Parasitoids of Butterflies: Reassignment of Dolichogenidea hasorae (wilkinson, 1928) as a New Combination along with New Host-parasitoid Linkages and Notes on Host Specificity from Kerala, India

Abstract

Butterflies are flagship species for biodiversity conservation and thus the knowledge of their associated natural enemies is important. In this study, rearing data on parasitism of seven butterfly species in six genera belonging to three Lepidoptera families (Hesperiidae, Lycaenidae and Papilionidae) are presented for the first time from Kerala, India. Four species of parasitic wasps along with two possibly unnamed species, collectively from three Hymenoptera families (Braconidae, Chalcididae and Ichneumonidae), were discovered. Dolichogenidea hasorae (Wilkinson, 1928) n. comb. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is reassigned from the traditionally defined genus Apanteles. The following host associations are recorded: Brachymeria lasus (Walker) (Chalcididae) from pupa of Hasora chromus (Cramer) (Hesperiidae); Casinaria ajanta Maheshwary&Gupta (Ichneumonidae) from caterpillars of two hesperiid species − Ampittia dioscorides (Fabricius) (Hesperiidae) and Parnara sp. (Hesperiidae); Dolichogenidea hasorae (Wilkinson) n. comb. from caterpillar of Hasora taminatus (Hübner); Glyptapanteles aristolochiae (Wilkinson) from caterpillar of Troides minos (Cramer) (Papilionidae); Apanteles sp. (Braconidae) from caterpillar of Telicota bambusae (Moore) (Hesperiidae); and Cotesia sp. from caterpillar of Udara akasa (Horsfield) (Lycaenidae). The majority of these records are the first reports except C. ajanta from Parnara sp. Host range extension and varied host association of parasitoids are discussed based on newly acquired and previously published data. Brief diagnosis of wasps and illustrations of wasps along with their respective hosts are provided.