Encyrtidae

 Female Anagyrus pseudococci alongside remains of mealybug host, copyright Kent M. Daane.

Belongs within: Chalcidoidea.
Contains: Aphycus, Microteryina, Encyrtus, Miraini, Ectromatini.

The Encyrtidae are a family of small wasps whose larvae are mostly endoparasites of Hemiptera or insect larvae. The species Anagyrus pseudococci has been widely reared commercially for use in mealybug control.

Encyrtids have historically been divided between two subfamilies, Tetracneminae and Encyrtinae. Females of Tetracneminae possess a narrow filament (paratergite) connecting the ovipositor to the eight metasomal tergite whereas this is absent in Encyrtinae (Naumann 1991). However, molecular phylogenetic analysis has disputed the monophyly of either subfamily.

Characters (from Bouček 1988): Flagellum with at most 9 segments (plus occasionally one very small anellus); mesothoracic pleuron greatly enlarged, convex, transformed into a large, undivided shield; mid coxae much nearer to fore coxae than to hind ones; mesoscutum convex and short, notauli absent or indicated by superficial lines strongly converging to meet at the pointed front end of scutellum; axillae transverse, often meeting in midline; marginal vein often shorter than stigmal.

<==Encyrtidae [Anagyrini, Echthroplexiellini, Encyrtinae, Tetracneminae]
|--+--+--EncyrtiniCR24
| | | |--EncyrtusGM79
| | | `--Hexacladia Ashmead 1891CR24, GM79 [incl. Sophencyrtus Crawford 1911G17b, GM79]
| | | |--H. mexicana Girault 1917G17b
| | | `--H. townsendi Crawford 1911GM79 [=Sophencyrtus townsendiG17b]
| | `--LeptomastixCR24
| | |--L. bicoloricornis Girault 1915GM79
| | `--L. varithorax Girault 1923G23
| `--+--Savzdargia [Tetracnemini]CR24
| | `--S. hofferiHB13
| `--EricydniniCR24
`--+--+--Acerophagus flavusCR24, HB13
| `--MetaphycusCR24
| |--M. helvolusA71
| |--M. lounsburyiA71
| `--M. luteolusHB13
`--+--+--+--MirainiCR24
| | `--Comperiella bifasciataHB13
| `--+--AnagyrusCR24
| | |--*A. greeni Howard 1896G17b, GM79
| | |--A. alpinus Girault 1917G17b
| | |--A. antoninaeC81
| | |--A. australiensisS07
| | |--A. pseudococciHB13
| | |--A. schoenherriA71
| | `--A. yuccae (Coquillett 1890)G17b, GM79 [=Blastothrix yuccaeG17b]
| `--+--+--EctromatiniCR24
| | `--Eusemion [Cerapterocerini]CR24
| `--+--MayridiaCR24
| `--+--Ooencyrtus [Discodini]CR24
| | |--O. bicolor Girault 1915GM79
| | |--O. californicus Girault 1917 [=Oenocyrtus (l. c.) californicus]G17b
| | |--O. johnsoni (Howard 1898)GM79
| | |--O. lacteiclavus Girault 1932G32b
| | |--O. pacificus Waterston 1915GM79
| | `--O. pityocampae (Mercet 1921)L-SSY04
| `--Tachinaephagus Ashmead 1904CR24, GM79 (see below for synonymy)
| `--T. zealandicus Ashmead 1904 (see below for synonymy)G38
`--+--Trechnites fuscitarsisHB13
`--Copidosoma Ratzeburg 1844CR24, GM79 [Copidosomatini]
|--C. charon Guerrieri & Noyes 2001F05
|--C. floridanumHB13
|--C. ortyx Guerrieri & Noyes 2001F05
|--C. shakespearei Girault 1923G23
|--C. truncatellumMH11
|--C. zdeneki Guerrieri & Noyes 2001F05
`--C. zolta Guerrieri & Noyes 2001F05

Encyrtidae incertae sedis:
Zealandencyrtus yasumatsuiM83
Epidinocarsis Girault 1913G17b, GM79
`--E. lopeziLS96
Paracopidosomopsis Girault 1916G17c, GM79
|--P. coleophorae (Mayr 1875)GM79 [=Copidosoma coleophoraeG17c]
|--P. floridana Ashmead 1900GM79
|--P. hartmanni (Mayr 1875)GM79 [=Copidosoma hartmanniG17c]
|--P. japonicusG17d
| |--P. j. japonicusG17d
| `--P. j. nippon Girault 1917G17d
`--P. javae Girault 1917G17a
Blastothrix Mayr 1875A71, GM79
|--B. brittanica Girault 1917G17d
|--B. hardyi Girault 1922G22
|--B. mercuriusG22
`--B. sericea (Dalman 1820)GM79
Parablatticida Girault 1924G21, GM79 [incl. Holanusia Girault 1924G24, GM79]
Anagyropsis Girault 1917G24, GM79
|--A. australiensis (Girault 1912)GM79
`--A. burnsi Girault 1921G21
SchediusG27
|--S. euxoae Girault 1927G27
`--S. kuvanaeRD77
CharitopusN91 [incl. EupelmomorphaB88]
Tetracyclos Kryger 1942H83
`--*T. boreios Kryger 1942H83
StemmatosteresH83
Globulencyrtus Hoffer 1975ST08
|--*G. politus (Hoffer 1957) [=Semen politum]ST08
`--G. dahmsi Simutnik & Trjapitzin 2008T14
HomalotylusS07
|--H. flavimesopleuron Girault 1917G17d
|--H. microgaster Girault 1917GM79
`--H. orci Girault 1917G17a
CallipteromaN91
AnanusiaN91
DinocarsisB37
|--D. fasciiscapus Girault 1932G32b
|--D. holbeini Girault 1923G23
|--D. rotundiceps Girault 1932G32a
|--D. spica Girault 1921GM79
`--D. thyridopterigisB37
Propelma rohdendorfiRJ93
AphyciniS96
|--AphycusG36
`--Mucrencyrtus Noyes 1980 [Paraphycina]S96
|--*M. insulanus Noyes 1980S96
|--M. aclerdae (De Santis 1972) [=Aenasioidea aclerdae]S96
|--M. arundinariae Sharkov 1996S96
|--M. atratus Sharkov 1996S96
|--M. dbari Sharkov 1996S96
|--M. ecuadorensis Sharkov 1996S96
|--M. ferrierei (Burks 1964) [=Aenasioidea ferrierei]S96
`--M. variabilis Sharkov 1996S96
Comones ferriereiS96
AgeniaspisRD77
Tassonia Girault 1921G21
`--*T. gloriae Girault 1921G21
Chinchilla Girault 1928G28
`--*C. keatsi Girault 1928G28
Australia Girault 1928G28 [=Australica (l. c.)GM79]
`--*A. minuta Girault 1928G28
Psyllaephagus umbro (Walker 1839)N91, B88 [=Miscogaster umbroB88]
MicroteryinaS96
SaprencyrtusN91
AenasiellaN91
|--A. africa Girault 1917G17b
`--A. ovi Girault 1925G25
EugahaniaN91
Syrphophagus aphidivorusN91, B88
FulgoridicidaN91
Xenoencyrtus nigerN91, C81
AmiraN91
ComperiaN91
Paralitomastix kohleriN91, R70
CoelopencyrtusN91
Ixodiphagus Howard 1907N91, ST08
HunterellusR70
Quaylea whittieriR70, A71
LitomastixR70
|--L. auricollis Thompson 1875GM79
`--L. truncatellusA71
Oobius primorskyensisBS23
ZaommoencyrtusBS23
LeptomastidesMH11
Neodusmetia sangwaniMH11
NeocladiaMH11
Cerchysius australiensis Ashmead 1900A00

Tachinaephagus Ashmead 1904CR24, GM79 [incl. Australencyrtus Johnson & Tiegs 1921G24, GM79; Bothriothoracini]

Tachinaephagus zealandicus Ashmead 1904 [incl. T. australiensis Girault 1917, Stenoterys fulvoventralis Dodd in Groggatt 1921, Australencyrtus giraulti Johnston & Tiegs 1931]G38

*Type species of generic name indicated

References

[A00] Ashmead, W. H. 1900. Notes on some New Zealand and Australian parasitic Hymenoptera, with descriptions of new genera and new species. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 1900 (3): 327–360.

[A71] Askew, R. R. 1971. Parasitic Insects. Heinemann Educational Books: London.

[B37] Balduf, W. V. 1937. Bionomic notes on the common bagworm, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis Haw., (Lepid., Psychidae) and its insect enemies (Hym., Lepid.). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 39 (7): 169–184.

[BS23] Blaimer, B. B., B. F. Santos, A. Cruaud, M. W. Gates, R. R. Kula, I. Mikó, J.-Y. Rasplus, D. R. Smith, E. J. Talamas, S. G. Brady & M. L. Buffington. 2023. Key innovations and the diversification of Hymenoptera. Nature Communications 14: 1212.

[B88] Bouček, Z. 1988. Australasian Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera): A biosystematic revision of genera of fourteen families, with a reclassification of species. CAB International: Wallingford (UK).

[C81] Caltagirone, L. E. 1981. Landmark examples in classical biological control. Annual Review of Entomology 26: 213–232.

[CR24] Cruaud, A., J.-Y. Rasplus, J. Zhang, R. Burks, G. Delvare, L. Fusu, A. Gumovsky, J. T. Huber, P. Janšta, M.-D. Mitroiu, J. S. Noyes, S. van Noort, A. Baker, J. Böhmová, H. Baur, B. B. Blaimer, S. G. Brady, K. Bubeníková, M. Chartois, R. S. Copeland, N. D.-S. Papilloud, A. D. Molin, C. Dominguez, M. Gebiola, E. Guerrieri, R. L. Kresslein, L. Krogmann, E. Lemmon, E. A. Murray, S. Nidelet, J. L. Nieves-Aldrey, R. K. Perry, R. S. Peters, A. Polaszek, L. Sauné, J. Torréns, S. Triapitsyn, E. V. Tselikh, M. Yoder, A. R. Lemmon, J. B. Woolley & J. M. Heraty. 2024. The Chalcidoidea bush of life: evolutionary history of a massive radiation of minute wasps. Cladistics 40: 34–63.

[F05] Fernández, J. 2005. Noticia de nuevos táxones para la ciencia en el ámbito Íbero-Balear y Macaronésico. Nuevos táxones animales descritos en la península Ibérica y Macaronesia desde 1994 (IX). Graellsia 61 (2): 261–282.

[G38] Gahan, A. B. 1938. Notes on some genera and species of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 40 (8): 209–227.

[G17a] Girault, A. A. 1917a. New Javanese Hymenoptera. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 59–71).

[G17b] Girault, A. A. 1917b. Descriptiones stellarum novarum. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 80–101).

[G17c] Girault, A. A. 1917c. Descriptiones hymenopterorum chalcidoidicarum variorum cum observationibus. III. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 102–111).

[G17d] Girault, A. A. 1917d. Descriptiones hymenopterorum chalcidoidicarum variorum cum observationibus. V. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 116–131).

[G21] Girault, A. A. 1921. New animals of Australia and old men of the earth. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 161–163).

[G22] Girault, A. A. 1922. The true remedy for head lice, dedication of a new animal to the quality of majesty and so forth. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 166).

[G23] Girault, A. A. 1923. Loves wooed and won in Australia. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 167–169).

[G24] Girault, A. A. 1924. Homo perniciosus and new Hymenoptera. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 178–181).

[G25] Girault, A. A. 1925. An essay on when a fly is lovable, the ceremony of baptizing some and unlovely hate. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 187–190).

[G27] Girault, A. A. 1927. New Australian animals so far overlooked by outsiders. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 211–212).

[G28] Girault, A. A. 1928. Some new hexapods stolen from authority. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 221–224).

[G32a] Girault, A. A. 1932a. New pests from Australia, X. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 286–291).

[G32b] Girault, A. A. 1932b. Hymenoptera, Thysanoptera nova Australiensis. II. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 292).

[G36] Girault, A. A. (as ‘L. de St. Fargeau’). 1936. Chalcididae, Capsidae species nova Australiensis Giraulti. Privately published (reprinted: Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 319-321).

[GM79] Gordh, G., A. S. Menke, E. C. Dahms & J. C. Hall. 1979. The privately printed papers of A. A. Girault. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 28: 1–400.

[H83] Hayat, M. 1983. The genera of Aphelinidae (Hymenoptera) of the world. Systematic Entomology 8: 63–102.

[HB13] Heraty, J. M., R. A. Burks, A. Cruaud, G. A. P. Gibson, J. Liljeblad, J. Munro, J.-Y. Rasplus, G. Delvare, P. Janšta, A. Gumovsky, J. Huber, J. B. Woolley, L. Krogmann, S. Heydon, A. Polaszek, S. Schmidt, D. C. Darling, M. W. Gates, J. Mottern, E. Murray, A. D. Molin, S. Triapitsyn, H. Baur, J. D. Pinto, S. van Noort, J. George & M. Yoder. 2013. A phylogenetic analysis of the megadiverse Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). Cladistics 29: 466–542.

[LS96] Levins, R., & B. B. Schultz. 1996. Effects of density dependence, feedback and environmental sensitivity on correlations among predators, prey and plant resources: models and practical implications. Journal of Animal Ecology 65: 802–812.

[L-SSY04] López-Sebastián, E., J. Selfa & J. Ylla. 2004. Primeros datos del parasitismo de Ooencyrtus pityocampae (Mercet, 1921) sobre Graellsia isabelae (Graells, 1849) en condiciones de laboratorio. Graellsia 60 (1): 121–123.

[M83] Martin, N. A. 1983. Miscellaneous observations on a pasture fauna: an annotated species list. DSIR Entomology Division Report 3: 1–98.

[MH11] Munro, J. B., J. M. Heraty, R. A. Burks, D. Hawks, J. Mottern, A. Cruaud, J.-Y. Rasplus & P. Jansta. 2011. A molecular phylogeny of the Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). PloS One 6 (11): e27023.

[N91] Naumann, I. D. 1991. Hymenoptera (wasps, bees, ants, sawflies). In: CSIRO. The Insects of Australia: A textbook for students and research workers 2nd ed. vol. 2 pp. 916–1000. Melbourne University Press: Carlton (Victoria).

[RD77] Richards, O. W., & R. G. Davies. 1977. Imms’ General Textbook of Entomology 10th ed. vol. 2. Classification and Biology. Chapman and Hall: London.

[R70] Riek, E. F. 1970. Hymenoptera (wasps, bees, ants). In: CSIRO. The Insects of Australia: A textbook for students and research workers pp. 867–959. Melbourne University Press.

[RJ93] Ross, A. J., & E. A. Jarzembowski. 1993. Arthropoda (Hexapoda; Insecta). In: Benton, M. J. (ed.) The Fossil Record 2 pp. 363–426. Chapman & Hall: London.

[S96] Sharkov, A. 1996. A review of the species of the genus Mucrencyrtus Noyes (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 98 (2): 350–368.

[ST08] Simutnik, S. A., & V. A. Trjapitzin. 2008. Description of a new species of the genus Globulencyrtus (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae) from Australia with information of G. politus, the type species, a parasitoid of mites of the family Caeculidae (Acarina). Vestnik Zoologii 42 (6): 559–562.

[S07] Ślipiński, A. 2007. Australian Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): Their biology and classification. Australian Biological Resources Study: Canberra.

[T14] Taylor, C. K. 2014. Two further Neocaeculus species (Acari: Prostigmata: Caeculidae) from Barrow Island, Western Australia. Acarologia 54 (3): 347–358.

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