Molecular Data Confirm Interspecific Limits of Four and One Species of Parasitic Wasps within the Subfamily Charipinae (Cynipoidea: Figitidae).

The hymenopteran subfamily Charipinae (Cynipoidea: Figitidae) consist of a group of parasitic wasps that are exclusive hyperparasitoids of Hemipteran. The species boundaries in Charipinae have historically been unclear. While diagnostic morphological features have been established for the stepwise separation of species, it is recommended to confirm those limits using molecular data. Here, we focus on the genera Förster, 1869 and Förster, 1869, both of which contain species that are hyperparasitoids of aphids. We sequenced three genes (mitochondrial COI and 16S rDNA, and nuclear ITS2 rDNA) from specimens that were identified as belonging to five species: (Thomson, 1862), (Hartig, 1841), (Thomson, 1862), (Westwood, 1833), and (Hartig, 1841). The phylogeny resulting from concatenating these genes supported the species status of the five morphologically identified taxa, with nested within . Our study thus indicates that these molecular markers can successfully distinguish charipine species, and also indicates that the genera and may be more closely related than previously hypothesized. We also present the first estimates of genetic distances for these species. Future studies that include more species, loci, and/or genomic data will complement our research and help determine species relationships within the Charipinae subfamily.