Revision of the genus Pseudapanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae), with emphasis on the species in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica

A comprehensive taxonomic revision of the parasitoid wasp genus Pseudapanteles (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reveals 25 new species from the Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), Costa Rica, bringing the total known species to 36. The study introduces three new species-groups and provides a key for identification, along with detailed descriptions and illustrations generated by Lucid 3.5 software. DNA barcoding data for 83% of the species offers a foundation for future phylogenetic studies. Most Pseudapanteles species are solitary parasitoids of small Lepidoptera caterpillars, though host records remain limited to only 25% of species. The research also clarifies taxonomic ambiguities by designating lectotypes and reclassifying two previously described species.

Fernandez-Triana, J., Janzen, D., Hallwachs, W., Whitfield, J., Smith, M. A., & Kula, R. (2014). Revision of the genus Pseudapanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae), with emphasis on the species in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica. ZooKeys, 446, 1–82. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.446.8195