Anagrus epos Girault, 1911

Triapitsyn, Serguei V., 2006, A key to the Mymaridae (Hymenoptera) egg parasitoids of proconiine sharpshooters (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in the Nearctic region, with description of two new species of Gonatocerus, Zootaxa 1203, pp. 1-38 : 7-9

Anagrus epos Girault, 1911

( Fig. 2 )

Type locality

Centralia, Marion Co., Illinois, USA.

Material examined

USA. CALIFORNIA: Riverside Co., Riverside, UCR Quarantine Lab., numerous females and males from the colony on Homalodisca coagulata (Say) eggs in leaves of Euonymus japonica , reared during vi–ix. 2004 by V.V. Berezovskiy and S.V. Triapitsyn and since ix. 2004 by R. Krugner; originally from: MINNESOTA, Clay Co., ca. 4 mi. SEE Glyndon, Bluestem Prairie (Nature Conservancy Preserve, moist tallgrass prairie), 46.85521 °N, 96.47353 °W, 31.v– 1.vi. 2004, R.A. Rakitov (ex. egg masses of Cuerna fenestella Hamilton on Solidago sp. and Zigadenus sp.; emerged in UCR quarantine 8–14.vi. 2004, coll. by S.V. Triapitsyn and V.V. Berezovskiy) [numerous females and males, UCRC]. MASSACHUSETTS, Middlesex Co., Cambridge, 27.viii. 1942, H.L. Dozier (“reared from blackberry infested with Erythroneura maculata ”) [1 female, USNM]. MINNESOTA, Clay Co., ca. 4 mi. SEE Glyndon, Bluestem Prairie (Nature Conservancy Preserve, moist tallgrass prairie), 46.85521 °N, 96.47353 °W, 1–3.vi. 2004, R.A. Rakitov [1 male, UCRC].

Diagnosis

Body length 300–600. Body mostly yellow, with a conspicuous dark band across the gaster in the specimens from Minnesota ( Fig. 2 ). Female antenna with F 1 subglobular, less than half length of pedicel; F 2 –F 5 usually subequal, F 6 longest of funicular segments; F 3 –F 5 usually with 1 longitudinal sensillum each, F 6 with 2, and clava with 5 longitudinal sensilla. Mesoscutum with a pair of adnotaular setae. Forewing 8.0– 9.5 x as long as wide; with 1 to 3 irregular rows of discal setae (1 such row on basal 1 / 3 of blade beyond venation), leaving a well differentiated bare area in broadest part of blade near posterior margin. Ovipositor at least slightly, sometimes markedly exserted beyond apex of metasoma. Outer plates of ovipositor each with 3 setae, rarely with 2. Ovipositor: foretibia ratio 2.4–3.1: 1. Male similar to female except for normal sexually dimorphic characters and a darker body color.

Distribution

Mexico (Baja California and Sonora) and USA (Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts (new record), Minnesota, New Mexico, and New York) (Triapitsyn 1998). Recently released in California against H. coagulata ( Pilkington et al. 2005) . Hosts

Cuerna fenestella Hamilton ( Triapitsyn and Rakitov 2005) as well as Dikrella sp., Erythroneura aclys McAtee , E. bistrata McAtee , E. comes (Say) , Erythroneura maculata Gillette (new record), E. variabilis Beamer , E. vulnerata Fitch , and undetermined Erythroneura spp. (Triapitsyn 1998); also Homalodisca coagulata (Say) (under laboratory conditions only) ( Hoddle and Triapitsyn 2004 b; Triapitsyn and Rakitov 2005).

Comments

A colony of this species successfully reproduced on H. coagulata eggs at UCR Quarantine Laboratory and is considered a potentially promising biological control agent for introduction against glassy­winged sharpshooter in California ( Hoddle and Triapitsyn 2004 b). The colony was established from the specimens collected in Minnesota, which emerged in UCR quarantine (see “Material Examined”); mated females were then exposed to fresh eggs of H. coagulata (laid in leaves of Euonymus japonica ) on 9.vi. 2004, and the next generation emerged 29–30.vi. 2004 (vouchered in UCRC are 5 females and 1 male of these first generation wasps).

Figures

FIGURES 1, 2. 1. Forewing of Acmopolynema sema (female). 2. Anagrus epos (female).