Additions to the Encyrtidae and Mymaridae (Chalcidoidea) of India with new distribution and host records for some species

Abstract Background Encyrtidae and Mymaridae of India have not been surveyed in depth and hosts are not known for most of the species as the methods of collections used are passive and do not yield firsthand information on the hosts. Based on our ongoing surveys on the Encyrtidae and Mymaridae of India, we report here new distribution and host records for some species. New information Acmopolynema campylurum Xu and Lin, Litus cynipseus Haliday, Omyomymar glabrum Lin and Chiappini and Platystethynium Ogloblin (Mymaridae), and Rhytidothorax purpureiscutellum (Girault) (Encyrtidae) are reported for the first time from India. Anagyrus aquilonaris (Noyes and Hayat) is recorded as new to Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Paraphaenodiscus indicus Singh and Agarwal and Paraphaenodiscus monawari Bhuiya are recorded from south India for the first time, the latter on a new host, Pulvinaria polygonata. Chorizococcus sorghi Williams (Pseudococcidae) is reported as a host for Cryptanusia ajmerensis (Fatma & Shafee), for which no hosts are hitherto known and the male of Cryptanusia is documented for the first time. Aclerda sp. is recorded as a new host for Neastymachus axillaris Singh, Agarwal and Basha.


Introduction
The Chalcidoidea fauna of India has not been systematically surveyed covering the whole country and its biodiversity hotspots like Western ghats, Eastern Himalayas and the northeastern region have been badly neglected. Though extensive faunistic studies have been carried out on encyrtids (Hayat 2006), mymarids (Subba Rao andHayat 1985, Subba Rao andHayat 1986) and aphelinids (Hayat 1998) in India, several descriptions are based on single specimens without taking into consideration geographical variation and not adequately illustrated. Hosts are not known for most of the known species as collections are made using passive methods like Malaise traps and yellow pan traps. We have been attempting to document the Indian species of Encyrtidae and Mymaridae with good images to facilitate their easy identification along with their hosts. We report here additions to the fauna of Indian Encyrtidae and Mymaridae and new hosts and distribution data for some species.

Materials and methods
Extensive surveys were carried out in Ri-Bhoi, Jaintia hills, East Khasi hills, and West Khasi hills districts of Meghalaya and surrounding areas and in southern India for collection of Chalcidoidea. Different collecting methods (host rearing, net sweep, yellow pan trap and Malaise trap) were used for collection from different ecosystems. Collected parasitoids were processed and curated as per standard protocol (Noyes 1982) and identified using appropriate keys. Voucher specimens are deposited in the collections of the ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (ICAR-NBAIR), Bangalore, Karnataka, India. All measurements were done using the measurement module of Leica M205A stereo microscope and are relative. Imaging was done using Leica M205A stereo microscope and composite images were obtained from image stacks using Combine ZP. The images were touched up for clarity using Adobe Photoshop Elements 11.  (Fig. 3). Body yellow, except funicle segments, club, mesopleuron, propodeum and distal half (excluding tip) of metasoma brown; eyes red. Antenna with all funicle segments cylindrical, F5 and F6 more than 2x as long as wide, F4-F6 taken together clearly longer than club, club elongate elliptical, more than 3x as long as wide, without a distinct apical digit at the tip or with a very short one; its basal segment shorter than apical one. Mesosoma a little shorter than metasoma. Fore wing about 9x as long as wide, its longest marginal cilia about 1.9x its maximum width; discal cilia irregularly scattered over apical ¼ of wing blade, anterior longitudinal line of cilia beginning beyond end of venation; hind wing almost as long as forewing, with one and a half lines discal cilia; legs slender; ovipositor longer than body length, exserted part of ovipositor at least 1.3x metasomal length (Lin and Chiappini 1996).

Diagnosis
Nominate form of A. aquilonaris with a characteristic reddish coloration more or less throughout dorsal side (Fig. 5a), antenna with F1, F6 and clava brown, F2-F5 generally white (Karnataka). The following variants recorded from different parts of India: head and mesosoma orange-red, metasoma dark brown, wing infuscate to a greater degree (Fig. 5b)
The specimens examined by us agree with the illustrations provided by Hayat 2006 (see Figs. 1588-1591) except for the presence of the scutellar spot and the setal bunch on scutellum (lost in the holotype illustrated by Hayat). The original description indicates that C. ajmerensis is dorsally dark brown, but apparently its colour is quite variable.
Male (Fig. 6f) with head yellow with a median infuscate patch; antenna brownish with elongate whorls of setae; mesosoma dark brown except scutellum orange / yellowish with a basal yellowish-white patch as in female and a few short blackish setae near apex, lacking a setal bunch; metasoma dark brown; legs yellowish; wings more or less hyaline; scape 4.6x longer than wide; funicle segments cylindrical, subequal, each about twice as long as wide, clothed with long seta; clava entire, as long as preceding two funicle segments, base of clava with 8 scale like setae; fore wing hyaline, 2.5x as long as wide; marginal vein shorter than stigmal; postmarginal vein very short; linea calva interrupted by 4 or 5 lines of seta.

Diagnosis
Female (Fig. 7a) orange-yellow, head yellow, occiput with two black patches one on either side of foramen behind each eye; antenna completely yellow; mesosoma yellow, pronotum with a wide black band across; mesoscutum with light bluish green reflection; wings hyaline; legs completely yellow; metasoma yellowish brown. Head in frontal view round, 3x as wide as frontovertex; posterior margin of mesoscutum angular and axillae produced anteriorly; fore wing 2.5x as long as wide; hind wing 4.2x as long as wide; mid-tibial spur a little longer than basitarsus. Ovipositor not exserted, more than onequarter longer than metasoma.
Male (Fig. 7b) dorsally metallic green, antenna pale brown, side lobes of mesoscutum brownish, tegulae white, legs yellowish. Antennal scape about 3x as long as wide, flagellum clothed with whorls of setae; fore wing 2.6x as long as wide.

Distribution
India: Originally described from Assam (Singh and Agarwal 1993;Hayat 2006). This constitutes the first record for southern India (Karnataka).  (Fig. 10). Body orange yellow with varying degrees of infuscation, head, abdomen, scutellum, pronotum and cephalic part of scutum at meson narrowly metallic; wings slightly yellowish throughout; scape concolorous; funicle and pedicel purple, club white; distal two funicle segments inclined to the paler; pedicel subequal to F1, F4 and F5 subequal, a little shorter, F6 still shorter, a little longer than wide; clava no wider than funicle and not quite half its length; cheeks about half the length of eyes; frons with some punctures; scutum finely scaly, scutellum glabrous; scutum with numerous obscure setigerous punctures, scutellum with only few; axillae separated for a short distance (Girault 1915).

Distribution
Australia (Girault 1915). This is a new record for India (Meghalaya).