Two new species of Rhogadopsis Brèthes (Braconidae: Opiinae) as solitary parasitoids of Merochlorops species complex (Diptera: Chloropidae) from India.

During surveys for the potential biocontrol agents Merochlorops species complex (Diptera: Chloropidae), to control the invasive weed Hedychium gardnerianum Sheppard ex Ker Gawl. (Zingiberaceae), two new species of Rhogadopsis Brèthes (Braconidae: Opiinae) viz., R. gratia Gupta van Achterberg, sp. n. and R. macrusa Gupta van Achterberg, sp. n. were reared as solitary larval-pupal parasitoids of Merochlorops in the stems of H. gardnerianum. Interestingly, both wasp species have very different ovipositor lengths, in addition to other characters for species delimitation. Perhaps parasitism by the respective wasp species depends on the thickness of the stem harbouring the chloropid larvae. In the present study, both these new species of wasps are described and illustrated, together with notes on their biology. For the first time the genus Rhogadopsis has been found associated with Chloropidae; earlier records concern Agromyzidae.