Ablerus Howard, 1894

Wang, Zhu Hong, Huang, Jian & Polaszek, Andrew, 2016, The species of genus Ablerus Howard (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Azotidae) from China, with description of a new species, Florida Entomologist 99 (3), pp. 395-405 : 396-397

Genus Ablerus Howard, 1894

Ablerus Howard, 1894: 7 . Type species Centrodora clisiocampae Ashmead , by monotypy.

Azotus Howard, 1898: 138 . Type species Azotus marchali Howard , by monotypy. Synonymy by Girault, 1913: 189.

Myocnemella Girault, 1913: 195 . Type species Myocnemella bifasciata Girault , by original designation. Synonymy by Hayat, 1994: 83.

Dimacrocerus Brethes, 1914: 4 . Type species Dimacrocerus platensis Brethes , by original designation. Synonymy by Howard in Girault, 1917: 8.

DIAGNOSIS

Female. Body either flattened and elongate, or convex and shorter, usually dark. Head dark or white to yellow with darker bands; mandible with 2 or 3 teeth and a truncation; maxillary palp 2-segmented, labial palp 1-segmented. Antennal segments usually with contrasting white and dark segments, antennal formula 1,1,4,1, with 1 or 2 anelli; F3 usually shorter than both F2 and F4. Pronotum entire and usually long; mid-lobe of mesoscutum with 2–6 setae, each side-lobe of mesoscutum with 2 setae, each axilla with 1 seta, mesoscutellum broader than long and shorter than mid-lobe of mesoscutum, with 2–4 setae; propodeum distinctly longer than metanotum, at least 0.5 times of mesoscutellum; propodeal spiracles with anterior grooves; mesopostphragma large and long. Forewing either uniformly infuscate behind venation or with infuscated bands of various shapes and bearing darker setae; stigmal vein either with a thin or swollen stigma; postmarginal vein absent; submarginal vein with 1 seta; marginal vein with 3–4 setae; usually 1 seta present on stigmal vein and 1 at junction of parastigma and submarginal vein; disc sparsely or densely setose, or setae arranged in groups and/or tufts. Tarsal formula 5–5–5. Gaster generally longer than head plus thorax; hypopygium usually prominent, extending nearly to level of cereal plates; ovipositor at least slightly exserted ( Hayat 1998).

Male. Similar to female. Antennal segments, except F3, elongate with more longitudinal sensilla, and more or less uniformly colored ( Hayat 1998).

DISTRIBUTION

Cosmopolitan.

HOSTS

Hyperparasitoids of other hymenopteran primary parasitoid species, including other chalcidoids. Coccoid hosts recorded in the literature are secondary hosts ( Hayat 1998). Some species are confirmed as oophagous ( Polaszek 1991).

Key to Species (Females) of Ablerus from China

1.— Mid-lobe of mesoscutum with 1 pair of setae.......................................................................... 2

1’.— Mid-lobe of mesoscutum with 2 pairs of setae or more.................................................................. 7

2.— Forewing with a row of strong setae below marginal vein.............................................. A. macrochaeta Silvestri

2’.— Forewing without a row of strong setae below marginal vein.............................................................. 3

3.— Antenna with scape expanded, not more than 3.0 times as long as width................................................... 4

3’.— Antenna with scape cylindrical, more than 3.0 times as long as width....................................................... 5

4.— Only 5 or 6 setae below apex of marginal vein, basal half of forewing asetose....................... A. williamsi (Annecke & Insley)

4’.— A cluster of more than 10 setae below apex of marginal vein, a few setae below marginal vein............. A. chionaspidis (Howard)

5.— Flagellum uniformly colored pale brown to pale dark, without contrasting pale and dark segments.... A. promacchiae Viggiani & Ren

5’.— Flagellum with contrasting pale (white to yellow) and dark segments....................................................... 6

6.— Scape completely dark brown, mostly infuscate below marginal vein and stigmal vein.......................... A. atomon (Walker)

6’.— Scape mostly white, an infuscated band below apical third of marginal vein and stigmal vein.................. A. fasciarius sp. nov.

7.— Forewing with a row of strong setae below marginal vein............................................... A.connectens Silvestri

7’.— Forewing without a row of strong setae below marginal vein.............................................................. 8

8.— Forewing with speculum extending from stigmal vein distally to apex of wings.................................. A. calvus (Huang)

8’.— Forewing without speculum extending from stigmal vein distally to apex of wings............................................ 9

9.— Forewing with 2 complete and 1 short infuscated bands................................................ A. perspeciosus Girault

9’.— Forewing with 1 infuscated band, or band not distinct.................................................................. 10

10.— Forewing with infuscated surface extending from basal cell to apex of stigmal vein........................... A. floccosus (Huang)

10’.— Forewing with numerous, dense, dark and coarse setae extending from basal cell to apex of stigmal vein............ A. pexus (Huang)