Aphelinus semiflavus Howard, 1908

Shirley, Xanthe A., Woolley, James B. & Hopper, Keith R., 2017, Revision of the asychis species group of Aphelinus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 54, pp. 1-32 : 13-16

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.54.10457
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6F3F5A35-3EBD-48FE-9DFC-9B350F129DE3
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/FF59F30D-1FDC-39FF-D736-B581E3AB48BC
treatment provided by	Journal of Hymenoptera Research by Pensoft
scientific name	Aphelinus semiflavus Howard, 1908
status

Treatment

Aphelinus semiflavus Howard, 1908 View in CoL

Aphelinus semiflavus Howard, 1908.

Aphelinus brevipennis Girault, 1917, synonymy by Gahan (1924).

Diagnosis.

Females and males. Legs with procoxa brown (Fig. 7d View Figure 7 ) [not yellow (Fig. 9d View Figure 9 )], profemur, mesofemur, mesotibia entirely yellow (Fig. 7d View Figure 7 ) [not dark or light brown at base and yellow or pale at apex (Figs 3d View Figure 3 , 5d View Figure 5 )] and metatibia light brown with apex yellow (Fig. 7d View Figure 7 ) [not entirely yellow (Fig. 9d View Figure 9 ) or dark brown with apex yellow or pale (Fig. 3d View Figure 3 )].

Description.

Female (Figs 7b View Figure 7 , 7d View Figure 7 , 7f View Figure 7 and 8b View Figure 8 , 8d-8g View Figure 8 ).

Color (Fig. 7b View Figure 7 , 7d View Figure 7 , 7f View Figure 7 ). Head and mesosoma dark brown; radicle and basal portion of scape yellow/white, apical portion of scape and pedicel brown, and F1, F2, F3, and club yellow, tip of club dusky; legs with mesocoxa and metacoxa brown, metafemur and protibia, entirely yellow; metasoma yellow from base to apex, lateral margins of metasoma darker than mesal area except in basal quarter.

Body length. 0.5-1.0 mm (n=3; slide mounts) (Paralectotypes 0.5-0.6 mm).

Head (Figs 7b View Figure 7 and 8b View Figure 8 ). Width 1.2-1.3 × head length in anterior view; frontovertex width 0.4-0.5 × head width and 3.1-3.7 × frontovertex length; posterior ocelli diameter 0.5 × posterior ocelli to eye margin distance and 1.5 × posterior ocelli to occipital margin distance; antenna as in Figure 8b View Figure 8 with scape length 6.8-7.0 × scape width, pedicel length 2.0-2.3 × pedicel width, F1 and F2 subquadrate, length of both 0.9- 1.1 × width, F3 length 1.5-1.9 × F3 width, and club length 3.2-4.4 × club width and 2.6-2.3 × F3 width, club with 8 longitudinal sensilla.

Mesosoma (Figs 7d View Figure 7 , 7f View Figure 7 and 8g View Figure 8 ). Mid lobe of mesoscutum length 0.7-0.8 × mid lobe width with two pairs of long setae (one pair lateral and one pair posterior) and 30-31 short setae; side lobes of mesoscutum each with one pair of long setae and one pair of short setae; scutellum with two pairs of long setae (one pair anterior and one pair posterior); mesotibial spur length 0.6-0.7 × mesobasitarsus length, metatibial spur length 0.4-0.5 × metabasitarsus length.

Fore wing (Fig. 8d View Figure 8 ). Length 2.3-2.8 × fore wing width, longest marginal seta 0.1 × fore wing width; costal cell length 0.6-0.7 × length of marginal vein, with one line of 10-12 setae on ventral surface and 1-2 dorsal setae in apical quarter; submarginal vein with two setae; marginal vein with two rows of 14-17 large dorsal setae, one row of 7-13 small dorsal setae, and one row of 7-10 ventral setae; interspace between basal cell and linea calva with 31-40 setae arranged in three complete line and one to two incomplete lines; linea calva closed with 3 setae at its posterior end, setae bordering linea calva proximally are arranged uniformly and evenly to posterior margin of wing.

Hind wing (Fig. 8e View Figure 8 ). Length 3.5-3.7 × hind wing width, longest marginal seta 0.2-0.3 × hind wing width.

Metasoma (Figs 7d View Figure 7 , 7f View Figure 7 and 8f View Figure 8 ). Length 2.0 × mesosoma length; ovipositor length 0.9 × mesotibia length and 1.2 × metatibia length; third valvula length 0.3 × ovipositor length.

Description. Male (Figs 7a View Figure 7 , 7c View Figure 7 , 7e View Figure 7 and 8a View Figure 8 , 8c View Figure 8 , 8h View Figure 8 ). Similar to female except:

Color (Fig. 7a View Figure 7 , 7c View Figure 7 , 7e View Figure 7 ). All antennal segments yellow/brown; metasoma yellow at base darkening gradually to light brown at apex.

Head (Figs 7a View Figure 7 and 8a View Figure 8 ). Antenna with scape length 6.4 × scape width with five pores along mid line of single continuous convex ridge on ventral surface, pores small, approximately same diameter as base of adjacent seta, pedicel length 1.7-2.2 × pedicel width, F1 length 0.6 × F1 width, F2 length 0.6 × F2 width, F3 length 4.2-4.4 × F3 width, club length 6.2 × club width and 1.5 × F3 length.

Metasoma (Fig. 7c View Figure 7 , 7e View Figure 7 and 8h View Figure 8 ). Length 1.3 × mesosoma length; phallobase length (including digiti) 6.0 × phallobase width; digiti length 4.5 × digiti width.

Type material examined.

Aphelinus semiflavus Howard 1908, lectotype female (USNM, examined). Label data: "Type | No. 12031 | USNM || Aphelinus n.sp. | near mali || Myzus persicae | Ft. Collins, Colo. | C.B. Gillette | det. July 15, 1908". The slide containing the lec totype has 3 female and 2 male specimens under one cover slip. The female specimen in the lowest middle portion of the slide is herein designated lectotype, and the slide has been labeled accordingly. Paralectotypes. (USNM, examined). Two females and two males on same slide, data as lectotype. Two females, one male, one sex unknown, on cardmounts with label data reading as " Myzus persicae | Fort Collins, CO || C. B. Gillette | Det. July, 15, 08 || Type | No. 12031| U.S.N.M.".

Aphelinus brevipennis Girault 1917, lectotype female. (USNM, examined). Slide-mounted parts: " Aphelinus | Aphelinus brevipennis | Girault | female type || 19801". Point mount: "Ohio || 1693 || 19801". The female lectotype designated herein is mounted on a point, and parts consisting of an antenna, a fore wing, a hind wing, a mid leg and a hind leg were dissected by Girault and mounted on a slide. Paralectotype male (USNM). Point-mounted. Label data: "Ohio || 1704 || 19801".

Other material examined.

CANADA: 2 sex unknowns, 18 females, 8 males. CNC HYMEN 18213-18219, 122831, 122834, 122842, 122844-122847, 122850-122860, 122867, 122894-122895 (CNC) . CANADA: Nova Scotia: 5 males. CNC HYMEN 122822-122824, 122826-122827 (CNC) . FRANCE: 1 male. UCRC ENT 326865 (UCRC) . INDIA: 1 unknown, 2 sex unknowns. USNM 1119632, 1119636, 1119638 (USNM). KOREA: 5 females, 16 males. TAMU-ENTO X0856593-X0856613 (TAMU) . MEXICO: 3 males. TAMU-ENTO 616387, X0853003, X0853005 (TAMU) . SPAIN: 1 male. CNC HYMEN 19028 (CNC) . USA: California: 2 unknown, 7 sex unknowns, 94 females, 47 males, 3 mixed series. UCRC ENT 13843 View Materials -13845, 13994, 13995, 14057, 326787, 326798, 326803, 326822-326835, 326837-326840, 326842-326843, 326845-326850, 326853, 326855, 326860-326861, 326863, 326864, 326866, 326869, 326871, 326874-326877, 326879, 326881-326883, 326886, 326887 (UCRC); EMEC 749022-749049, 749080, 749088, 749090-749092, 749511-749514, 749517, 749560-749563 749567-749568, 749572, 749574-749577, 749583-749588, 749590-749597, 749600-749605, 749607-749616, 749637, 749082, 749011-749021 (EMEC); ANIC 64521 (ANIC); USNM 1119584, 1212283-1212284 (USNM); CNC HYMEN 122848 (CNC); BMNH(E) 1039253 (BMNH) . USA: Colorado: 2 sex unknowns, 1 female, 11 males, 1 mixed series. UCRC ENT 13847 View Materials (UCRC); USNM 1119635, 1119643, 1212226-1212236 (USNM) . USA: Florida: 1 female, 1 male. CNC HYMEN 122814 (CNC); USNM 1119593 (USNM) . USA: Georgia: 2 females, 5 males. CNC HYMEN 122803, 122806-122808, 122819-122821 (CNC) . USA: Kansas: 2 females, 1 male, 1 mixed series. USNM 763852, 1119509, 1119581, 1119601 (USNM) . USA: Maine: 2 females. USNM 1119572, 1119575 (USNM) . USA: Maine: 2 mixed series. USNM 763837, 763862 (USNM) . USA: Maryland: 1 female. CNC HYMEN 122802 (CNC) . USA: Massachusetts: 4 females, 1 male. USNM 1212210-1212211, 1212215-1212217 (USNM) . USA: Minnesota: 1 mixed series. USNM 763857 (USNM) . USA: Montana: 1 females. TAMU-ENTO X0616383 (TAMU) . USA: New Jersey: 2 females, 1 male. EMEC 749569, 749571, 749570 (EMEC) . USA: New Mexico: 2 females, 2 males. USNM 1212244,1212222-1212224 (USNM) . USA: New York: 7 females, 2 males, 1 sex unknown. USNM 1119570, USNM 763827, 1119595-1119598, 1119602-1119604 (USNM); UCRC ENT 13846 View Materials (UCRC) . USA: North Carolina: 2 females. CNC HYMEN 122816-122817 (CNC) . USA: Ohio: 2 unknowns, 3 females, 4 males. USNM 763832, 1119582-1119583, 1119587-1119588, 1119590-1119592, 1119616 (USNM) . USA: Oregon: female. USNM 1212237 (USNM) . USA: Pennsylvania: 1 female. USNM 1119571 (USNM) . USA: South Carolina: 1 male. UCRC ENT 13992 View Materials (UCRC) . USA: Texas: 5 females. TAMU-ENTO X0852937, X0852939, X0852940, X0852928-X0852929 (TAMU) . USA: Virginia: 3 females. TAMU-ENTO X0852934, X0852936 (TAMU); CNC HYMEN 122818 (CNC). Country not specified: 5 females, 1 male, 1 mixed series. USNM 763817, 763822, 763842, 763847, 763867 (USNM); UCRC ENT 326685 (UCR); EMEC 398444 (EMEC) .

Hosts.

Acyrthosiphon malvae (Mosley, 1841), Acyrthosiphon pisum , Aphis eugeniae van der Goot, 1917, Brachycaudus helichrysi (Kaltenbach, 1843), Coloradoa rufomaculata (Wilson, 1908), Capitophorus xanthii (Oestlund, 1886), Diuraphis noxia , Illinoia liriodendra (Monell, 1879), Macrosiphoniella ludovicianae (Oestlund, 1886), Myzus persicae , Myzaphis rosarum (Kaltenbach, 1843), Neomyzus circumflexus (Buckton, 1876), Rhopalosiphum maidis, Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (Linnaeus, 1761), Schizaphis graminum , Therioaphis trifolii , and Toxoptera sp.

Distribution.

New World, with few populations in Old World (from France, Korea and Spain).

Discussion.

There has been confusion in the past about whether or not A. asychis and A. semiflavus are separate species. Based on the material examined, leg coloration patterns clearly differ between them. Regarding the New World populations examined, we are treating most North American populations as Aphelinus semiflavus , noting that in the Mexico and Winnipeg, Canada, populations, the metatibia are yellow/brown [not dark brown at base with apex pale].

We consider the Bangalore, India, and Dezful, Iran populations as sp. Aphelinus nr. semiflavus , noting that the India population has mid tibia and mid femora with brown [not yellow] and the Dezful, Iran, population has legs like Aphelinus semiflavus except one female with brown [not yellow] on mid tibia and mid femora. There is one specimen from Virginia that we are treating as possibly Aphelinus semiflavus , noting that the fore femora and fore tibia are brown [not yellow].

We have examined the lectotype female and paralectotype male of Aphelinus brevipennis Girault and agree with the conclusion of Gahan (1924) that it is a junior synonym of Aphelinus semiflavus Howard. Although Ferrière (1965), Nikol’skaya and Yasnosh (1966), and Yasnosh (1978) treated Aphelinus semiflavus as a junior synonym of Aphelinus asychis Walker, for reasons discussed above we consider it to be a distinct and valid species.

Future work should use reciprocal crosses and perhaps molecular data to determine whether populations of A. semiflavus in Old World vs. New World are in fact one species, are races of one species with different host ranges, or are two distinct cryptic species.