Encarsiaparasitoids ofBemisia tabaci(Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae, Homoptera: Aleyrodidae): a preliminary guide to identification

Abstract

A key is provided for the recognition of previously described Encarsia species which are known to attack the tobacco whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). 28 nominal species are included, of which type material has been examined for 22. Eight new synonymies are proposed: Encarsia aleyrodis (Mercet) and E. partenopea Masi are both synonymized with E. inaron (Walker); E. bemisiae (Ishii) is synonymized with E. transvena (Timberlake); £. citri (Ishii) is synonymized with E. strenua (Silvestri), E. angelica Howard and E. deserti Rivnay & Gerling are both synonymized with E. luteola Howard; E. perspicuipennis (Girault) is synonymized with E. auaintancei (Howard); £. tabacivora Viggiani is synonymized with E. pergandiella Howard. E. hispida De Santis is removed from synonymy with E. meritoria Gahan. A lectotype is designated for E. porteri (Mercet). The known distributions and alternative hosts of Encarsia species attacking B. tabaci are provided as well as references to biology and notes on their use in biological control.

Biology of Bemisia tuberculata Bondar (Aleyrodidae) and parasitism by Encarsia porteri (Mercet, 1928) (Hymenoptera, Aphelinidae) on cassava plants

“…In relation to sexual dimorphism, besides size differences it was found that the females have a rounded lower abdomen while the males have a lower abdomen in the shape of pincers (Figure 1d About the occurrence of the E. porteri in the colony of B. tuberculata Polaszek (1992) reported two genera, Encarsia and Eretmocerus, as having the greatest association with B. tabaci 'B' breed, both belonging to the Aphelinidae family. The Chalcioidea together with Ichneumonoidea predominated in the native forest ecosystem.…”

New records of hyperparasitism of Tamarixia triozae (Burks) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) by Encarsia spp. (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) in California

“…The hostassociations of females appear to be obligate insomuch as they are restricted to a particular host family (e.g., Aleyrodidae; Diaspididae; Hormaphididae) (Polaszek et al 2009). Conversely, although male Encarsia are usually reared from the same host(s) as the females, they have also been obtained from alternative hosts, including soft scales (Coccidae) (Myartseva & Evans 2007), psyllid nymphs (Liviidae; Triozidae) (Polaszek et al 1992;Butler & Trumble 2011), and the eggs of Lepidoptera (Polaszek 1991) and Cicadellidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) (Polaszek & Luft Albarracin 2011). The reports of the armored scale parasitoids Encarsia aspidioticola (Mercet) and Encarsia lounsburyi (Berlese & Paoli) from B. tabaci should be treated with caution (Greathead & Bennett 1981;Li et al 2011), especially in regard to En.…”

“…Polaszek et al (1992) and Evans & Polaszek (1997) treated the species parasitizing the B. tabaci species complex. Heraty et al (2008) recently discussed the systematics and biology of Encarsia with an emphasis on those attacking Bemisia species.…”

Parasitismo em Trialeurodes variabilis (Quaintance) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) por Encarsia hispida De Santis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), em mamoeiro, no Brasil

“…Há sete espécies conhecidas de parasitóides de T. variabilis; quatro delas, Encarsia hispida De Santis, E. formosa Gahan, E. luteola Howard e E. pergandiella Howard têm registros de ocorrência no Brasil, mas em outros aleirodídeos (Polaszek et al 1992, Schauff et al 1996, Oliveira et al 2003. As demais já foram encontradas em países vizinhos: E. protransvena Viggiani e E. sophia (Girault & Dod) foram assinaladas na Argentina sobre Dialeurodes citri (Ashmead) e Bemisia tabaci (Genn.)…”

“…(Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), respectivamente (Viscarret et al 2000), e Amitus macgowni Evans & Castillo (Hymenoptera: Platygasteridae) foi descrita a partir de T. variabilis coletado na Colômbia (Evans & Castillo 1998 O parasitóide E. hispida é muito semelhante a E. meritoria Gahan, que também ocorre no Brasil (De Santis & Fidalgo 1994) e com a qual foi colocada em sinonímia por Viggiani (1989). De acordo com Polaszek et al (1992), no entanto, ambas são espécies distintas e podem ser separadas por características dos segmentos do fl agelo da antena. Essa afi rmação é corroborada por Babcock et al (2001) através de evidências moleculares.…”