Ophelosia Riley, 1890

Uan, H Ui Xiao D A-Wei H, 2001, A review of Eunotinae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) from China, Journal of Natural History 35, pp. 1587-1605 : 1593

Ophelosia Riley, 1890

Ophelosia R iley, 1890: 248–250. Type-species: O. crawfordi R iley, by monotypy.

Asaphomorphella Girault, 1913: 104–105 . Type-species: A. rousseaui Girsault , by original designation. Synonymized by BoucÏek, 1988: 853.

Ophelosia R iley; BoucÏek, Subba R ao and Farooqi, 1979: 449. Farooqi, 1983: 184. Berry, 1995: 38–49.

Diagnostic characters. Antennae inserted slightly above clypeal margin; antennal formula 11143, clava large and without distinct separation. Head with weak occipital carina. M esoscutum and scutellum with scattered bristles; scutellum without short hairs, but with two pairs of bristles. Propodeum long and horizontal, nucha distinct; propodeum slightly longer than scutellum, and extending beyond hind coxa; fore wing with basal area bare. Some species possessing distinct tuft of brown hairs on basal vein and base of parastigma.

Biology. Ophelosia act as egg predators and the primary parasitoids of margarodids ( Icerya ), dactylopiids ( Trionymus ), pseudococcids (Nipaecoccusi, Phenacoccus , Planococcus , Pseudococcus ) and coccinellids. Some species are occasionally hyperparasitoids via encyrtids on pseudococcids or aphids.

There are about 15 species in the world. They are mainly distributed in Paci c, Nearctic and Oriental areas, including Australia, New Zealand, North America, India, Papua New Guinea, Java. This is the rst time they have been recorded in China.