Review of the subgenus Paropheltes Cameron of genus Netelia Gray (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Tryphoninae) from Taiwan, with a proposal for improving male genitalia observations

An integrated taxonomic approach combining morphology and COI barcode is applied to the subgenus Paropheltes Cameron of the nocturnal Darwin wasp genus Netelia Gray from Taiwan. This subgenus is recorded from Taiwan for the first time based on four previously described species (N. (Paro.) fulginosa Konishi, 1996, N. (Paro.) guptai Kaur & Jonathan, 1979, N. (Paro.) savchenkoi Tolkanitz, 1981, and N. (Paro.) yui Konishi, 2000) and a new species (N. (Paro.) dalupalringi Chen, Konishi & Shiao, sp. nov.).

The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a newly proposed key to the Taiwanese species and by male genitalia characters, including the rounded blunt apex of the gonostyle, semi-circular pad projected dorso-basally, parallel-sided brace narrowed apically, as well as the presence of a submarginal spine on the gonostyle. Improved methods for observation of male genitalia, particularly to enhance the visibility of the pad, a key membranous diagnostic feature, are proposed, and their implications are discussed.

DNA-based species delimitation is conducted for three species with available DNA barcodes. Additionally, a COI - based phylogeny is reconstructed to assess the monophyly of this subgenus, confirming Paropheltes as a polyphyletic group.