Encyrtus eulecaniumiae Wang & Zhang, 2016

Rudoy, Andrey, Zhu, Chao-Dong, Ferrari, Rafael R. & Zhang, Yan-Zhou, 2022, Integrative taxonomy based on morphometric and molecular data supports recognition of the three cryptic species within the Encyrtus sasakii complex (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 90, pp. 129-152 : 129

Encyrtus eulecaniumiae Wang & Zhang

Encyrtus eulecaniumiae Wang & Zhang in Wang et al. (2016) (nomen nudum)

Diagnosis.

Encyrtus eulecaniumiae can be morphologically differentiated from its closest allies by having the 2nd outer plate at least 0.65 × as long as the ovipositor shield (2nd outer plate less than 0.60 × as long as the ovipositor shield in both E. sasakii and E. rhodococcusiae ). Encyrtus eulecaniumiae can be further distinguished from E. rhodococcusiae by its shallowly concave hypopygium (hypopygium deeply concave in E. rhodococcusiae ). According to Wang et al. (2016), E. eulecaniumiae is molecularly distinct from both E. sasakii and E. rhodococcusiae in having the following nucleotides in the COI marker (according to Wang et al. 2016): 14 (A), 47 (G), 53 (G), 68 (G), 134 (A), 203 (G), 236 (G), 266 (G), 271 (G), 281 (A), 341 (A), 461 (A), 470 (A) and 533 (A). Encyrtus eulecaniumiae is also unique ecologically by being the only one to attack the coccids Eulecanium kuwanai Kanda and E. giganteum Shinji.

Description.

(reproduced from Wang et al. 2016) Female - Length about 3 mm including ovipositor sheaths. Colouration: Head black around ocellar area, anterior ocellus to top of scrobe pale brownish yellow to black, malar space brown; face largely brownish yellow; radicle pale orange to brown; scape mostly pale brown ( Wang et al. 2016: fig. 6a); pedicel dark brown to black; funicular segments black; clava black; pronotum dorsally dark brown, laterally pale brown; thorax covered with dark brown setae, mesoscutum mostly black dorsally, laterally brown; scutellum black with a broad transverse yellow band and tuft of black bristles apically; metanotum black; tegula brown; mesopleuron pale brown; fore and hind coxae brownish yellow; mid coxa mostly brown; legs otherwise brown; basal one third of forewing hyaline, infuscate elsewhere; forewing with a series of long bristles just below the apical third of submarginal; propodeum brown dorsally, yellowish brown laterally; gaster black; ovipositor sheaths yellow, except apical one-third dark brown ( Wang et al. 2016: fig. 6b). Head: Frontovertex about half the head width; ocelli forming an obtuse angle (about ~120°); scrobal depression ∩-shaped in frontal view; eye at least superficially bare; torulus separated from mouth margin by about one of its own length; toruli separated from each other by about 4 × their own diameter. Antenna ( Wang et al. 2016: fig. 6a) 13-segmented, scape cylindrical, 4.5 × as long as broad; F1 about 1.4 × longer than wide, F2 a little longer than wide, F3 and F4 as long as wide, F5 and F6 a little wider than long; clava short and 3-segmented; clypeus with three to six long, suberect setae; maxillary and labial palpi with 4 and 3 segments respectively. Thorax: Pronotum about one-sixth of mesoscutum length in dorsal view, with surface sloping from posterior margin, uniformly setose and fine reticulate sculpture. Mesoscutum 1.47 × wider than long; uniformly convex, setose and finely reticulated, without notauli. Scutellum with a tuft of black bristles apically. Side of propodeum nearly bare below spiracle, but with a few inconspicuous setae on posterior margin above hind coxa; mesotibia with strong setae apically, without differentiated rows of spines; mesotibial spur about 1.7 × as long as apical width of tibia ( Wang et al. 2016: fig. 6e); mid basitarsus about 2 × as long as wide and nearly as long as remaining segments. Forewing ( Wang et al. 2016: fig. 6c) hyaline proximally, distinctly infuscate on apical two thirds; stigmal vein apically curved. Gaster: broadly sessile, with seven visible, uniformly gastral tergites; hypopygium almost reaching apex of gaster.

Type material.

(reproduced from Wang et al. 2016): Holotype - ♀, specimen E4-306A, China, Beijing, Shijingshan (Badachu Park), 15.V.2014, col. Ying Wang, ex. Eulecanium kuwanai on Ulmus pumila (deposited in IZCAS). Paratypes - 2♀♀, China, Beijing, Shijingshan (Badachu Park), 15.V.2014, col. Ying Wang, ex. Eulecanium kuwanai on Ulmus pumila (deposited in IZCAS); 4♀♀ 2♂♂, China, Heilongjiang, Harbin, 9.VI.2011, col. Ying Wang, ex. Eulecanium kuwanai on

Ulmus pumila (deposited in IZCAS); 16♀♀ 5♂♂, China, Henan, Zhengzhou, 4.V.2007, col. Xiong Wang, ex. Eulecanium kuwanai on Sophora japonica (deposited in IZCAS); 221♀♀ 72♂♂, China, Inner Mongolia, Hohhot, 26.V.2012, col. Haibin Li, ex. Encyrtus giganteum on Sophora japonica (deposited in IZCAS); 62♀♀ 40♂♂, Shanxi, Taiyuan, 1.V.2007, col. Jie Li, ex. Eulecanium kuwanai on Siophora japonica (deposited in IZCAS); 85♀♀ 33♂♂, China, Shandong, Taian, 11.V.2008, col. Yanzhou Zhang, ex. Eulecanium kuwanai on Sophora japonica (deposited in IZCAS).