Encyrtus rhodococcusiae Wang & Zhang, 2016

Rudoy, Andrey, Zhu, Chao-Dong, Ferrari, Rafael R. & Zhang, Yan-Zhou, 2022, Integrative taxonomy based on morphometric and molecular data supports recognition of the three cryptic species within the Encyrtus sasakii complex (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 90, pp. 129-152 : 129

Encyrtus rhodococcusiae Wang & Zhang

Encyrtus rhodococcusiae Wang & Zhang in Wang et al. (2016) (nomen nudum)

Diagnosis.

Encyrtus rhodococcusiae can be diagnosed morphologically within the E. sasakii complex through the combination of the 2nd outer plate less than 0.6 × as long as the ovipositor shield (2nd outer plate at least 0.65 × as long as the ovipositor shield in E. eulecaniumiae ) and hypopygium deeply concave (hypopygium shallowly concave in E. sasakii ). Encyrtus rhodococcusiae can be further differentiated from E. sasakii by having the ventral surface of the clava more than 1.5 × as long as the dorsal one (in E. sasakii , the ventral surface of the clava is always less than 1.5 × as long as the dorsal one). According to Wang et al. (2016), E. rhodococcusiae can be molecularly distinguished from its closest allies ( E. sasakii and E. eulecaniumiae ) by having the following nucleotides in the COI marker: 14 (T), 26 (A), 102 (A), 149 (A), 161 (C), 176 (G), 215 (G), 266 (T), 269 (A), 281 (T), 389 (A), 446 (A), 468 (C), 470 (T) 521 (T) and 530 (G). Encyrtus rhodococcusiae is also unique within the E. sasakii complex in attacking the coccid species Rhodococcus sariuoni Borchsenius.

Description.

(reproduced from Wang et al. 2016) Female - Length including ovipositor 1.9 mm. Colouration: Head black around ocellar area, frontovertex black; malar space brown; antenna with scape yellowish brown; pedicel and flagellum dark brown; maxillary and labial palpi yellowish brown; pronotum dark brown to black dorsally, laterally pale brown; thorax covered with dark-brown setae; mesoscutum mostly black dorsally, laterally brown; sctuellum black with a broad transverse yellow band and a tuft of black bristles apically; metanotum dark brown; tegula dark brown; mesopleuron pale brown; fore and hind coxae brownish yellow ( Wang et al. 2016: fig. 7d, f); mid coxa mostly brown ( Wang et al. 2016: fig. 7e); legs otherwise dark brown; basal one third of forewing hyaline, infuscate elsewhere; forewing with a series of long bristles just below the apical third of submarginal; propodeum brown dorsally, yellowish brown laterally; gaster black; ovipositor sheaths yellow, except apex one-third dark brown ( Wang et al. 2016: fig. 7b). Head: frontovertex about half the head width; ocelli forming an obtuse angle (~120°); scrobes quite shallow and ∩-shaped in frontal view; eye at least superficially bare; torulus separated from mouth margin by about one of its own length; toruli separated from each other by about 2.5 × their own diameter; antenna with scape subcylindrical, 3.4 × as long as broad; pedicel subtriangular, 1.4 × as long as broad and as broad as scape. Antenna ( Wang et al. 2016: fig. 7a) 13-segmented, scape cylindrical; clava 3-segmented, its apex distinctly truncate; mandible plow shaped; clypeus with three to six conspicuous, long, suberect setae; maxillary and labial palpi with 4 and 3 segments respectively. Thorax: Mesoscutum 1.44 × wider than long, uniformly convex, setose and finely reticulated, without notauli. Pronotum very short, about one eleventh the mesoscutum length, with polygonal reticulation; scutellum about 1.2 × as long as broad, sculpture anteriorly similar to that of mesoscutum; forewing ( Wang et al. 2016: fig. 7c) about 2.3 × as long as broad; costal cell with more than one line of setae dorsally; stigma vein apically curved. Gaster: Hypopygium almost reaching apex of gaster.

Type material.

(reproduced from Wang et al. 2016) Holotype - ♀, specimen 11-009A, China, Shandong, Linyi, 9.V.2011, col. Xuemei Yang, ex. Rhodococcus sariuoni on Crataegus pinnatifida (deposited in IZCAS). Paratypes - 2♀♀, China, Beijing, Haidian, 15.V2006, col. Yanzhou Zhang, ex. Rhodococcus sariuoni on Malus spectabilis (deposited in IZCAS); 3♀♀, China, Heilongjiang, Harbin, 15.VI.2007, col. Yanzhou Zhang, ex. Rhodococcus sariuoni on Prunus persica (deposited in IZCAS); 6♀♀ 1♂, China, Jilin, Changchun, 9.VI.2011, col. Ying Wang, ex. Rhodococcus sariuoni on Prunus persica (deposited in IZCAS); 2♀♀ 2♂♂, China, Qinghai, Xining, 28.VI.2013, col. Haibin Li, Xubo Wang, Xu Zhang, ex. Rhodococcus sariuoni on Prunus cerasifera (deposited in IZCAS); 7♀♀ 2♂♂, China, Shandong, Taian, 9.V.2008, col. Yanzhou Zhang, ex. Rhodococcus sariuoni on Prunus cerasifera (deposited in IZCAS); 2♀♀, China, Shaanxi, Xianyang, 9.V.2011, col. Feng Yuan, ex. Rhodococcus sariuoni on Malus sieversii (deposited in IZCAS).