Aphelinus mali (Haldeman, 1851)

Japoshvili, G. & Abrantes, I., 2006, Aphelinus species (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) from the Iberian Peninsula, with the description of one new species from Portugal, Journal of Natural History 40 (13 - 14), pp. 855-862 : 860-862

Aphelinus mali (Haldeman, 1851)

Material examined

Portugal: 1♀, Figueira da Foz , 23 March 2005, G. Japoshvili (IZGAS) .

Distribution

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Georgia, Indonesia, India, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain (incl. Canary Islands), Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Yugoslavia (former), South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe ( Noyes 2005).

Hosts

Anuraphis schwartzi , Aphis gossypii , A. monardae , A. pomi , A. spiraecola , A. tavaresi , Aphis sp. , Brevicoryne brassicae , Ceratovacuna lanigera , Colopha eragrostidis , C. graminis , Dactynotus floridae , Eriosoma americanum , E. crataegi , E. lanigerum , E. pyricola , Eriosoma sp. , Macrosiphum floridae , M. rosae , Macrosiphum sp. , Mordwilkoia vagabunda , Myzus lythri , M. persicae , Prociphilus fraxinifolii , Schizaphis graminum , Schizoneura americanum , Tetraneura graminis , Toxoptera aurantii ( Hemiptera : Aphididae ) ( Noyes 2005).

Aphelinus varipes (Forster, 1841)

Aphelinus toxopteraphidis Kurdjumov syn. nov.

Material examined

Portugal: 1♀, Coimbra, 10 November 2004, G. Japoshvili ; 1♀ (large), Coimbra, 13 October 2004, G. Japoshvili ; 1♀ (small) Coimbra, 13 October 2004, G. Japoshvili ; 2♀, 1 „, Coimbra, 11 November 2004, G. Japoshvili; (slides) 1♀, Coimbra, 17 October 2004, G. Japoshvili ; 1♀, Coimbra, 7 November 2004, G. Japoshvili ; 1♀, 1 „, Coimbra, 11 November 2004, G. Japoshvili (IZGAS). 1♀, Coimbra, 11 November 2004, G. Japoshvili; 1 „, Porto, Gaia , 23 October 2004, G. Japoshvili ; 1♀, Coimbra, 26 October 2004, G. Japoshvili (MZUC, Museum of Zoology , Coimbra University) .

Variation

All coxae dark brown. Only femora yellow, tibia and tarsal segments infuscated. Gonostyles 0.4–0.6× as long as mid-tibia.

Remarks

In the authors’ opinion Aphelinus toxopteraphidis Kurdjumov is a synonym of A. varipes . We base this on the fact that the morphological variation observed in specimens of A. varipes , particularly the transition from smaller to larger specimens, easily accommodates our understanding of A. toxopteraphidis morphology. However, we have not examined type material of either species, so the synonymy must remain provisional pending a thorough revision based on available type material. In the first author’s opinion, A. flaviventris Kurdjumov is another probable synonym of A. varipes .

Distribution

Australia, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Mexico, Nepal, Russia (Primor’ye Kray), Slovakia, Yugoslavia (Federal Republic), Serbia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, UK and USA ( Noyes 2005).

Hosts

Aleyrodidae (Aleyrodoidea) ; Acyrthosiphon pisum , Aphis fabae , A. gossypii , A. helianthi , Aphis sp. , Diuraphis noxia (5 Brachycolus noxius ) ( Blackman and Eastop 2000), Diuraphis (5 Brachycolus ) muehlei ( Miller and Stoetzel 2005), Hysteroneura setariae , Melanaphis donacis , Metopolophium dirhodum , Rhopalosiphum insertum , R. maidis , R. padi , Schizaphis graminum (5 Toxoptera graminum ) ( Miller and Stoetzel 2005), Sipha sp. , Sitobion avenae (Aphididae) ; Pseudococcus sp. (Pseudococcidae) ( Hemiptera ) ( Noyes 2005).