On the parasitoid complex (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of Anophococcus abaii (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), with description of Metaphycus anophococcusi Lotfalizadeh, n. sp.

Summary

The parasitoid community of Anophococcus abaii (Danzig, 1990) – one of the main pests of Haloxylon in Iran – was studied. Four species of Chalcidoidea, belonging to the families Aphelinidae, Encyrtidae, Pteromalidae, and Signiphoridae, were found. Metaphycus anophococcusi Lotfalizadeh, n. sp. is described in the zebratus species group and compared with closely allied species of Metaphycus.

Résumé

Le complexe de parasitoïdes (Hymenoptera : Chalcidoidea) d’Anophococcus abaii (Hemiptera : Eriococcidae), avec la description de Metaphycus anophococcusi Lotfalizadeh, n. sp. La communauté de parasitoïdes d’Anophococcus abaii (Danzig, 1990), un des principaux ravageurs des Haloxylon en Iran, est étudiée. Quatre espèces de Chalcidoidea, appartenant aux familles des Aphelinidae, Encyrtidae, Pteromalidae et Signiphoridae, ont été trouvées. Metaphycus anophococcusi Lotfalizadeh, n. sp. est décrit dans le groupe d’espèces zebratus et comparé aux espèces proches de Metaphycus.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:44DCC551-556A-4769-BFFE-9B2E608840F8

Keywords:

• Amaranthaceae
• Haloxylon
• Iran
• new species
• taxonomy
• parasitoid

Acknowledgements

We thank J.S. Noyes (Natural History Museum, London, UK) for confirmation of new species state and some useful advice for its description; S. Fattah-Hosseini (Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA) for language editing and valuable comments on the final version of the manuscript; and M. Moghaddam (Insect Taxonomy Research Department, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Tehran, Iran) for the identification of Anophococcus abaii.