Identification of fruit fly (Tephritidae) pupae parasitized by Hymenoptera parasitoids

Parasitoid wasps are the most diverse group of parasitoids used in biological control programs. They can develop inside host species during their larval stage, resulting in the death of their hosts. So, identification of the host species of Hymenoptera parasitoids is challenging, because only the puparium remains after the parasitoid hatches. Therefore, the aim of this work was, developed to determine the host species of Hymenoptera parasitoids, through the puparium. by amplification and sequencing of cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) of mitochondrial DNA. The results of the present study show that COI DNA sequencing was able to reliably identify host pupae to the genus level, allowing the identification of the Anastrepha genus in this study