Encarsia scylla, 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 : 2229-2230

78. Encarsia scylla n. sp.

( Figures 248–250 )

Description (holotype)

Female. Colour: the holotype is clearly a teneral specimen and the dark colour pattern of the mesosoma is expected to be different in normal specimens. The type has a brown head and mesosoma with the following dark brown markings: pronotum, mesoscutal midlobe with a medial stripe, beginning broadly at the anterior margin, becoming constricted, dilated, and constricted again, and ending well before posterior margin, side lobes anteriorly and along mesal margin, axilla except posteromesal corner, scutellum with pair of dark maculae posterior of scutellar sensilla, within area enclosed by anterior and posterior pair of scutellar setae, mesopleuron and propodeum brown. Gaster pale except first tergite anteriorly brown. Antenna yellow. Fore wing hyaline. Legs yellow.

Morphology: stemmaticum with reticulate surface sculpture. Antennal formula 1,1,4,2. Pedicel longer than F1 (1.22). F1 short, 1.6 times as long as its maximum width, distinctly shorter than F2 (0.60) and F3 (0.58). F2 subequal in length to F3. Flagellomeres with the following numbers of sensilla: F1: 0, F2: 2, F3: 4, F4: 4, F5: 4, F6: 1. Midlobe of mesoscutum with 10 setae plus two setae in an asymmetrical position on the left side of the midlobe near the centre which may be missing in other specimens, side lobes with three setae each. Axillary seta located at about one-third the length of the axilla from its anterior margin. Scutellar sensilla widely separated (approximately four times the maximum width of a sensillum). Distance between anterior pair of scutellar setae distinctly smaller than between posterior pair. Fore wing about 2.2 times as long as width of disc. Marginal fringe 0.18 times as long as width of disc. Submarginal vein with two setae, marginal vein anteriorly with 9–10 setae. Basal cell with four to five setae. Stigmal vein very narrow, without distinct constriction. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Apical spur of midtibia distinctly longer than half the length of the corresponding basitarsus (0.83). Tergites laterally with the following numbers of setae: T1: 0, T2: 1, T3: 1, T4: 1, T5: 3, T6: 3, T7 with four setae. Ovipositor subequal in length to midtibia, with blunt apex. Third valvula relatively long, 0.68 times as long as second valvifer.

Male. Unknown.

Species group placement. E. inaron group.

Distribution. Australia: New South Wales.

Host. Aleyrodidae : Aleuroduplidens wellsae Martin.

Material examined New South Wales: Holotype ♀, Coffs Harbour, 18 October 2000 (P. De Barro), ex

Aleuroduplidens wellsae on rainforest plant (ANIC).

Comments

Teneral specimens with a similar colour pattern are known to occur in other Encarsia species , e.g. E. formosa (A. Polaszek, personal observation), in particular if the specimens were reared. Apart from the unusual pattern of dark markings on the mesosoma, there are additional characters that indicate the presence of a teneral specimen, including the wings which are very pale (including the venation) and appear crumpled. Furthermore, the reticulation of the mesosoma is discernible only in dark coloured areas, suggesting that both the sculpture and the pigmentation develop in patches. Despite this abnormality, the species can be distinguished from closely related species of the inaron group by the relatively long third valvula.

Figures

Figures 248–250. Encarsia scylla n. sp., holotype female. (248) Mesosoma and gaster. (249) Antenna. (250) Fore wing.