PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 100(2), 1998, pp. 222-233 THE ENCARSIA CUBENSIS SPECIES-GROUP (HYMENOPTERA: APHELINIDAE) Gregor'i' a. Evans and Andrew Polaszek (GAE) Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, PO Box 110620, Gainesville, FL 32611-0620, U.S.A. (e-mail:
[email protected]); (AP) Inter-national Institute of Entomology, % The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, Lon-don SW7 5BD, U.K. Abstract. — Taxonomic, host, and geographic range information for the six species com-prising the Encarsia cubensis species-group is provided. Three new species, E. aleuroth-rixi, E. hansoni, and E. hamoni, are described from Brazil, Costa Rica, and Florida (USA), respectively. A lectotype is designated for E. nigricephala Dozier. Resumen. — Se informa sobre la taxonomi'a, los hospederos y la distribucion geografica de seis especies que pertenecen al grupo de la especie Encarsia cubensis. Se describe tres nuevas especies, E. aleiirothrixi, E. hansom y E. hamoni recolectadas en Brasil, Costa Rica y Florida (EEUU), respectivamente. Se designa el lectotipo para E. nigricephala Dozier. Key Words: Encarsia, whiteflies, parasitoids, biological control, taxonomy, Nearctic, Neotropical, Bemisia, Aleiirothri.xus. As here defined, the Encarsia cubensis species-group consists of six species, all of which parasitize whiteflies in the New World, except for one species (E. nigrice-phala Dozier) which apparently was acci-dently introduced beyond its natural range into Reunion (Mascarene Islands, Indian Ocean). Various economically important whitefly species are attacked by members of this group. Encarsia nigricephala is one of the most common parasitoids of the Be-misia tabaci species-complex (Aleyrodidae) throughout the New World. Encarsia quaintancei Howard is a major parasitoid of the banded-winged whitefly, Trialeurodes abutiloneus (Haldeman), and also attacks the Bemisia tabaci species-complex. Gahan (1931) first recognized these spe-cies as comprising a distinct group in the genus Encarsia and characterized it as spe-cies having only four tarsomeres on the middle tarsus and the presence of an area around the stigmal vein devoid of setae. DeBach and Rose (1981) erected the En-carsia cubensis species-group. Encarsia cubensis and E. quaintancei had previously been included in the 'formosa-group' (= lu-teola-group) by Viggiani and Mazzone (1979). Polaszek et al. (1992) provided tax-onomic, host and distribution information for E. nigricephala and E. quaintancei. Schauff et al. (1996) updated host and dis-tribution records for these two species, and provided information on E. cubensis. The Encarsia cubensis species-group can be defined using a combination of charac-ters, none of which alone, however, distin-guishes this group from other species-groups of Encarsia. For example, species belonging to the parx'ella-and citrina-
BioStor
