Quetsira, Noyes, 2023

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 : 123-124

Genus QUETSIRA gen.nov.

Type species: Quetsira tinthrax sp.nov. Gender feminine.

Female. Overall length about 0.5-0.9mm.

Head and thorax velvety dark brown, almost black, weakly metallic, frontovertex sometimes orange-brown.

Head about 2.5X as wide as frontovertex; tangent of frontovertex forming an angle of about 105° with that of face; eye clothed with conspicuous setae, each about as long as diameter of facet; antenna attached a little below lower eye margin, torulus separated from mouth margin by about half its own length; funicle 6-segmented, segments transverse to quadrate; clava 3-segmented, apex with an oblique truncation; mandible with 4 short teeth, inner surface with a socketed peg near lower margin; palp formula 4-3.

Thorax with posterior margin of pronotum roundly concave, not broadly V-shaped or angular medially; mesoscutum without notaular lines; scutellum flat with conspicuous sculpture; fore wing about 2.1X as long as broad; linea calva, on dorsal surface, interrupted by 3 or 4 lines of setae and closed by a line of setae; submarginal vein with parastigma not broadened; marginal vein nearly 3X as long as broad, postmarginal vein distinct; stigmal vein subsessile and very slightly shorter than postmarginal vein, uncus developed with 3 campaniform sensilla in a line; scutellum with at least about 10 pairs of setae.

Gaster without paratergites; hypopygium not quite reaching apex; ovipositor slightly shorter than md tibia and slightly exserted; gonostylus free.

Male. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION. Costa Rica.

HOSTS. Unknown, but probably a primary parasitoid of armoured scale insects Diaspididae ( Hemiptera : Diaspididae ).

COMMENTS. Quetsira is most similar in habitus to smaller species of Coccidencyrtus , but the quadridentate mandibles, palp formula and presence of only 3 campaniform sensilla at the apex of the stigmal vein suggest that it is most closely related to Adelencyrtus . It differs from both genera in having the apex of the clava obliquely truncate, the postmarginal vein of the fore wing longer than the stigmal vein and very characteristic fine vermiculate sculpture on the head and aciculate-imbricate sculpture on the mesoscutum and scutellum. Species of Adelencyrtus and Coccidencyrtus have the apex of the clava more or less rounded or pointed, the postmarginal vein of the fore wing not longer than the stigmal vein, usually conspicuously shorter and non-aciculate, imbricate, polygonally reticulate or striate-reticulate sculpture on head and dorsum of thorax. In addition, in all species of Coccidencyrtus the mandible is basically tridentate, the maxillary palpus is at most 3-segmented, the postmarginal vein is not longer than the stigmal vein and there are always 4 campaniform sensilla at the apex of the stigmal vein.