Aloencyrtus diaphorocerus (Masi)

Prinsloo, Rd. L., 2010, On some Afrotropical species of Aloencyrtus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae): parasitoids of soft scales (Hemiptera: Coccidae), Zootaxa 2716, pp. 1-28 : 13-14

Aloencyrtus diaphorocerus (Masi)

( Figs 14, 33, 53)

Euryrhopalus diaphorocerus Masi 1917: 148 .

Cocciodxenus diaphorocerus ; Kerrich 1967: 246.

Trichomasthus diaphorocerus ; Annecke & Insley 1971: 25.

Aloencyrtus diaphorocerus ; Prinsloo 1978: 301.

Diagnosis. Aloencyrtus diaphorocerus was described in detail by Masi (1917) and is distinguished by the following characters:

Female. Length: 1.5 mm. Colour: head and body entirely blackish, front aspect of head and thoracic dorsum with faint bluish reflections, these probably more strongly pronounced in fresh specimens. Antenna mostly brownish-yellow save pedicel with brown suffusions, club entirely blackish-brown. Forewing ( Fig. 14) from base of linea calva to pale cross-band strongly infuscated, the disc beyond the band hyaline with discal setae dark. Legs largely blackish-brown except distal ends of tibiae broadly, and tarsi, distinctly paler.

Head in dorsal view 5x as wide as frontovertex, anterior margin of the latter gently convex, without a median notch; head in frontal view ( Fig. 33) with scrobes confluent dorsally, with a well defined median dorsal fovea. Frontovertex and face with fairly densely scattered shallow setigerous punctations, the diameter of each plainly less than that of median ocellus; genae and temples devoid of any punctations. Antenna ( Fig. 53) with pedicel 1.3x longer than basal funicle segment, the latter about 1.7x longer than wide; funicle segments becoming progressively broader, II–IV each longer than wide, V quadrate, VI a little wider than long; club clearly broader than funicle, about as long as distal three funicle segments combined.

Sculpture of mesoscutum, axillae and scutellum of the same texture, finely reticulate, the cell margins not raised, the integument appearing somewhat smooth and polished under low magnification. Forewing ( Fig. 14) 2.3x as long as wide; marginal and postmarginal veins equal in length, the latter 0.4x as long as stigmal vein.

Gaster, distinctly shorter than thorax; gonostyli, short, triangular, not protruding caudally.

Male. Colour: entirely black, the face with fairly strong purple and bluish reflections; antenna uniformly brownish with dark setae; legs much as in female save fore and middle tibiae largely pale; forewing entirely hyaline, the discal setae white.

Differing structurally from the female mainly as follows: head 2.4x as wide as frontovertex; scrobes short, parallel-sided; antenna typical of the genus with funicle segments subequal in size, each approximately 2.75x as long as wide with whorls of long, curved setae.

Remarks. This species was first described by Masi (1917) from the Seychelles from a single female that was originally deposited in BMNH, but which has subsequently been lost (J.S. Noyes, pers. comm.). The type specimen was known to Kerrich (1967) who, on the basis of this specimen and a series of specimens from Mauritius that he had identified, transferred diaphorocerus from the genus Euryrphopalus to Coccidoxenus . A card-mounted female and male of the series from Mauritius are at hand.

Aloencyrtus diaphorocerus can be grouped with A. aurantifrons , A. ugandensis , A. obscuratus and A. delottoi , all of which have similar wing maculation and the entire front aspect of the head with punctations or pits. These species can be separated as indicated in the foregoing key.

Known distribution. Seychelles, Mauritius.

Material examined. MAURITIUS. Reduit, i.1950, J. R. Williams, ex. Saissetia hemisphaerica (Targioni) [= Saissetia coffeae (Walker) ] (1 ♀, 1 ♂; det G.J. Kerrich as Euryrphopalus diaphorocerus Masi ; in BMNH).