Morphological and Morphometric Analyses of European and Moroccan Biotypes of Microctonus aethiopoides (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

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Abstract
Two biotypes of the braconid parasitoid, Microctonus aethiopoides Loan, were analyzed morphologically: a European biotype reared from the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal), and a Moroccan biotype reared from clover root curculios, Sitona spp. European specimens were generally larger, darker, and more setose, rugose, and areolated than their Moroccan counterparts. Females of the two biotypes were easily identified by the number of articles in the antennal flagellum, number of segments in the labial palps, extent of mesonotal areolation, size, and color. These characters, except color, were also useful in characterizing males, although character overlap was generally greater. A discriminant function based on one meristic and six linear characters aided identification of males. Morphological characterization of biotypes will help determine the effectiveness of biological control programs involving M. aethiopoides.

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