Neochrysocharis formosa

Fisher, Nicole & Salle, John La, 2005, A new species of Neochrysocharis Kurdjumov (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a parasitoid of serpentine leafminers (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in Southeast Asia, Zootaxa 1044, pp. 27-34 : 32

Southeast Asian Neochrysocharis formosa

Southeast Asian specimens of N. formosa differ from typical European species in having the coxae dark metallic in contrast to legs that are usually totally white to yellow (femora usually predominantly dark in European specimens, especially the hind femur), and having the scape almost entirely pale yellow to white (scape dark in European specimens, although occasionally pale basally). It is not clear whether this difference indicates that a distinct species is present, or merely represents intraspecific variation. At this point, it is being considered as within species variation for the following reasons. 1) Other than coloration, specimens agree well with European N. formosa , particularly in regards to sculpture on the thorax and gaster, nearly complete notauli, and an infumated spot on the wing posterior to the stigmal vein. 2) Coloration can be quite variable in Chalcidoidea. 3) Hansson (1990) has already pointed out the N. formosa is a highly variable species, and that among the characters that do display some variation are those of the colour of the femora and tibiae, and the colour of the scape. Further studies may prove that this is indeed a distinct species.