Encarsia spinosa, Schmidt & Polaszek, 2007

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 : 2238-2239

83. Encarsia spinosa n. sp.

( Figures 266–268 )

Description

Female. Colour: head yellow, with dark transverse band. Mesosoma light brown (pronotum, mesoscutum and axillae anteriorly and mesopleuron darker brown). Gaster predominantly brown. Third valvula brown. Antenna yellow. Fore wing with dark band behind marginal vein. Legs yellow.

Morphology: stemmaticum with rugosely strigose surface sculpture. Antennal formula 1,1,3,3. Pedicel longer than F1 (2.09–2.40). F1 0.91–0.96 times as long as its maximum width, shorter than F2 (0.50–0.64) and F3 (0.50–0.64). F2 subequal in length to F3. Flagellomeres with the following numbers of sensilla: F1: 0, F2: 2–3, F3: 2–3, F4: 3, F5: 3, F6: 3. Midlobe of mesoscutum with 10 setae, arranged symmetrically, side lobes with three setae each. Scutellar sensilla widely separated (approximately six to seven times the maximum width of a sensillum). Distance between anterior pair of scutellar setae subequal to distance between posterior pair. Fore wing about 2.4 times as long as width of disc. Marginal fringe 0.29–0.30 times as long as width of disc. Basal cell with two or three setae. Submarginal vein with two setae, marginal vein anteriorly with six setae. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Apical spur of midtibia slightly longer than corresponding basitarsus (1.15). Tergites laterally with the following numbers of setae: T1: 0, T2: 1, T3: 1, T4: 1, T5: 2, T6: 2, T7 with four setae. Ovipositor shorter than midtibia (0.71–0.73) and 1.03–1.13 times as long as clava. Third valvula 0.48–0.53 times as long as second valvifer.

Male. Unknown.

Species group placement. Not established.

Distribution. Australia: Queensland.

Host. Aleyrodidae : Dialeuropora decempuncta (Quaintance and Baker) .

Material examined

Queensland: Holotype: ♀, Brisbane, Long Pocket, 22 October 1999 (P. De Barro), ex Dialeuropora decempuncta on Callistemon viminalis (Sol. ex Gaertn.) G. Don ( Proteaceae ) (ANIC).

Comments

Characterized by the long midtibial spur, the short ovipositor, and the stout antenna with the first funicular segment quadrate.

Figures

Figures 266–268. Encarsia spinosa n. sp., holotype female. (266) Mesosoma and gaster. (267) Antenna. (268) Fore wing.