Neochrysocharis Nr. Diastatae (Howard) (Hymenoptera:Eulophidae) Parasitic on Eggs of Letana Walker (Orthoptera:Tettigoniidae) in India:First Record of Host Association
Species of Neochrysocharis Kurdjumov (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) are potential biocontrol agents for many important agricultural pests. This paper reports, for the first time, gregarious parasitism of Neochrysocharis nr. diastatae (Howard) on eggs of Letana sp. (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) on the host plant Pterospermum reticulatum Wt.&Arn. (Malvaceae) in Karnataka, India. The eggs of Letana sp. were observed along the margin of the leaves of P. reticulatum, visually distinguished as oval shaped structures. This is the first record of a host-parasitoid association between a species of Neochrysocharis and eggs of a Tettigoniidae grasshopper. DNA analysis of the parasitoid confirms a 100% match with a record of an unidentified species of Neochrysocharis from Canada. The geographical distribution and host record indicates that there may be a "N. diastatae" complex that this species actually belongs to, rather than being N. diastatae itself as N. diastatae is a Nearctic species and mainly known from agromyzids.