Cryptic diversity of Leurus wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Metopiinae), parasitoids of caterpillars in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Researchers uncovered significant cryptic diversity among Leurus wasps, revealing ten new sympatric species within the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Initially assumed to be a single species, L. caeruliventris, these wasps were identified through COI barcoding and morphological analysis of hundreds of specimens, each matched with their host caterpillars from the Crambidae family. The study, led by Zuñiga & Valerio, describes these new species—L. billeberhardi, L. henrytownesi, L. hugokonsi, L. iangauldi, L. jesusugaldei, L. marjorietownesae, L. maryjanewestae, L. pammitchellae, L. sondrawardae, and L. wahli—along with an illustrated key to distinguish them. This discovery sheds light on the ecological complexity of these parasitoids, challenging previous assumptions about their species boundaries.

ZUÑIGA, R., VALERIO, A. A., HANSON, P., SMITH, M. A., HALLWACHS, W., & JANZEN, D. H. (2024). Cryptic diversity of Leurus wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Metopiinae), parasitoids of caterpillars in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Zootaxa, 5529(3), 511–531. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5529.3.5