Australia & Nature Conservation Society of SA Inc. Conservation Biology Grant (2021) Australian Biological Resources Study (NTRGI000021) This work was supported with supercomputing resources provided by the Phoenix HPC service at the University of Adelaide. There is material included from Insect Investigators, a citizen science project that received funding from the Australian Government. Australian Biological Resources Study

Footnotes

These are closely related species and this is a subtle character, but the two species can be identified by DNA barcoding.

This character is subtle and these three closely related species (A. kelpiellus, A. cuprum, and A. margaritarius) may be best separated by DNA barcoding.

Apanteles aeternus and A. translucentis are closely related species most reliably separated by DNA barcoding.

These two species are very similar morphologically, and ideally identification should be confirmed by DNA barcoding.

Metatibia colour in A. adustus (Fig. 12M) could be interpreted either way; therefore, it is included in both halves of the couplet.

Whereas the holotype of A. magicus will key to the second half of this couplet, as it has a small amount of infuscation, other specimens (here assigned to this species) have no infuscation. The species in this part of the key (A. phantasmus, A. hades, A. darthvaderi, A. alatomicans, and A. magicus) should ideally be identified with the assistance of DNA barcoding as the morphological characters used here to separate them are subtle and may be prone to variation or different interpretation.

Apanteles persephone also runs to here if metatibia is interpreted in couplet 27 as going to the first half of that couplet, although the most likely interpretation based on Nixon’s description suggests that the second half of couplet 25 would be more likely to be correct.

If specimens of A. magicus are lacking fore wing infuscation, they will key to here also. These two species can be distinguished with the assistance of DNA barcoding.

See note concerning specimens of A. lamingtonensis from the ACT under the remarks of that species.

These species are most reliably separated by DNA barcoding.

A. persephone runs to here if metatibia is interpreted in couplet 25 as going to the second part of that couplet (likely the most valid interpretation based on Nixon’s description); if interpreted as going through the first part of couplet 27 it would end on couplet 27, similar to A. darthvaderi.

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker and Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries contributed equally to this work.

Additional information

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Ethical statement

No ethical statement was reported.

Funding

This work was supported by several grants: 2021 Biology Society of South Australia & Nature Conservation Society of SA Inc. Conservation Biology Grant awarded to MRSB; Bush Blitz Tactical Taxonomy Grant awarded to MRSB and EPFJ (DNP-BCK-2122-021); and an ABRS NTGRP to EFJ (NTRGI000021). This work was supported with supercomputing resources provided by the Phoenix HPC service at the University of Adelaide. There is material included from ‘Insect Investigators’, a citizen science project that received funding from the Australian Government.

Author contributions

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Funding Acquisition, Data Curation, Supervision, Writing – Original draft, Writing – Review and Editing. Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Funding Acquisition, Data Curation, Supervision, Writing – Original draft, Writing – Review and Editing. Katherine J. Oestmann: Investigation, Data Curation, Writing – Review and Editing. Olivia G. Portmann: Investigation, Data Curation, Writing – Review and Editing. Tiahni M. Bament: Investigation, Data Curation, Writing – Review and Editing. Andy G. Howe: Resources, Writing – Original draft, Writing – Review and Editing. Michelle T. Guzik: Supervision, Writing – Original draft, Writing – Review and Editing. Tessa M. Bradford: Methodology, Investigation, Writing – Review and Editing. Alana R. McClelland: Supervision, Writing – Review and Editing. Alice Woodward: Resources. Sylvia Clarke: Resources. Nathan Ducker: Resources. José Fernández-Triana: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Writing – Original draft, Writing – Review and Editing.

Author ORCIDs

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0627-3117

Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3322-6255

Katherine J. Oestmann https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3775-7127

Olivia G. Portmann https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4099-3155

Tiahni M. Bament https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7749-5535

Andy G. Howe https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7460-5227

Michelle T. Guzik https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4947-9353

Tessa M. Bradford https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0607-1398

Alana R. McClelland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1373-1051

José Fernández-Triana https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0425-0309

Data availability

All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text or Supplementary Information.

Supplementary materials

Supplementary material 1

Full species delimitation results

This dataset is made available under the Open Database License (http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1.0/). The Open Database License (ODbL) is a license agreement intended to allow users to freely share, modify, and use this Dataset while maintaining this same freedom for others, provided that the original source and author(s) are credited.

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker, Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries

Data type

pdf

Explanation note

species delimitation results mapped alongside the phylogeny.

zookeys-1227-001_article-130467__-s001.pdf^{(891KB, pdf)}

Supplementary material 2

Images

Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries, Katherine J. Oestmann, Olivia G. Portmann

Data type

pdf

Explanation note

figure plates of the delimited species not described and found in countries other than Australia.

zookeys-1227-001_article-130467__-s002.pdf^{(1.4MB, pdf)}

Supplementary material 3

Morphological characters

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker, Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries, Katherine J. Oestmann, Olivia G. Portmann

Data type

xlsx

Explanation note

table of morphological character coding.

zookeys-1227-001_article-130467__-s003.xlsx^{(26.4KB, xlsx)}

Supplementary material 4

Apanteles phylogeny raw file

Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries, Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker

Data type

newick

Explanation note

World Apanteles tree (Fig. 3) in newick format.

zookeys-1227-001_article-130467__-s004.newick^{(336.1KB, newick)}

Supplementary material 5

Material examined

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker, Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries

Data type

xlsx

Explanation note

spreadsheet of all sequence data and material examined.

zookeys-1227-001_article-130467__-s005.xlsx^{(98KB, xlsx)}

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Associated Data

This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.

Supplementary Materials

XML Treatment for Apanteles

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment1.xml^{(8.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles adustus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment2.xml^{(25.4KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles aeternus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment3.xml^{(21.5KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles alatomicans

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment4.xml^{(44.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles allapsus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment5.xml^{(22.4KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles amicalis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment6.xml^{(20.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles apollo

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment7.xml^{(25.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles apricus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment8.xml^{(19.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles artemis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment9.xml^{(69.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles aurantius

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment10.xml^{(33.7KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles auroralis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment11.xml^{(23.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles banrock

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment12.xml^{(26.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles breviflagellarius

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment13.xml^{(18.5KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles brockhedgesi

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment14.xml^{(35.8KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles carpatus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment15.xml^{(20.7KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles cuprum

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment16.xml^{(34KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles darthvaderi

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment17.xml^{(46.1KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles doreenwatlerae

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment18.xml^{(22.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles ethanbeaveri

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment19.xml^{(25.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles fenestrinus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment20.xml^{(23.8KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles ferripulvis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment21.xml^{(19.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles focusalis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment22.xml^{(18.4KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles fundulus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment23.xml^{(12.4KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles galleriae

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment24.xml^{(13KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles hades

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment25.xml^{(30KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles hemara

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment26.xml^{(10.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles insulanus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment27.xml^{(21.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles ippeus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment28.xml^{(18.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles kelpiellus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment29.xml^{(21.1KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles lamingtonensis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment30.xml^{(28KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles ligdus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment31.xml^{(23.5KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles magicus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment32.xml^{(70.7KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles margaritarius

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment33.xml^{(21.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles oenone

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment34.xml^{(35.4KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles pellucidus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment35.xml^{(18.5KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles persephone

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment36.xml^{(13KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles phantasmatus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment37.xml^{(28.3KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles pharusalis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment38.xml^{(21.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles ramsaris

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment39.xml^{(19.9KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles rufiterra

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment40.xml^{(25.5KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles sinusulus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment41.xml^{(28.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles subandinus

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment42.xml^{(10.8KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles translucentis

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment43.xml^{(21.2KB, xml)}

XML Treatment for Apanteles vala

zookeys.1227.130467-treatment44.xml^{(11.9KB, xml)}

Supplementary material 1

Full species delimitation results

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker, Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries

Data type

pdf

Explanation note

species delimitation results mapped alongside the phylogeny.

zookeys-1227-001_article-130467__-s001.pdf^{(891KB, pdf)}

Supplementary material 2

Images

Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries, Katherine J. Oestmann, Olivia G. Portmann

Data type

pdf

Explanation note

figure plates of the delimited species not described and found in countries other than Australia.

zookeys-1227-001_article-130467__-s002.pdf^{(1.4MB, pdf)}

Supplementary material 3

Morphological characters

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker, Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries, Katherine J. Oestmann, Olivia G. Portmann

Data type

xlsx

Explanation note

table of morphological character coding.

zookeys-1227-001_article-130467__-s003.xlsx^{(26.4KB, xlsx)}

Supplementary material 4

Apanteles phylogeny raw file

Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries, Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker

Data type

newick

Explanation note

World Apanteles tree (Fig. 3) in newick format.

zookeys-1227-001_article-130467__-s004.newick^{(336.1KB, newick)}

Supplementary material 5

Material examined

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker, Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries

Data type

xlsx

Explanation note

spreadsheet of all sequence data and material examined.

zookeys-1227-001_article-130467__-s005.xlsx^{(98KB, xlsx)}

Data Availability Statement

All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text or Supplementary Information.

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PERMALINK

﻿DNA barcoding, integrative taxonomy, citizen science, and Bush Blitz surveys combine to reveal 34 new species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in Australia

Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker

Erinn P Fagan-Jeffries

Katherine J Oestmann

Olivia G Portmann

Tiahni M Bament

Andy G Howe

Michelle T Guzik

Tessa M Bradford

Alana R McClelland

Alice Woodward

Sylvia Clarke

Nathan Ducker

José Fernández-Triana

Roles

﻿Abstract

﻿﻿Introduction

﻿﻿Materials and methods

﻿﻿Specimens and sampling

Figure 2.

﻿﻿DNA extraction and sequencing

﻿﻿DNA sequence datasets

﻿﻿Dataset 1: Australian Apanteles

﻿﻿Dataset 2: Global Apanteles

﻿﻿Sequence alignments

﻿﻿Phylogenetic frameworks for species delimitation

﻿﻿Maximum likelihood (ML) analyses

﻿﻿Visualising global relatedness among Apanteles

﻿﻿Molecular species delimitation analyses

﻿﻿Threshold methods

﻿﻿Distance based method

﻿﻿Tree-based method

﻿﻿Imaging

﻿﻿Species delimitation and designation

﻿﻿Morphological examination

Figure 1.

﻿﻿Distribution data

Figure 4.

Figure 6.

﻿﻿Terminology

﻿﻿Acronyms

﻿﻿Results

﻿﻿Molecular species delimitation of Australian Apanteles

﻿﻿Australian Apanteles in a global context

Figure 3.

﻿﻿Taxonomy

Table 1.

﻿Key to species

﻿﻿Key to species of Australian Apanteles, based on female specimens

Figure 58.

Figure 12.

Figure 7.

Figure 8.

Figure 40.

Figure 9.

Figure 20.

Figure 22.

Figure 21.

Figure 24.

Figure 11.

Figure 10.

Figure 25.

Figure 18.

Figure 38.

Figure 42.

Figure 27.

Figure 13.

Figure 14.

﻿﻿Taxonomic treatment of species

﻿﻿. Apanteles

Type species.

Remarks.

﻿﻿. Apanteles adustus

Figure 15.

Type material.

Diagnostic description.

Etymology.

Distribution.

Molecular information.

DNA barcoding, integrative taxonomy, citizen science, and Bush Blitz surveys combine to reveal 34 new species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in Australia

Abstract

Introduction

Materials and methods

Specimens and sampling

DNA extraction and sequencing

DNA sequence datasets

Dataset 1: Australian Apanteles

Dataset 2: Global Apanteles

Sequence alignments

Phylogenetic frameworks for species delimitation

Maximum likelihood (ML) analyses

Visualising global relatedness among Apanteles

Molecular species delimitation analyses

Threshold methods

Distance based method

Tree-based method

Imaging

Species delimitation and designation

Morphological examination

Distribution data

Terminology

Acronyms

Results

Molecular species delimitation of Australian Apanteles

Australian Apanteles in a global context

Taxonomy

Key to species

Key to species of Australian Apanteles, based on female specimens

Taxonomic treatment of species

. Apanteles

. Apanteles adustus

. Apanteles aeternus

. Apanteles alatomicans

. Apanteles allapsus

. Apanteles amicalis

. Apanteles apollo

. Apanteles apricus

. Apanteles artemis

. Apanteles aurantius

. Apanteles auroralis

. Apanteles banrock

. Apanteles breviflagellarius