Encarsia iris (Girault)

Schmidt, Stefan, Barro, Paul De & Jamieson, Lisa, 2011, Parasitoids of the Australian citrus whitefly, Orchamoplatus citri (Takahashi) (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae), with description of a new Eretmocerus species (Hymenoptera, Aphelinidae), Zootaxa 2873, pp. 27-34 : 30-31

Encarsia iris (Girault)

( Figs 5–8 )

Coccophagus iris Girault 1930: 4 . Holotype Ƥ, Australia, Queensland, Brisbane, Indooroopilly, 24 November 1929 (QMBA, type no. 4012, examined).

Coccophagus iris Girault : Dahms 1984: 730.

Encarsia iris (Girault) : Viggiani 1985: 241 –242. Change of combination.

Encarsia iris (Girault) : Schmidt & Polaszek, 2007: 2173 –2174 (redescription).

Diagnosis. FEMALE. Colour: head brown. Mesosoma brown except following parts yellow: mesoscutum posteriorly, posteromesal corner of axilla, scutellum, and metanotum. Gaster predominantly brown or basal tergites paler. Antenna yellow. Fore wing with dark band behind marginal vein ( Fig. 8 ). Legs yellow except mid and hind coxae and occasionally hind femur brown.

Morphology. Stemmaticum with rugosely strigose surface sculpture ( Fig. 7 ). Antennal formula 1,1,3,3 ( Fig. 6 ). Pedicel longer than (1.1–1.3X) F1. F1 1.3–1.5X as long as its maximum width, shorter than F2 (0.7–0.9X) and F3 (0.7–0.8X). F2 slightly shorter than or subequal in length to F3 (0.9–1.0X). Flagellomeres with the following numbers of sensilla: F1: 0 or 1, F2: 2, F3–F6: 3 or 4. Midlobe of mesoscutum with 8 setae, arranged symmetrically, side lobes with 3 setae each. Scutellar sensilla widely separated (approximately 5– 6 X maximum width of a sensillum) ( Fig. 5 ). Distance between anterior pair of scutellar setae slightly less than or subequal to distance between posterior pair ( Fig. 5 ). Fore wing 2.3–2.4X as long as width of disc ( Fig. 8 ). Marginal fringe 0.2X as long as width of disc ( Fig. 8 ). Basal cell with 3–7 setae. Submarginal vein with 2 setae, marginal vein anteriorly with 6 or 7 setae. Tarsal formula 5,5,5. Apical spur of midtibia distinctly longer than half length of corresponding basitarsus (0.8– 0.9X), the latter distally with 4 or 5 pegs. Tergites laterally with the following number of setae: T1: 0, T2: 1, T3: 1, T4: 1, T5: 2, T6: 2, T7: 4. Ovipositor longer than midtibia (1.7–2.2X) and 2.9–3.5X as long as clava. Third valvula 0.5–0.7X as long as second valvifer.

MALE. Body dark brown except midlobe of mesoscutum posteriorly and scutellum lighter. Legs pale, all coxae and hind femur brown. Antenna light brown (radicle, scape, and pedicel slightly darker brown). Flagellum 6- segmented with apical two segments partially fused and sensilla overlapping.

Species group placement. E. opulenta group.

Distribution. Australia: New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia.

Host. Orchamoplatus citri (Takahashi) .

Material examined. AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 2Ƥ, Burringbar, Howards Rd, 28.4220°S, 153.4786°E, 87 m, 8.ii.2010 (L. Howie, A. Marcora), ex O. citri on orange ( ZSM); 3Ƥ, 625 Myocum Rd, 28.8180°S, 153.4922°E, 34 m, 8.ii.2010 (L. Howie, A. Marcora), ex O. citri on lemon ( ZSM); 13, Newybar, 19 Johnston Rd, 28.7244°S, 153.5189°E, 114 m, 8.ii.2010 (L. Howie, A. Marcora), ex O. citri on Honey Murcart Mandarins ( ZSM). Queensland: 1Ƥ, Biggenden, Cherelley Rd, 4621, Longatong Orchard (Cooranga Citrus P/L), 25.2862°S, 151.9570°E, 120 m, 1.iv.2010 (E. Carlton, D. Papacek, A. Guanilo) ( ZSM); 2Ƥ, Coochin Creek Farms, 1755 Roys Rd Beerwah, 26.892°S, 153.086°E, 13.v.2009 (L. Howie, A. Marcora), ex O. citri ( ZSM); 1Ƥ, Frank Van Der Meer Cnr Steve Irvin Way & Kings Rd, Glasshouse Mts, 26.891°S, 152.962°E, 13.v.2009 (L. Howie, A. Marcora), ex O. citri ( ZSM); 1Ƥ, Mundubbera, Durong Rd 4626, Benhams Orchard (Joey Citrus P/L), 25.6333°S, 151.2833°E, 140 m, 15.iii.2010 (E. Carlton, D. Papacek, A. Guanilo) ( ZSM).

Genbank accession. HQ660515 , HQ660517 , JF750716 - JF750728 .

Comments. Encarsia iris was the most common parasitoid species reared from O. citri . It was collected at coastal locations from central Queensland south to Victoria, sometimes in large numbers. Orchamoplatus citri is the first host record of this species.

The 28S-D2 sequence data did not show any intraspecific variation between populations from locations in Queensland (Brisbane, Glasshouse Mts) and New South Wales (Burringbar, Myocum, Newrybar). The COI sequences exhibited an overall mean distance of 0.8%, with a maximum of 1.4% between populations from Burringbar (NSW) and Brisbane (QLD).

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 8. Encarsia iris, female. 5, body; 6, antenna; 7, head, front view; 8, fore wing.