Platyplectrus natadae, Ferriere, 1941

Zhu, C. D. & Huang, D. W., 2004, A study of Platyplectrus Ferrière (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in mainland China, Journal of Natural History 38 (17), pp. 2183-2209 : 2199-2200

P. natadae Ferrière, 1941

Platyplectrus natadae Ferrière, 1941: 21 . Lectotype ” designated by Wijesekara and Schauff, 1994: 31. Sri Lanka (BMNH, not examined).

Diagnosis. Head partly yellow; occiput sharply margined. Scape at least partly dark; clava acute, 1.9–3 times as long as broad. Pronotum dark between transverse carina and neck. Mid lobe of mesoscutum completely yellow and covered with setae all over the dorsum; scutellum smooth, with sublateral grooves sub-parallel posteriorly, broad. Dorsellum different from lateral area, which is dark brown. Propodeal median carina raised anteriorly into a translucent, elongate and tongue-shaped protuberance. Petiole not apparent.

Description. Head mostly yellow with occiput or area around ocelli black; occiput sharply margined; occipital carina present and developed into translucent lamina; post-occipital carina present. Antennal scrobe black. Scape dark on dorsal margin. Pedicel dark. Flagellum concolorous. Funicle with all segments longer than broad, with F4 samely separated from F3 and clava, and distinctly four-segmented, with segments not becoming shorter and broadened towards clava simultaneously; F1 around 3 times as long as broad. Clava medially same breadth as funicle, acute, 1.9–3 times as long as broad.

Dark parts on mesosoma black. Pronotum with yellow parts occurring more than on posterior end, never translucent. Pronotum dark between transverse carina and neck, with distinct transverse carina anteriorly, without longitudinal, parallel, short carinae attaching to transverse carinae. Mid lobe of mesoscutum completely yellow, with engraved reticulations, covered with setae all over the dorsum, without longitudinal median carina. Axillae completely or mostly yellow with dark patch at lateral corners, smooth and bare. Axillula completely dark. Scutellum smooth, with median, longitudinal, dark stripe, without longitudinal median carina, with broad sublateral grooves sub-parallel posteriorly. Area between scutellar sublateral grooves completely yellow. Area lateral to sublateral grooves smooth. Dorsellum different from lateral area, which is dark brown, smooth, without tooth-like structure directing posteriorly. Propodeum completely dark and smooth, with median carina at least translucent along margins, thus appearing yellow, raised anteriorly into a translucent, elongate and tongue-shaped protuberance, without short carinae attached. Petiole absent.

Hind legs completely yellow. Hind coxae yellow. Hind femora yellow, dark on dorsal margin. Hind tibiae yellow, with one spur more than 1.5 times length of the first tarsomere. Hind tarsi with the first segment at least as long as the second, yellow.

Material examined. Chinese material deposited in IZCAS: 1”, Hainan, Jianfeng Mts, 4 April 1984, 1350 m (Li Chang-fang). External material deposited in BMNH: 5””, Ceylon: Tailawakelle, July 1935, ex. Natada nararia (C. B. R. King) , including two paralectotypes; 1”, Ceylon, September 1931, ex. Natada sp. (C. B. R. King) .

Distribution. * China: Hainan; Sri Lanka.

Biology. Parasitoid of Natada nararia ( Lepidoptera : Limacodidae ).