A host record for a strictly specific aphid parasitoid Aphidius smithi (Braconidae: Aphidiinae): the food plant-host aphid-parasitoid association puzzle acquires a new piece
Aphidius smithi Sharma & Subba Rao (Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae) is reported parasitising Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae, cowpea aphid) which feeds on Medicago sativa L. (Fabales: Fabaceae, alfalfa) arable lands. This is the first record for this food plant-host aphid-primary parasitoid association. The known host range and global distribution for Aphidius smithi are reviewed and discussed. An overview of the relationship between this novel primary parasitoid-host aphid, their symbionts, and host changes is addressed.
