Sharqencyrtus gen. nov.

(Figs 37–42)

Type species Sharqencyrtus hulbi sp. nov.

Female. Head with occipital margin sharp; dorsum width 3x frontovertex width; scrobes inverted U-shaped with sides ridged, dorsally rounded, reaching to 0.64x head height; antennal toruli with upper margins below lower margin of eye, and separated from mouth margin by slightly less than height of torulus; eyes over-reaching occiput posteriorly, slightly more than 2x as long as malar space, and bare; malar space with a distinct sulcus. Mandible (Fig. 38) with two teeth and a truncation. Maxillary palp 4-segmented, labial palp 3-segmented. Antennal formula, 1, 1, 6, 3 (Fig. 37); scape flattened and expanded beneath, about 2x as long as broad; pedicel slightly longer than F1; F5 quadrate and F6 broader than long; clava 3-segmented, shorter than F3–6 combined.

Mesosoma. Mesoscutum without notaular lines; scutellum slightly shorter than mesoscutum, and 1.2x as long as broad, apex possibly with a narrow flange; propodeum medially about one-fifth scutellum length, with four longitudinal ridges medially and a curved ridge enclosing these four ridges. Fore wing (Fig. 39) with marginal vein about 3x as long as broad, and longer than postmarginal vein; stigmal vein longer than marginal vein, of uniform width, narrow, and with 4 circular sensilla arranged in a curved line (Fig. 40); linea calva complete, broadened posteriorly; setae proximal to linea calva at least about twice as long as setae distal to linea calva; basal triangle largely bare except for about two lines of setae below submarginal vein. Tarsi 5–segmented.

Gaster two-thirds the length of mesosoma; cercal plates in basal third; hypopygium extending nearly to apex of gaster; shape of hypopygium as in Fig. 42; ovipositor with third valvula articulated with second valvifer (Fig. 41).

Male. Unknown.

Comments. Sharqencyrtus does not run to any genus in the available keys to genera of Encyrtidae (Noyes & Hayat 1984; Trajapitzin 1989; Noyes, Woolley & Zolnerowich 1997; Hayat 2006). It may be related to Rhytidothorax, but differ in the peculiar shape of the hypopygium, mandible with two teeth and a truncation, and the thin stigmal vein without a swollen stigma.

Etymology. Arabic: sharq = east + encyrtus, and referring to the eastern State of India from where the type species was collected. Gender: masculine.