Syrphophagus Ashmead 1900

Zuparko, Robert L., 2015, Annotated Checklist of California Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera), Zootaxa 4017 (1), pp. 1-126 : 50-51

Syrphophagus Ashmead 1900

Hosts. Diptera : Chamaemyiidae , Syrphidae ; Hyperparasitoids on Hemiptera : Aphalaridae , Aphididae , Psyllidae via Hymenoptera : Aphelinidae , Braconidae , Encyrtidae , Figitidae

aphidivorus ( Mayr 1876: 712–713, 724) ( Encyrtus )

Type. NMW

Distribution. W (Alameda, Alpine, Butte, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lassen, Los Angeles, Marin, Merced, Modoc, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tehama, Ventura, Yolo, Yuba)

Host/habitat. As a hyperparasitoid: Acyrthosiphon gossypii , A. malvae , A. pisum , Aphis craccivora , A. cytisorum , A. fabae , A. gossypii , A. medicaginis , A. pomi , Aulacorthum solani , Brachycaudus persicae , Brevicoryne brassicae , Cavariella aquatica , Diuraphis frequens , D. noxia , Eucallipterus tiliae , Hysteroneura setariae , Illinoia liriodendri , Myzocallis coryli , Myzus cerasi , M. persicae , Nearctaphis bakeri , Periphyllus aceris , Pterochlorides persicae , Rhopalosiphoninus solani , Rhopalosiphum maidis , R. padi , Sanbornia juniperi , Schizaphis gramimum , Sitobion avenae , Therioaphis trifolii , Toxoptera aurantii , Uroleucon compositae via Aphelinus asychis , A. jucundus , A. maidis , A. mali , A. sanborniae , A. semiflavus , A. varipes , A. sp., Aphidius avenae , A. ervi , A. smithi , A. sonchi , A. sp. Binodoxys communis , B. indicus , Diaeretiella rapae , Ephedrus lacertosus , E. persicae , Lysiphlebus dissolutus , L. fabarum , L. testaceipes , Monoctonus caricis , Praon exsoletum , P. volucre , P. sp., Trioxys complanatus , T. curvicaudus , T. pallidus ; Agonoscena pistaciae via Psyllaephagus pistaciae , Heteropsylla cubana via Psyllaephagus yaseeni ; as a primary parasitoid: Leucopis obscura , Sphaerophoria javana ; NEW: Cacopsylla pyricola (EMEC), Cacopsylla tenuata (RLZC)

Remarks. The original description is founded on keys to females (page 712) and males (page 713) and a summary paragraph (page 724). This species had been placed in the genus Aphidencyrtus in many early papers, and typically acts as a hyperparasitoid of aphids (and rarely, psyllids) but it has also been reported as a primary parasitoid of aphidophagous Diptera . Unlike other aphid hyperparasitoids, S. aphidivorus has a “dual” ovipositing behavior, ovipositing into both living and dead aphids ( Kanuck & Sullivan 1992). In California, this species has shown a preference for attacking aphids parasitized by Aphelinus species rather than those attacked by Aphidiinae ( Zuparko & Dahlsten 1995). Hoffer & Starý (1970) reported it as primary parasitoid of aphids, based on its apparent ability to reproduce over several generations in the absence of another primary parasitoid, but this view is not now commonly accepted. Silvestri (1909) reported that S. aphidivorus oviposited into dead aphids parasitized by Aphidius brassicae which in turn were parasitized by Alloxysta victrix (= Allotria vittrix var. infuscata ), and thus the encyrtid might prove to be a tertiary parasitoid, but no such evidence has since been published. The host record of Trialeurodes vaporariorum ( Hemiptera : Aleyrodidae ) cited in Gahan et al. (1928) is probably erroneous.

smithi Kamal 1926: 284

Type. USNM

Distribution. N (Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Sierra )

Host/habitat. Epistrophe emarginata , Eupeodes nitens , Neocnemodon rita , Syrphus opinator ; NEW: Xanthogramma sp. (UCRC)

Remarks. Mitchell (1962) categorized this as a “superparasite” of the pupal stage of N. rita , presumably meaning a hyperparasitoid. However, it is more likely that, like other Syrphophagus species, it is a primary parasitoid of Syrphidae . Originally described from California, specimens of this species have been collected from Alaska and Canada as well (CAS).

spp.

Remarks. Specimens that appear to represent an additional ten morphospecies have been collected in Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Imperial, Los Angeles, Marin, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties (CSCA, CAS, EMEC, RLZC, SBMN, UCDC, UCFC, UCRC).