Hymenopteran parasitoids of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)) in Australia, with the description of five new species in the families Braconidae and Eulophidae

Abstract

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is an invasive pest of agricultural crops including sweet corn and maize. The moth was first recorded in Australia in January 2020 and is now considered established in most states and territories, and research is underway to develop management strategies. Extensive rearing of S. frugiperda larvae and eggs occurred from March 2020 to April 2023 to understand the parasitoid complex present in Australia and identify potential biological control agents. We report here on the hymenopteran parasitoids reared during this period, which were identified using a combination of morphology and COI DNA barcoding, and provide images, a key to species, and contextual information to facilitate future research. Twelve species of parasitoids from five families of Hymenoptera are formally reported as parasitising S. frugiperda in Australia. Five species are here described as new: Chelonus patbat Fagan-Jeffries, sp. nov. (Braconidae), Chelonus trojanus Fagan-Jeffries, sp. nov. (Braconidae), Coccygidium mellosiheroine Atkin-Zaldivar & Fagan-Jeffries, sp. nov. (Braconidae), Coccygidium necatrix Atkin-Zaldivar & Fagan-Jeffries, sp. nov. (Braconidae), and Euplectrus frugiperdata Fagan-Jeffries, sp. nov. (Eulophidae).