Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879

Querino, Ranyse B. & Zucchi, Roberto A., 2019, Annotated checklist and illustrated key to the species of Trichogramma Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) from South America, Zootaxa 4656 (2), pp. 201-231 : 214

Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879

Diagnosis. Flagelliform setae elongate and slender, gradually tapering to apex; dorsal lamina extending to level of volsellar apex; ventral ridge short, not reaching middle of genital capsule; ventral processes near base of intervolsellar process, which is pointed and long, not extending to apex of volsellae.

Comments. Trichogramma pretiosum is the most widespread species in the Americas and one of the most commonly collected in agricultural and disturbed habitats. It is probably a complex of cryptic species throughout its geographical range ( Pinto 1999). Specimens collected in Brazil have shown variations in the length of the flagelliform setae and in the dorsal lamina (slight basal constriction, or absent). Subtle differences in the shape of the male genital capsule of T. pretiosum , reared on 10 species of lepidopterans, were detected by means of geometric morphometric analyses ( Querino et al. 2002).

Type repository. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. (neotype designated by Pinto et al., 1978).

Type locality. Selma, Alabama, USA.

Distribution in South America. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Hosts. Trichogramma pretiosum parasitizes eggs of dozens of lepidopteran species, mostly of agricultural importance, as well as eggs of Chrysoperla sp. ( Neuroptera : Chrysopidae ) ( Zucchi et al. 2010) and of Heraclides astyalus (Godart, 1819) ( Lepidoptera : Papilionidae ) on Citrus sp. ( Querino et al. 2017).