Family ENCYRTIDAE
Compiler and date details
July 2012 - Danielle N. Stringer, Sarah Mantel, John T. Jennings & Andrew D. Austin, Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, and the School of Earth and Environmental Science, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Introduction
The Encyrtidae are a large family of Chalcidoidea with over 500 described species in Australia. Although small in size (0.5–4 mm) and extremely difficult taxonomically, the family contains a variety of bizarre and unusual forms. They are characterised by the mesopleuron large, convex, longer than high and without a median groove or furrow, the spur of the mid tibia usually enlarged, the mid coxa inserted anterior to the midline of the mesopleuron, and the cerci usually positioned along the metasoma, some distance from the apex of the metasoma. Many small encyrtids might be confused with aphelinids; however, in encyrtids the axillae meet medially, and in aphelinids they are widely separated.
Many encyrtids are primary parasitoids of various scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea), with the Tetracneminae restricted to this host group. The other subfamily, Encyrtinae, has a very broad host range including hosts in many insect orders, as well as mites, ticks (Acarina) and spiders (Araneae). Encyrtids are all endoparasitoids, and some are polyembryonic (i.e. a single egg divides to form two or more identical embryos and often hundreds) on larvae of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies). After the aphelinids, the Encyrtidae are the second most important family of Hymenoptera in biological control, and there are many examples of their successful use in controlling insect pests. Australasian genera are included in the keys to Indo-Pacific genera by Noyes and Hayat (1984) and Dahms and Gordh (1997) provide a review of the Australian genera and species described by A.A. Girault.
Jennings & Austin (2015) list 14 unidentified species from Lord Howe Island in the Australian Museum.
General References
Dahms, E.C. & Gordh, G. 1997. A review of the genera of Australian Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) described from Australia by A.A. Girault with a checklist of included species. Memoirs on Entomology, International 9: 1-518
Jennings, J.T. & Austin, A.D. 2015. Synopsis of the hymenopteran fauna of Lord Howe Island with a preliminary checklist of species. Zootaxa 3931(3): 423–432
Noyes, J.S. & Hayat, M. 1984. A review of the genera of Indo-Pacific Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 48: 131-395
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23-Mar-2015 | CHALCIDOIDEA | 18-Mar-2015 | MODIFIED | |
| 07-Aug-2012 | 07-Aug-2012 | MODIFIED | ||
| 06-Feb-2012 | MODIFIED |