Encarsia socratis (Girault)

Schmidt, Stefan & Polaszek, Andrew, 2007, The Australian species of Encarsia Förster (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea: Aphelinidae), parasitoids of whiteflies (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Aleyrodidae) and armoured scale insects (Hemiptera, Coccoidea: Diaspididae), Journal of Natural History 41 (33 - 36), pp. 2099-2265 : 2234-2235

81. Encarsia socratis (Girault)

( Figures 259–262 )

Coccophagus socratis Girault 1931 [435], p 3. Holotype ♀, Australia, Queensland, Indooroopilly , October 1930 (QMBA, type no. T. 4950, examined).

Coccophagus socratis Girault : Dahms 1986, p 544 –545.

Encarsia socratis (Girault) : Viggiani 1986, p 74. Change of combination.

Redescription (holotype)

Female. Colour: head brown, lower face and area around mouthparts yellow. Mesosoma brown, pronotum, mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly, axilla, propodeum laterally, and mesopleuron dark brown. Gaster dark brown. Antenna yellow, apex slightly darker. Fore wing hyaline with a slight infuscation behind marginal vein. Legs pale except coxae, femora largely, and basal two-thirds of hind tibia brown.

Morphology: maxillary palp two-segmented. Antennal formula 1,1,3,3, apical segment appears conical. Pedicel subequal in length to F1. F1 0.81 times as long as its maximum width, with two longitudinal sensilla, subequal in length to F2 and F3. Scutellar sensilla widely separated. Fore wing about 2.6 times as long as its maximum width. Basal cell with six setae. Marginal fringe 0.33 times as long as width of disc. Marginal vein anteriorly with eight setae. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Apical spur of midtibia distinctly longer than half the length of the corresponding basitarsus (0.77). Ovipositor distinctly longer than midtibia (2.39) and 2.97 times as long as clava. Third valvula 0.34 times as long as second valvifer.

Male. Unknown.

Species group placement. E. opulenta group.

Distribution. Australia: Queensland.

Host. Unknown.

Comments

Encarsia socratis is characterized by its very long ovipositor which identifies it as belonging to the E. opulenta species group. Encarsia socratis can be separated from other Australian species of the opulenta group ( E. albiscutellum , E. iris , E. longicauda , and E. subhyalina n. sp.) by its longer marginal fore wing fringe and the longer ovipositor.

Figures

Figures 259–262. Encarsia socratis (Girault), holotype female. (259) Type specimen. (260) Mesosoma. (261) Head and antenna. (262) Fore wing.