Description of four new species of Eadya (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), parasitoids of the Eucalyptus Tortoise Beetle (Paropsis charybdis) and other Eucalyptus defoliating leaf beetles

Eucalyptus L’Héritier, 1789 (Myrtales: Myrtaceae) plantations are a global economic resource with a wide array of uses. As this forestry crop grows in popularity around the world, the exotic introduction of pests such as the leaf beetles belonging to the genera Paropsis Oliver, 1807 and Paropsisterna Motschulsky, 1860 increases in frequency. These pest introductions have spurred a need to understand the natural enemies of these pests for use in classical biological control programs. One such enemy, Eadyaparopsidis Huddleston & Short, 1978 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), has shown potential as a biological control agent against Paropsischarybdis , an exotic pest of New Zealand Eucalyptus plantations. However, observations made by biocontrol researchers have raised concerns that E.paropsidis is a complex of cryptic species. A comprehensive large-scale phylogenetic study utilizing both host and molecular data (Peixoto et al. 2018), as well as a morphological multivariate ratio analysis, was utilized to ensure accurate delimitation of the species of Eadya . Here we formally describe the three new species ( Eadyaannleckieae Ridenbaugh, 2018, sp. n. , Eadyadaenerys Ridenbaugh, 2018, sp. n. , Eadyaspitzer Ridenbaugh, 2018, sp. n. ), and one additional new species discovered in the Australian National Insect Collection ( Eadyaduncan Ridenbaugh, 2018, sp. n. ). All distributions and host associations for Eadya are listed as well as a redescription of the originally described E.paropsidis and E.falcata . An illustrated key to all known species is included to assist biological control researchers. The value of citizen science observations is discussed, along with the need for a further understanding of mainland Eadya populations given the recent spread of paropsine pests. Finally, we discuss the subfamilial placement of Eadya , and suggest it belongs within Euphorinae based on morphological characters.