Encarsia oakeyensis 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 : 2203-2204

61. Encarsia oakeyensis Schmidt and Naumann

( Figures 192–195 ) Encarsia oakeyensis Schmidt and Naumann in Schmidt et al. 2001, p 381. Holotype ♀,

Australia, Queensland, Oakey, 25 June 1997 (D. R. Lea), ex Trialeurodes vaporariorum on Lactuca serriola L. ( Asteraceae ) (ANIC, examined).

Diagnosis

Female. Colour: head and body yellow except pronotum slightly darkened. Antenna and legs yellow. Fore wing hyaline. Legs yellow.

Morphology: stemmaticum with densely rugose surface sculpture ( Figure 195 ). Antennal formula 1,1,3,3. Pedicel longer than F1 (1.25–1.41). F1 1.80–2.12 times as long as its maximum width, subequal in length to F2 (0.94–1.07) and slightly shorter than F3 (0.81– 0.89). Flagellomeres with the following numbers of sensilla: F1: 0, F2: 0–1, F3: 1, F4: 2–3, F5: 2–3, F6: 2. Midlobe of mesoscutum with 13–14 setae arranged symmetrically, 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 smaller than between posterior pair. Fore wing 2.2–2.3 times as long as width of disc. Marginal fringe 0.16–0.20 times as long as width of disc. Submarginal vein with two setae, marginal vein anteriorly with eight to nine setae. Basal cell with six to seven, costal cell distally with two setae. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Apical spur of midtibia subequal in length to corresponding basitarsus (0.93–1.04). Tergites laterally with the following numbers of setae: T1: 0, T2: 1, T3: 1, T4: 1, T5: 2–3, T6: 3, T7 with four setae. Ovipositor longer than midtibia (1.16–1.24) and 2.11–2.12 times as long as clava. Third valvula 0.25–0.28 times as long as ovipositor.

Male. Unknown.

Species group placement. E. strenua group.

Distribution. Australia: Queensland.

Host. Aleyrodidae : Aleuromarginatus nigrus (Martin) , Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) , Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) .

Additional material examined

Queensland: 1♀, 1 „, Dalby, 17 April 1997 (D. R. Lea), ex Bemisia tabaci on Sonchus oleraceus L. ( Asteraceae ) (ANIC); 1♀, Emerald, 15 July 2001 (P. De Barro), ex soft-bodied whitefly on Acacia sp. (Mimosaceae) (ANIC); 2♀, Carnavon Gorge, 23 October 2001 (P. De Barro), ex Aleuromarginatus nigrus on Acacia sp. (ANIC, ZSMG).

Comments

This species is distinguished from other pale species of the E. strenua group by the stout antennae, the short marginal fringe of the fore wing and the densely rugose surface sculpture of the vertex.

Figures

Figures 192–195. Encarsia oakeyensis Schmidt and Naumann, female. (192) Mesosoma and gaster. (193) Antenna. (194) Fore wing. (195) Stemmaticum.