Taxonomy and Life History of Costa Rican Alabagrus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with a key to world species

The genus Alabagrus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is revised to include specimens collected
throughout Costa Rica, including those from the Arthropods of La Selva (ALAS) project and rearings by
Janzen and Hallwachs at Santa Rosa National Park. Descriptions are provided for a total of 39 species
collected in Costa Rica, including 17 species that are new to Costa Rica and 6 species that are new to
science. New species are A. combos, A. derailersi, A. donnai, A. englishi, A. sarapiqui, and A. watsoni.
Species of Alabagrus are reported to be primarily associated with successional habitats, where they parasitize
the larvae of Crambidae (Lepidoptera). The treatment of each species includes a total of 75 morphological
and color characters and host records. Graphs of the temporal distribution and color photographs
are presented for each of the 39 Costa Rican species. An illustrated key to the species of Alabagrus
is provided.