Encarsia silvifilia (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 : 2232-2234

80. Encarsia silvifilia (Girault)

( Figures 254–258 ) Coccophagus silvifilia Girault 1924 [376], p 3. Holotype ♀, Australia, Queensland, Flaxton, Blackall Range , 4 July 1923 ( QMBA, type no. T. 3845, examined).

Encarsia silvifilia (Girault) : Viggiani 1985c, p 249. Change of combination.

Coccophagus silvifilia Girault : Dahms 1986, p 539 –540.

Diagnosis

Female. Colour: head yellow except ventral parts brown. Mesosoma brown except the following parts more or less yellow: mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly and posterolaterally, inner angles of axillae, scutellum, and propodeum. Mesoscutal midlobe anteromedially with a longitudinal dark brown stripe. Gaster predominantly brown. Antenna light brown. Fore wing with dark band behind marginal vein (not apparent in holotype). Legs yellow except hind femur and remaining femora and tibiae partly brown.

Morphology [measurements of holotype in square brackets]: stemmaticum with rugosereticulate surface sculpture ( Figure 256 ). Maxillary palp two-segmented. Antennal formula 1,1,3,3, F6 conical. Pedicel longer than F1 (1.33–1.67) [1.55]. F1 1.22–1.60 [1.22] times as long as its maximum width, shorter than F2 (0.80–0.86) [0.85] and F3 (0.58–0.80) [0.58]. F2 slightly shorter than F3 (0.79–0.93). Flagellomeres with the following numbers of sensilla: F1: 0, F2: 2, F3: 2, F4: 2–3, F5: 2–3, F6: 2–3. Midlobe of mesoscutum with 8– 10 [9] setae, arranged symmetrically, side lobes with two setae each. Scutellar sensilla widely separated (approximately six to nine times the maximum width of a sensillum). Distance between anterior pair of scutellar setae subequal to or slightly larger than distance between posterior pair. Fore wing about 2.4–2.6 [2.6] times as long as width of disc. Marginal fringe 0.25–0.36 [0.36] times as long as width of disc. Basal cell with two to six [two] setae. Marginal vein anteriorly with seven to nine [nine] setae. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Apical spur of midtibia subequal to or longer than corresponding basitarsus (1.06–1.18). Tergites laterally with the following numbers of setae: T1: 0, T2: 1, T3: 1, T4: 1, T5: 2, T6: 3, T7 with four setae. Ovipositor subequal to or longer than midtibia (0.94–1.26) [1.25] and 1.38–1.59 [1.38] times as long as clava. Valvulae 3 subtriangular and appearing truncate at apex ( Figure 258 ). Third valvula about 0.33–0.40 [0.40] times as long as second valvifer.

Male. Colour and structure similar to female, but dark brown patch on mesoscutal midlobe more extensive.

Species group placement. E. aurantii group.

Distribution. Australia: Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Tasmania.

Host. Unknown.

Additional material examined

Australian Capital Territory: 1♀, Piccadilly Circus , 1240 m, February 1984 (J. Lawrence, T. Weir, M.-L. Johnson), flight intercept window/ through trap (Weir, Lawrence, Johnson) ( ANIC) ; 7♀, 2 „, Blundells Creek , 3 km E of Piccadilly Circus (35 ° 229S, 148 ° 509E), 850 m, February and December 1984 (Weir, Lawrence, Johnson), flight intercept window/ through trap ( ANIC, ZSMG) ; 2♀, Wombat Creek , 6 km NE of Piccadilly Circus, 750 m, February 1984 (Weir, Lawrence, Johnson), flight intercept window/ through trap ( ANIC, ZSMG) . Tasmania: 1♀, 14 km SW by S. Wilmot (41 ° 309S, 146 ° 059E), 31 January 1983 (I. D Naumann and J. Cardale), ex ethanol ( ANIC) ; 3♀, 10 km NW by N St Helens (41 ° 159S, 146 ° 109E), 14 January 1983 (I. D Naumann and J. Cardale), ex ethanol ( ANIC) .

Figures

Figures 254–258. Encarsia silvifilia (Girault), female. (254) Mesosoma and gaster. (255) Antenna. (256) Stemmaticum. (257) Fore wing. (258) Ovipositor apex.