Psyllaephagus creusa Noyes & Hanson, 1996

Noyes, John Stuart, 2023, ENCYRTIDAE OF COSTA RICA (HYMENOPTERA: CHALCIDOIDEA), 4 Subfamily Encyrtinae: tribes Arrhenophagini, Habrolepidini, Cerapterocerini, Cheiloneurini, Trechnitini, Cercobelini, Polaszekiini, Protyndarichoidini, Gahaniellini and Syrphophagini (part), mainly primary parasitoids and hyperparasitoids of Coccoidea and Psylloidea (Hemiptera), Taxonomic Monographs on Neotropical Hymenoptera (Oxford, England) 2 (11), pp. 1-921 : 589-590

Psyllaephagus creusa Noyes & Hanson

(Figs 6,1547-1554; Hab. E 229, G 230)

Psyllaephagus creusa Noyes & Hanson, 1996 :126,127,130-131. Holotype E, Costa Rica, NHMUK, examined.

Female (length about 1.5-2.3mm): head and thorax generally dull metallic green or blue-green; antenna (Fig. 1554) with scape brown; flagellum brown; tegula dark brown; femora and tibiae dark brown; head (Fig. 1547) about 2.8-2.9X as wide as mouth opening; head about 2X frontovertex width and about 2.8-2.9X as wide as mouth; frontovertex with piliferous punctures deep and conspicuous, largest subequal in size to ocellus and all much larger than eye facet; ocelli forming an angle of about 105°, posterior ocellus slightly nearer occipital margin than eye; scrobes deep, but separated from anterior ocellus by at least about 2X length of torulus; antenna (Fig. 1554) with scape about 4X as long as broad, clearly shorter than width of frontovertex and with fairly conspicuous campaniform sensilla on outer surface near apex (Fig. 1554, inset); pedicel about as long as F1, all funicle segments longer than broad, F6 subquadrate, linear sensilla on all segments; clava with apical segment short, almost giving clava a 2-segmented appearance, apex rounded; clypeal margin roundly convex and clearly protuberant; mandible with two teeth and a truncation; mesoscutum and scutellum (Fig. 1553) with similar polygonally reticulate sculpture, perhaps slightly deeper and more elongate on scutellum; fore wing (Fig. 1551) about 2.3X as long as broad, costal cell with only a single line of setae dorsally, marginal vein (Fig. 1552) 1.0-1.5X as long as broad, linea calva partially closed; Gt3 without a distinct, strongly reticulate area anteromedially; hypopygium Fig. 1550) ovipositor shorter than mid tibia and hidden, second valvifer with about 5-7 subapical setae. Male (length about 1.5-2.2mm): generally very similar to female but for slightly wider frontovertex, higher placement of antenna and structure of antenna (Fig. 1549) and genitalia (Fig. 1548).

DISTRIBUTION. Costa Rica ( Noyes & Hanson, 1996).

HOSTS. Reared from Neolithus White & Hodkinson ( Hemiptera : Triozidae ) forming closed galls on leaves of Sapium oligoneurum K.Schum. & Pittier ( Malpighiales : Euphorbiaceae ) ( Noyes & Hanson, 1996).

MATERIAL EXAMINED.

Type material. Holotype E: COSTA RICA, San José, 4km E San Jeronimo, ex Neolithus sp. in galls on Sapium oligoneuron , collected 26.i.1993, emerged i-ii.1993 (D. Hollis, P. Hanson). Paratypes: COSTA RICA, 2E, 3G, San José, 6km NE San Jeronimo de Moravia, Carr. Carillo, 1500m, ex gall Neolithus sp. on Sapium oligoneuron , ii-v.1988 (P. Hanson); 3E, 1G, San José, Zurqui de Moravia, psyllid gall on Sapium , 22.xii.1990 (P. Hanson); 7E, 10G, same data as holotype; 1G, Puntarenas, Monteverde, 10°18’N 84°04’W, 1400m, ex psyllid gall on Sapium oligoneuron , v.1989 (K. Brodshaw). Holotype in NHMUK, paratypes in INBio, NHMUK, MZUCR.

COMMENTS. See comments under ufens (p. 583) and gyces (p. 608).