Encarsia picithorax (Girault)

Schmidt, Stefan & Polaszek, Andrew, 2007, The Australian species of Encarsia Förster (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea: Aphelinidae), parasitoids of whiteflies (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Aleyrodidae) and armoured scale insects (Hemiptera, Coccoidea: Diaspididae), Journal of Natural History 41 (33 - 36), pp. 2099-2265 : 2219-2220

71. Encarsia picithorax (Girault)

( Figures 224–226 ) Coccophagus picithorax Girault 1915 [238], p 52, 57. Holotype ♀, Australia, Queensland,

Gordonvale (Cairns), 4 April 1914 ( QMBA, type no. Hy. 2934, examined). Coccophagus lautus Girault 1915 [238], p 52, 57. Holotype ♀, Australia, Queensland,

Gordonvale (Cairns), 1 April 1914 (QMBA, type no. Hy. 2935, examined). Syn. nov. Prospaltella lauta (Girault) : Compere 1931, p 11. Change of combination. Prospaltella picithorax (Girault) : Compere 1931, p 11. Change of combination. Coccophagus lautus Girault : Dahms 1984, p 750. Encarsia lauta (Girault) : Viggiani 1985c, p 242. Change of combination. Coccophagus picithorax Girault : Dahms 1986, p 410. Encarsia picithorax (Girault) : Hayat 1989b, p 289. Change of combination.

Redescription (holotype)

Female. Colour: head and mesosoma dark brown, antenna and legs a little paler. Gaster yellow. Fore wing hyaline.

Morphology: antennal formula 1,1,3,3. Pedicel slightly longer than F1. F1 two times as long as its maximum width, subequal in length to F2 and slightly shorter than F3. Longitudinal sensilla present on flagellar segments 2–6. Midlobe of mesoscutum with eight setae, arranged symmetrically. Scutellar sensilla separated by about three times the maximum width of a sensillum. Distance between anterior pair of scutellar setae subequal to distance between posterior pair. Fore wing about 3.0 times as long as width of disc. Marginal fringe 0.32 times as long as width of disc. Basal cell with four setae. Marginal vein anteriorly with six setae. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Apical spur of midtibia distinctly longer than half the length of the corresponding basitarsus (0.8). Ovipositor distinctly longer than midtibia (1.43) and twice as long as clava. Third valvula 0.28 times as long as second valvifer.

Male. Unknown.

Species group placement. E. inquirenda group sensu Hayat (1989a).

Distribution. Australia: Queensland.

Host. Unknown.

Figures

Figures 224–226. Encarsia picithorax (Girault), holotype female. (224) Type specimen. (225) Mesosoma. (226) Antenna.