Stemmatosteres sp.

Triapitsyn, Serguei V., Aguirre, María B., Logarzo, Guillermo A., Hight, Stephen D., Ciomperlik, Matthew A., Rugman-Jones, Paul F. & Verle Rodrigues, Jose C., 2018, Complex of primary and secondary parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae and Signiphoridae) of Hypogeococcus spp. mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in the New World, Florida Entomologist 101 (3), pp. 411-434 : 425-426

Stemmatosteres sp. ( Encyrtidae )

( Figs. 22–24 )

Material Examined. ARGENTINA, Jujuy,Cuesta del Toquero, 22.1097°S, 65.7819°W, 3750 masl, 10 Feb 2015,M. B. Aguirre,G.A.Logarzo,E. R.Hasson (from Hypogeococcus sp. on Cactaceae ) [4 males, UCRC].

Host. Hypogeococcus sp. on Cactaceae .

Comments. These interesting apterous specimens ( Figs. 22–24 ), which were collected at high altitude, are likely not conspecific with any of the known members of the genus Stemmatosteres Timberlake from the New World although they might be somewhat similar to S. apterus Timberlake that is known from California ( USA) and Uruguay ( Noyes 2017), but their positive identification based solely on males is impossible. Although we are not sure about habit of this undetermined species, it is very likely a primary parasitoid.

SECONDARY PARASITOIDS (HYPERPARASITOIDS) OF HYPOGEO- COCCUS SPP.

Chartocerus axillaris De Santis, 1973 ( Signiphoridae )

Chartocerus axillaris De Santis 1973: 152–153 : Type locality: Chacras de Coria, Mendoza, Argentina. Holotype female [MLPA], examined ( Triapitsyn et al. 2014a).

Chartocerus axillaris De Santis : De Santis 1979: 253 (catalog).

Chartocerus? axillaris De Santis : Triapitsyn 2014a: 176–178, 180–183 (illustrations).

Material Examined. ARGENTINA: Córdoba, near Mina Clavero, Vivero Córdoba, 31.7576°S, 64.9724°W, 1015 masl, collected 31 Mar 2017: S. V. Triapitsyn, S. D. Hight, G. A. Logarzo, M. B. Aguirre, emerged 3 Apr 2017 (from Hypogeococcus sp. on a large cactus, Cereus? forbesii ) [1 female, UCRC]; S. D. Hight, G. A. Logarzo, S. V. Triapitsyn, M. B. Aguirre (from Hypogeococcus sp. on Cleistocactus smaragdiflorus ) [2 females, UCRC]; M. B. Aguirre, S. D. Hight, G. A. Logarzo, S. V. Triapitsyn, emerged 17 to 24 Apr 2017 (from Hypogeococcus sp. on San Pedro cactus, Echinopsis pachanoi ) [1 female, UCRC]. Mendoza, 32.7074°S, 68.8561°W, 816 masl, roadside of Ruta 52, collected 26 Mar 2017, M. B. Aguirre, G. A. Logarzo, S. D. Hight, S. V. Triapitsyn, emerged 28 Mar to 10 Apr 2017 (from Hypogeococcus sp. on Cereus? aethiops ) [6 females, 3 males, UCRC]. Salta: Alemania, 25.6245°S, 65.6162°W, 21 Nov 2014, G. A. Logarzo, M. B. Aguirre, M. A. Saracho Bottero (from Hypogeococcus sp. on Cleistocactus sp. ) [2 females, UCRC]. Los Lapachos, 24.6019°S, 65.0812°W, 20 Nov 2014, G. A. Logarzo, M. B. Aguirre, M. A. Saracho Bottero (from Hypogeococcus sp. on Harrisia sp. ) [2 females, 2 males, UCRC].

Distribution. Argentina (Mendoza ( De Santis 1973), Catamarca, Córdoba, Salta ( Triapitsyn et al. 2014a)) and Paraguay ( De Santis 1979).

Hosts. Hyperparasitoid of Hypogeococcus pungens s. str. and Hypogeococcus spp. ( Triapitsyn et al. 2014a), and also of a Pseudococcus sp. ( Pseudococcidae ) on Solanum elaeagnifolium ( Solanaceae ) via the encyrtid primary parasitoid Anagyrus lopezi (De Santis) ( De Santis 1973) .

Comments. Although initial identifications of the specimens of this species from Hypogeococcus spp. in Argentina were tentative ( Triapitsyn et al. 2014a), chances are quite high that they were correct. Such hyperparasitoids are not generally known to be particularly host specific, and later we reared Ch. axillaris in Mendoza; its type locality is in the same province.

Figures

Figs. 22–24. Stemmatosteres sp. male (Cuesta del Toquero, Jujuy, Argentina): 22, habitus; 23, head and antennae; 24, gaster.