First report of Gymnoclytia (Diptera: Tachinidae) endoparasitoid of Euschistus heros (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Paraguay

Abstract

Tachinid flies are important parasitoids of many pests. The purpose of this study was to identify the parasitoid emerged from the brown stinkbug Euschistus heros (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) from collection done at the town of Fortuna, Pedro Juan Caballero municipality, Amambay State, Paraguay. The bugs were collected in the field on soybeans and were taken to the laboratory for breeding, feeding and maintenance, and checked for the presence of tachinids at the Entomological and Crop Protection Department of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, National University of Asuncion. The insects were inspected daily, and the emergence of pupating larvae was observed from them. The fly puparia were maintained until the emergence of the adult fly (n = 7). Specimens were kept in glass tubes with a 70 % alcohol solution and then sent to the laboratory of Systematic and Biogeography of Diptera at the Zoology Department, Biosciences Institute, University of de São Paulo, Brazil for identification. The parasitoid fly that emerged was identified as Gymnoclytia (Diptera: Tachinidae), the first report for soybean in Paraguay, an important natural biological control agent that might balance the population density of E. heros.