Encarsia leucippi (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 : 2179-2180

45. Encarsia leucippi (Girault)

( Figures 144–146 )

Coccophagus leucippi Girault 1936 [447], p 2. Holotype ♀, Australia, Queensland, Brisbane, Indooroopilly (QMBA, type no. T. 9163, examined).

Coccophagus leucippe Girault : Dahms 1984, p 754. Misspelling of specific epithet.

Encarsia leucippi (Girault) : Viggiani 1985c, p 243 –244. Change of combination. Redescription (holotype)

Female. Colour: head and body yellow, pronotum, mesopleuron, axilla, and propodeum darker. Gaster dark brown except T2 and apex paler. Antenna yellow-white. Fore wing hyaline. Legs white.

Morphology: antennal formula 1,1,3,3. Pedicel longer than F1 (1.3). F1 1.55 times as long as its maximum width, shorter than F2 (0.77) and F3 (0.77). F2 and F3 subequal in length. Midlobe of mesoscutum with four setae. Scutellar sensilla widely separated (approximately eight times the maximum width of a sensillum). Distance between anterior pair of scutellar setae subequal to distance between posterior pair. Fore wing about 2.9 times as long as width of disc. Marginal fringe 0.54 times as long as width of disc. Submarginal vein with two setae, marginal vein anteriorly with 11 setae. Basal cell with a single seta. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Apical spur of midtibia longer than half the length of the corresponding basitarsus (0.71). Basitarsus of middle leg apically with distinct spine. Tergites laterally with the following numbers of setae: T1: 0, T2: 1, T3: 1, T4: 1 (setation of following tergites indiscernible). Ovipositor subequal in length to midtibia and 1.24 times as long as clava. Third valvula approximately 0.43 times as long as second valvifer.

Male. Unknown.

Species group placement. E. inquirenda group.

Distribution. Australia: Queensland.

Host. Unknown.

Comments

The species is similar to E. unfasciata , but can be separated by the denser setation of the fore wing, the longer F1 (1.55 times as long as its maximum width, whereas it is subquadrate in unfasciata ), and the dark brown gaster (in unfasciata the gaster is mainly yellow).

Figures

Figures 144–146. Encarsia leucippi Girault, holotype female. (144) Overall view of type specimen. (145) Mesosoma. (146) Fore wing.