Michael E. Schauff

The Genera of Chalcid Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of Citrus Leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

The genera of chalcid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), are reviewed and an illustrated key is presented. Forty-one genera of Chalcidoidea have been recorded as using the citrus leafminer as a host. Members of the families Encyrtidae, Pteromalidae, Eurytomidae, Elasmidae, Eupelmidae, and Eulophidae have been recorded with the majority of the species being eulophids. One new genus, Cryptastichus LaSalle, and one new species, Cryptastichus sabo LaSalle, are described. The species Sympiesis purpurea Waterston 1915 is synonymized with Sympiesis striatipes Ashmead 1904.

Systematics of the tribe Euderomphalini (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae): parasitoids of whiteflies (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae).

Abstract. Eulophid parasitoids of whiteflies are reviewed, with comments on their systematic placement, and a generic key. All eulophid whitefly parasitoids are placed in the tribe Euderomphalini in the subfamily Entedoninae, and reasons for this placement are discussed. Three new genera are described. The seven included genera can be divided into two distinct genus groups: the Euderomphale group contains Baeoentedon Girault, Euderomphale Girault, Neopomphale gen.n., and Pomphale Husain el al.; the Enicdononecremnus group contains Aleuroctonus gen.n., Dasyompluile gen.n., and Enicdononecremnus Girault. The new species Dusyomphale chilensis is described.

Systematics and Biology of Encarsia

The genus Encarsia includes 343 described species and numerous undescribed species. Immatures are parasitoids of various whiteflies, armored scales, aphids, Lepidoptera or even the opposite sex of the same species. Several species are known to attack Bemisia, but so far, none have proved effective in the control of the pest species in this genus. The taxonomy and classification of Encarsia species is undergoing rapid changes using both morphological and molecular techniques. Wolbachia and newly discovered bacteria are associated with sex ratio distortion in species of Encarsia. Whiteflies appear to be the basal host associated with members of this genus, with only a few species potentially host specific for Bemisia whiteflies.

Mandibular teeth in Chalcidoidea: function and phylogeny

Aphelinidae and Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) were surveyed for presence of a specialized ventroapical mandibular tooth that is formed through modification of a seta into a stout socketed spine. An almost identical tooth is found in a homologous position in Coccophaginae (Aphelinidae), Eriaphytinae (Aphelinidae), Calesinae (Aphelinidae or incertae sedis), and Habrolepidini (Encyrtidae), but nowhere else within Chalcidoidea. Although the tooth represents a synapomorphy for genera within each of these higher taxa, it appears to be independently derived on the basis of other morphological and biochemical evidence. Observations of Comperiella bifasciata and Encarsia sp. nr. perniciosi emerging from California Red Scale show that the tooth is used for shearing off pieces of the mummified host remains and the scale cover during formation of the exit hole. The tooth occurs in both sexes, and in taxa with a broad host range such as Encarsia, which attack both armoured scales and whiteflies. Problems asso...

Revision of the tribe Euplectrini of Sri Lanka (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Abstract Genera and species of the tribe Euplectrini (Eulophidae) are revised for Sri Lanka. Four genera are recognized: Euplectrus, Euplectromorpha, Metaplectrus and Platyplectrus. Previously, two species of Metaplectrus and Platyplectrus, and one species of Euplectrus and Euplectromorpha were recorded from Sri Lanka. Eight Euplectrus species are described as new (atrafacies, colliosilvus, geethae, litoralis, mellocoxus, nibilis, peechansis and xanthovultus). Two previously described species from India are recorded as present in Sri Lanka. Five species previously placed in this genus are removed to other euplectrine genera as follows: E. flavescens Crawford = Aroplectrus flavescens (Crawford), comb, nov.; E. nigromaculatus Ashmead = Euplectromorpha nigromaculatus (Ashmead), comb, nov.; E. philippinensis Ashmead = Platyplectrus philippinensis (Ashmead), comb, nov.; E. rugosus Crawford = P. rugosus (Crawford), comb, nov.; and E. japonicus Ashmead = Platyplectrus japonicus (Ashmead), comb. nov. E. ornatus i...

Nomenclatural benchmarking: the roles of digital typification and telemicroscopy.

Abstract Nomenclatural benchmarking is the periodic realignment of species names with species theories and is necessary for the accurate and uniform use of Linnaean binominals in the face of changing species limits. Gaining access to types, often for little more than a cursory examination by an expert, is a major bottleneck in the advance and availability of biodiversity informatics. For the nearly two million described species it has been estimated that five to six million name-bearing type specimens exist, including those for synonymized binominals. Recognizing that examination of types in person will remain necessary in special cases, we propose a four-part strategy for opening access to types that relies heavily on digitization and that would eliminate much of the bottleneck: (1) modify codes of nomenclature to create registries of nomenclatural acts, such as the proposed ZooBank, that include a requirement for digital representations (e-types) for all newly described species to avoid adding to backlog; (2) an “r” strategy that would engineer and deploy a network of automated instruments capable of rapidly creating 3-D images of type specimens not requiring participation of taxon experts; (3) a “K” strategy using remotely operable microscopes to engage taxon experts in targeting and annotating informative characters of types to supplement and extend information content of rapidly acquired e-types, a process that can be done on an as-needed basis as in the normal course of revisionary taxonomy; and (4) creation of a global e-type archive associated with the commissions on nomenclature and species registries providing one-stop-shopping for e-types. We describe a first generation implementation of the “K” strategy that adapts current technology to create a network of Remotely Operable Benchmarkers Of Types (ROBOT) specifically engineered to handle the largest backlog of types, pinned insect specimens. The three initial instruments will be in the Smithsonian Institution(Washington, DC), Natural History Museum (London), and Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle (Paris), networking the three largest insect collections in the world with entomologists worldwide. These three instruments make possible remote examination, manipulation, and photography of types for more than 600,000 species. This is a cybertaxonomy demonstration project that we anticipate will lead to similar instruments for a wide range of museum specimens and objects as well as revolutionary changes in collaborative taxonomy and formal and public taxonomic education.