Cercobelus sithon 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 : 615-616

Cercobelus sithon Noyes & Hanson

(Figs 1657-1666; Hab. E 247, G 248)

Cercobelus sithon Noyes & Hanson, 1996:109-110 . Holotype E, Costa Rica, NHMUK, examined.

DIAGNOSIS. Female (length about 1.9-2.1mm): scape orange; scutellum black with a brassy sheen; fore and hind coxa mostly pale orange; legs largely pale orange with hind femur apically brown and hind tibia mostly dark brown with a white basal ring; fore wing (Fig. 1662) with an interrupted dark brown fascia from stigmal vein to posterior margin and with an elongate wedge-shaped mark beyond this to wing apex; scrobes shallow, but distinct and meeting dorsally; antenna (Fig. 1659) with scape about 4.3X as long as broad; pedicel about 1.4X as long as broad; F1 with linear sensilla; F1 slightly longer than broad and longer than any other funicle segment, F2-F4 quadrate; clava about as long as F2-F4 combined; mandible (Fig. 1666) with a weak, virtually absent, lower tooth and a broad, almost straight truncation with margin weakly serrate; mesoscutum about one-third longer than pronotum medially in dorsal view; marginal vein punctiform (Fig. 1665) and touching anterior wing margin; hind wing nearly 4X as long as broad; propodeum about one-third as long as scutellum, virtually smooth, but with shallow, irregular sculpture in posterior half and with a pair of very shallow, inconspicuous, anteriorly diverging carinae medially, spiracle separated from anterior margin by about 0.5X its diameter; gaster slightly shorter than thorax; apex of syntergum smooth; syntergum with subapical, lateral extensions, apex smooth; hypopygium (Fig. 1660) triangular, longitudinally medially divided, anterior apodemes short; ovipositor Fig. 1658. Male (length about 1.8-2.0mm): antenna (Fig. 1664) with all funicle segments longer than broad and clothed in setae that are at least 2X as long as diameter of segments, otherwise similar to female but with fore wing infuscation (Fig. 1663) a little weaker.

DISTRIBUTION. Costa Rica.

HOSTS. Unknown.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.

Type material. Holotype E: COSTA RICA, Guanacaste, Guanacaste NP, 950m, 13.ii.1995 (J.S. Noyes) . Paratypes: COSTA RICA, 3G, Guanacaste, Guanacaste NP, Cacao , 950-1200m, 13.ii.1995 (L. Masner); 1G , Puntarenas, Monteverde, St Luis Valley , 17.viii.1986 (L. Masner) . Holotype in NHMUK, paratypes in INBio, NHMUK and CNC .

Non type material. COSTA RICA, 2E, Guanacaste, Est. Cacao (ACG), 1100 m, 26.i-24.ii.1996 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Guanacaste, Est. Cacao (ACG) , LN 323150 375500 1000-1150m, vii.1996 (A. Masis); 2G, Guanacaste, Est. Cacao (ACG) , 10°55’N 85°30’W, 1100m, 19-20.ii.2003 (J.S. Noyes). Material in NHMUK and MZUCR.

COMMENTS. The scutellum and axilla are more or less black with a brassy lustre and not coppery purple as in the original description.