Diversity and interactions of the parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) of aphids from a lagoon habitat in northwest Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study was to reveal the diversity of parasitoids and ascertain tritrophic parasitoid-host aphid-host plant interactions in a lagoon habitat very close to orchards, vegetable gardens, and cereal fields in the Çanakkale Province of northwest Turkey between April and September from 2020 to 2021. In total, 23 tritrophic parasitoid-host aphid-host plant interactions, including new association records for Europe and Turkey, were revealed on 12 parasitoid species belonging to six genera from the subfamily Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared from 15 aphid species (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on 17 host plants from different plant families. Also, we present three tritrophic parasitoid-host aphid-host plant interactions new for Europe and five tritrophic interactions new for Turkey. Of the identified parasitoid species, Aphidius (Aphidius) artemisicola Tizado et Nunez-Perez, 1994 is recorded for the first time for the parasitoid fauna of Turkey. A morphological diagnosis of the newly recorded parasitoid is provided. The results of this study of the tritrophic interactions between parasitoids and their aphid hosts on host plants in a lagoon habitat enable us to more meaningfully interpret these interactions and provide data of potential significance for the biological control of pest aphids in the region. These results showed that research on the interactions of parasitoids and their host aphids on non-crop host plants in non-crop areas close to crop fields can yield data of potential significance for the biological control of aphids in agriculture.