Approximation to classification and diversity of Glyptapanteles (Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from the neotropics based on material from northwestern Costa Rica

Glyptapanteles are lilliputian parasitoid wasps widely distributed in the Neotropics. Within the Microgastinae subfamily it is perhaps one of the most speciose groups, contending this position with the giant genus Apanteles. Despite being a hiperdiverse genus, Glyptapanteles is morphologically homogeneous as are all the Microgastrinae. Thus, external morphological characters as well as ESEM photos and COI barcode have been included in this taxonomic revision to define accurate boundaries of species. Hitherto 164 provisional species from Costa Rica have been partially sorted: 58% of species have been reared from hosts and 42% caught in Malaise traps. Only 13% of species have been recorded by both methods. Glyptapanteles are extraordinarily host specific: 80% of the reared species attack only one species of caterpillar. Sixteen families of Lepidoptera have been recorded. Although the most frequent hosts are species of Noctuidae, Arctiidae, Notodontidae, Geometridae and Sphingidae also other families are attacked, but in small scale: Nymphalidae, Bombycidae, Hesperiidae, Saturnidae, Pieridae, Riodinidae, Crambidae, Elaschidae, Limacodidae, Lycaenidae, and Tortricidae.