Apanteles carpatus (Say, 1836)

Slater-Baker, Mollie-Rosae, Fagan-Jeffries, Erinn P., Oestmann, Katherine J., Portmann, Olivia G., Bament, Tiahni M., Howe, Andy G., Guzik, Michelle T., Bradford, Tessa M., McClelland, Alana R., Woodward, Alice, Clarke, Sylvia, Ducker, Nathan & Fernández-Triana, José, 2025, DNA barcoding, integrative taxonomy, citizen science, and Bush Blitz surveys combine to reveal 34 new species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in Australia, ZooKeys 1227, pp. 1-128 : 1-128

Apanteles carpatus (Say, 1836)

Fig. 5 A ( distribution in Australia / New Zealand from this study), Fig. 28 ( Australian specimen), Fig. 29 (Canadian specimen )

Holotype information.

♀; USA (lost).

Examined material.

Australia • ♀; SA, Aberfoyle Park, inside private residence ; - 35.0641, 138.607; 11 May. 2021; BA Parslow leg.; At light indoors; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 864-23 ; SAMA: 32-47772 . • ♀; SA, Adelaide ; - 34.941, 138.643; 14 Nov. 2021; A. Bird leg.; hand caught; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL 6285-22 ; SAMA: 32-47773 . • ? (missing abdomen); SA, Cox Scrub Con. Pk. ; - 35.3319, 138.746; 03–17 Apr. 2016; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 062-18 ; SAMA: 32-47774 . • ♀; SA, The University of Adelaide, Darling Building ; - 34.919, 138.603; 25 May. 2021; B. Hedges leg.; hand caught; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 877-23 ; SAMA: 32-47775 .

The material above matched identified DNA barcodes of A. carpatus on BOLD. Images of an identified specimen from the CNC ( MIC 000036, from Canada) were also examined.

Diagnosis.

Apanteles carpatus can be separated from all described species of Apanteles in Australia with the metacoxa dark by having the pterostigma with large pale spot in proximal corner, fore wing veins 1 CUa, 1 CUb, 1 m-cu all pale / unpigmented and T 1 and T 2 strongly sculptured.

Notes.

The Australian specimens listed above have identical COI barcodes to verified specimens from Canada and New Zealand, their morphology aligns well with descriptions and available images of previously identified specimens (e. g., Fig. 29 , A. carpatus from Canada, held in the CNC). Additionally, the collection locality of three specimens being inside buildings makes sense given the known hosts of A. carpatus are clothes moths ( Tineidae ). We feel this is a reasonably certain identification of these specimens, and we provide the first sequences (to our knowledge) of the species from Australia. We note the colouration of Australian specimens, particularly on the legs, is much darker than the specimen imaged from Canada.

Figures

Figure 5. Known distribution in the of the following Apanteles species in Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand: A A. carpatus, A. sp. nr carpatus, A. cuprum, A. ippeus, A. kelpiellus, A. ligdus B A. darthvaderi, A. focusalis, A. lamingtonensis, A. pellucidus, A. phantasmatus C A. doreenwatlerae, A. margaritarius, A. pharusalis, A. rufiterra, A. translucentis. Maps include examined material and public DNA barcode records, see Suppl. material 3 for full details.

Figure 28. Apanteles carpatus (Australia – AUMIC 864-23) A lateral habitus B dorsal propodeum and T 1–3 C dorsal head D anterior head E dorsal habitus and wings.

Figure 29. Apanteles carpatus (Canada – MIC 000036) A lateral habitus B dorsal mesosome C dorsal metasoma D anterior head E wings.