Encarsia ustulata Schmidt and Naumann

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 : 2253-2254

93. Encarsia ustulata Schmidt and Naumann

( Figures 295–297 ) Encarsia ustulata Schmidt and Naumann in Schmidt et al. 2001, p 383–384. Holotype ♀,

South Australia, Aldinga Scrub , 50 km S of Adelaide, December 1986 (J. S. Noyes)

(BMNH, examined).

Diagnosis

Female. Colour: head yellow with dark transverse band, or lower half of head brown. Mesosoma yellow except pronotum, mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly and axilla partly brown. Gaster predominantly brown. Antenna yellow with scape, pedicel, and apex slightly darker. Fore wing with dark band behind marginal vein. Legs yellow.

Morphology: stemmaticum with rugose surface sculpture. Antennal formula 1,1,4,2. Pedicel 0.82–1.11 times as long as F1. F1 3.3–4.0 times as long as its maximum width, shorter than F2 (0.76–1.00) and 0.87–1.10 as long as F3. F2 subequal in length to F3. Flagellomeres with the following numbers of sensilla: F1: 0, F2: 1, F3: 1, F4: 2, F5: 3, F6: 3. Midlobe of mesoscutum with eight setae, side lobes with three setae each. Scutellar sensilla close together, separated by a distance of about the width of a sensillum. Distance between anterior pair of scutellar setae distinctly smaller than between posterior pair. Fore wing 2.6–2.7 times as long as width of disc. Marginal fringe 0.21–0.30 times as long as width of disc. Basal cell with five to eight setae, costal cell distally with two setae. Submarginal vein with two setae, marginal vein anteriorly with six or seven setae. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Apical spur of midtibia longer than half the length of the corresponding basitarsus (0.61–0.74). Tergites laterally with the following numbers of setae: T1: 0, T2: 2, T3: 2, T4: 2, T5: 3, T6: 3, T7 with four setae. Ovipositor longer than midtibia (1.11–1.29). Third valvula 0.29–0.30 times as long as second valvifer.

Male. Colour similar to female, but mesosoma darker and predominantly brown except the following parts pale: mesoscutellar midlobe posteriorly and postero-laterally, inner posterior corner of axilla, scutellum, and propodeum. Legs pale, femora slightly darkened. Antenna light brown, segments of two-segmented club not fused, but sensilla slightly overlapping.

Species group placement. E. strenua group.

Distribution. Australia: South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia.

Host. Aleyrodidae : Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) .

Additional material examined

South Australia: 1♀, same data as holotype (BMNH). Tasmania: 1♀, Bronte Park, 15 January to 3 February 1983 (I. D. Naumann and J. C. Cardale) (ANIC); 1♀, 7 km SW by W Derwent Bridge, 16 January to 2 February 1983 (I. D. Naumann and J. C. Cardale), Malaise/ethanol (ANIC). Western Australia: 1♀, Pemberton, 22 January 1997 (P. De Barro), ex Trialeurodes vaporariorum on tamarillo ( Cyphomandra betacea Sent. , Solanaceae ) (ANIC); 1♀, 3 „, Pemberton, 14 November 1999 (S. and O. Schmidt), ex whitefly (ANIC); 1♀, West Cape Howe National Park, 12 September 1999 (S. and O. Schmidt), ex whitefly (ZSMG); 2♀, 2 „, Stirling Range National Park, 9–11 September 1999 (S. and O. Schmidt), ex whitefly (ZSMG); 1♀, Walpole-Nornalup National Park, 13 November 1999 (S. and O. Schmidt), ex whitefly (ZSMG); 1♀, Walpole-Nornalup National Park, 17–21 January 1987 (J. S. Noyes) (BMNH); 1♀, Bremer Bay, Little Boat Harbour Rd, 9 October 2005 (A. Polaszek, S. and O. Schmidt), ex whitefly (ZSMG).

Comments

This species has been reared from tamarillo heavily infested with Trialeurodes vaporariorum in Pemberton, Western Australia. The vast majority of these were parasitized by Eretmocerus warrae Naumann and Schmidt (Chalcidoidea: Aphelinidae ). The lack of additional specimens suggests that E. ustulata may not normally parasitize Trialeurodes vaporariorum .

Figures

Figures 295–297. Encarsia ustulata Schmidt and Naumann, female. (295) Mesosoma and gaster. (296) Antenna. (297) Fore wing.