Significance of wing interference patterns as taxonomic characters in Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Wing interference patterns (WIPs) and wing interference colors have been highlighted in taxonomy for their usefulness in the discrimination of species, particularly in the case of some parasitic wasps. Here, we evaluate the usefulness of these stable structural color patterns as species-specific characters in nine species of Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) within seven genera including Aphidus Nees, 1819; Binodoxys Mackauer, 1960; Diaeretiella Starý, 1960; Ephedrus Haliday, 1833; Lysiphlebus Förster, 1863; Praon Haliday, 1833; and Trioxys Haliday, 1833. Six color parameters including red, green, and blue (RGB) as well as hue, saturation, and value were compared. Preliminary statistical analysis of color values, as well as a qualitative comparison of patterns, were performed. Our findings show that both qualitative and quantitative measurements can discriminate selected taxa at the genus and species level. Moreover, different biotypes of Lysiphlebus fabraum (Marshall) and Aphidus matricariae Haliday present identical color patterns (WIPs) with only slight qualitative differences. Despite some slight qualitative differences in WIPs between sexes, quantitative measurements were not sexually dimorphic. This is the first study of its kind in the subfamily Aphidiinae and to provide a preliminary WIP-based key to the studied species of Aphidiinae. Our findings show that WIPs and WICs are stable and can be useful for museum collections.