Aloencyrtus nativus (Annecke)

Prinsloo, Rd. L., 2010, On some Afrotropical species of Aloencyrtus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae): parasitoids of soft scales (Hemiptera: Coccidae), Zootaxa 2716, pp. 1-28 : 22

Aloencyrtus nativus (Annecke)

( Figs 1, 20, 38)

Coccidoxenus nativus Annecke 1964: 405 .

Trichomasthus nativus ; Annecke & Insley 1971: 25.

Aloencyrtus nativus ; Prinsloo 1978: 301.

Diagnosis. This species was originally described and illustrated in detail by Annecke (1964). It is separated from it congeners as follows:

Female. Length: 1.6–1.9 mm. Colour: blackish, head and thoracic dorsum with a metallic green to blue-green lustre, scutellum in particular brilliant green, frontovertex and pro-and mesonotum with an additional dark purplish tinge in certain plays of light. Antenna with scape yellowish-brown, remainder mostly dark brown. Forewing infuscated as in Fig. 1, the disc beyond the hyaline cross-band strongly infuscated. Legs largely blackish-brown save distal third or so of fore and middle tibiae, middle tibial spur and all tarsi yellowish.

Head in dorsal view usually 3.9–4.4x (4.7x in specimens from Benin) as wide as frontovertex, anterior margin of the latter medially notched; head in frontal view ( Fig. 20) with scrobes forming a distinct inverted V-shaped pattern on face, without a dorsal fovea; frontovertex from occipital margin to upper level of scrobes with small, scattered setigerous punctations, the diameter of each clearly less than that of median ocellus, face and genae without punctations. Antenna ( Fig. 38) with pedicel a little longer than funicle segment I, the latter 1.4x as long as broad; funicle segments becoming progressively shorter and broader, II–III each longer than wide, IV quadrate, V and VI wider than long, as illustrated; club distinctly broader than funicle, a little longer than distal three funicle segments combined.

Mesoscutum with fine, cellulate-reticulate sculpture, that of scutellum distinctly coarser, cellulate-reticulate anteriorly, otherwise mostly longitudinally lineolate-reticulate. Forewing ( Fig. 1) about 2.4x as long as wide; setae confined to cross-band very fine, barely discernible; marginal vein subequal in length to postmarginal, the latter about 0.5x as long as stigmal vein.

Gaster a little shorter than thorax; ovipositor about 0.8x as long as middle tibia, gonostyli short and broad, 0.25x as long as middle tibial spur, not protruding caudally.

Male. Typical of the genus, as described in detail by Annecke (1964).

Remarks. Aloencyrtus nativus , which was originally described from a single series from the east coast of South Africa, is here recorded from further Southern African material in addition to specimens from East and West Africa and Madagascar, suggesting that this species has a wide Afrotropical distribution.

This species most closely resembles A. distinguendus from which it can be separated, in the female, as mentioned in the key and remarks on that species below.

Known distribution. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Benin, Madagascar.

Type material examined. ♀ holotype, 1 ♀ paratype and ♂ allotype as follows: SOUTH AFRICA. Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal): Dukuduku, ix.1961, D.P. Annecke, ex Coccus elongatus (Signoret) [= Parthenolecanium persicae (Fabricius) ] on Acacia grandicornuta ( T 617).

Additional material. SOUTH AFRICA. Eastern Cape Province: Port St. Johns , iii and iv.1923, R. E. Turner (3 ♀) . ZIMBABWE. Harare, Chishawasha , vi.1981 and xi.1982, A. Watsham (2 ♀) . UGANDA. Kampala, x.1930, H. Hargreaves (3 ♀, 1 ♂; T733 ) . BENIN. Cotonou , xii.1988 (2 ♀) . MADAGASCAR. Tam Perinet , iv-v. 1983, J.S. Noyes and M.C. Day (1 ♀) . All specimens in BMNH .