Two new Encarsia species (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) reared from eggs of Cicadellidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) in Argentina: an unusual new host association

Abstract

Males of two undescribed Encarsia species were reared from eggs of two cicadellid species during a study of egg parasitoids of corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong and Wolcott) in northwestern Argentina. Samples were collected during the summer of 2004–2007 using sentinel eggs, and several males of a new species of Encarsia (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Aphelinidae) were obtained. A single male of a closely related Encarsia species, also previously undescribed, was reared from an egg of another cicadellid on maize, Plesiommata mollicella (Fowler). These are the first records of any Encarsia species reared from eggs of Cicadellidae. The two new species are described as Encarsia dalbulae Polaszek and Luft Albarracin sp. nov., and Encarsia mollicellae Polaszek and Luft Albarracin sp. nov.

Keywords:

• Dalbulus maidis
• heteronomous
• heterotrophic
• leafhoppers
• ooparasitoids
• parasitoids
• Plesiommata mollicella
• sharpshooters

Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by projet PICT 07 no. 143 (FONCyT, Argentina). Erica Luft Albarracin has been granted a CONICET fellowship. We are grateful to Serguei Triapitsyn (UCRC) for bringing this material to the attention of A.P., who also thanks John Noyes for constructive comments on an earlier draft. Paolo Pedata, Stefan Schmidt and Serguei Triapitsyn also made helpful corrections.