Prionomitus mitratus (Dalman)

Noyes, John Stuart, 2023, ENCYRTIDAE OF COSTA RICA (HYMENOPTERA: CHALCIDOIDEA), 4 Subfamily Encyrtinae: tribes Arrhenophagini, Habrolepidini, Cerapterocerini, Cheiloneurini, Trechnitini, Cercobelini, Polaszekiini, Protyndarichoidini, Gahaniellini and Syrphophagini (part), mainly primary parasitoids and hyperparasitoids of Coccoidea and Psylloidea (Hemiptera), Taxonomic Monographs on Neotropical Hymenoptera (Oxford, England) 2 (11), pp. 1-921 : 554-555

Prionomitus mitratus (Dalman)

(Figs 1403-1411; Hab. E 206, G 207)

Encyrtus mitratus Dalman, 1820:352 . Holotype E, Sweden, NHRM, not examined.

Encyrtus chlorinus Dalman, 1820:364 . Syntypes G, Sweden, NHRM, not examined. Synonymy with Encyrtus mitratus Dalman by Thomson (1876:162).

Encyrtus coniferae Walker, 1837:461 . Lectotype E (designated by Graham, 1969:245), Ireland. NMID, not examined. Synonymy with Prionomitus mitratus (Dalman) by Graham (1969:245).

Microterys mitratus (Dalman) ; Thomson, 1876:162.

Prionomitus mitratus (Dalman) ; Mercet, 1921:257.

DIAGNOSIS. Female (length about 1.1-1.9mm): head with a transverse purple band across top of antennal scrobes; fore legs, including coxae, completely yellow; head as in Fig. 1405; antenna as in Fig. 1403; ocelli forming an angle of 90°or more, posterior ocelli equidistant from occipital and eye margins or distinctly closer to eye margins depending on the relative width of frontovertex which varies from about one-third to two-fifths head width; fore wing venation as in Figs 1406, 1407; hypopygium (Fig. 1408) more or less completely enclosing ovipositor which is about as long as mid tibia, gonostylus (Fig. 1404) about two-fifths as long as ovipositor. Male (length about 1.0- 1.6mm): similar to female but for antenna (Fig. 1411) and genitalia (Fig. 1411); aedeagus slightly more than half as long as mid tibia.

DISTRIBUTION. Holarctic, Costa Rica ( Trjapitzin, 1989; Noyes & Hanson, 1996; Noyes, 2019).

HOSTS. Not known for Costa Rica, but elsewhere reared from a variety of psyllid ( Hemiptera ; Psyllidae ) nymphs including Palaearctic records from Cacopsylla cratraegi (Schrank) , C. melanoneura (Förster) , C. peregrina (Förster) , C. pyri (Linnaeus) , C. pyricola (Förster) , C. pyrisuga (Förster) , Livilla retamae (Puton) and L. variegata (Löw) , and Nearctic records from Cacopsylla americana (Crawford) , Ceanothia essigi (Jensen) , C. insolita (Tuthill) , Euglyptoneura fuscipennis (Crawford) , E. minuta (Crawford) , E. robusta (Crawford) and Pexopsylla cercocarpi Jensen (see Trjapitzin, 1989; Noyes & Hanson, 1996; Noyes, 2019),

BIOCONTROL. Prionomitus mitratus has been introduced into Canada (British Columbia) and USA (California) in an attempt to control Cacopsylla pyricola (Förster) , a pest of pears. It has been partially successful in controlling this pest in Canada ( McMullen, 1971). In Europe, P. mitratus is regarded as being important in the natural regulation of the same pest in southern France and other countries (Delvare, et al. 1981; Delvare, 1984).

MATERIAL EXAMINED

Non type material. COSTA RICA, 1E, San José , Cerro de la Muerte , Arroyo Muerte, 3200m, 7-13. iv.1985 (L. Masner); 1E, Hwy 2, km 93, [Cerro de la Muerte]. 83°45’W 9°36’N. 3200m, 1-7.iv.1985 (H. Goulet, L. Masner). Plus a further 32E, 24G, from CANADA, UNITED KINGDOM, FRANCE, SPAIN, ITALY and MONTENEGRO as listed in Noyes & Hanson (1996). Material deposited in NHMUK, INBio, CNC .