Fig 1. Ablerus inquirenda	Fig 2. Ablerus bharathius
Fig 3. Ablerus inquirenda	Fig 4. Ablerus bharathius
Fig 5. Ablerus perspeciosus	Fig 6. Ablerus perspeciosus
Fig 7. Ablerus - lateral view

Nomenclature

Ablerus Howard, 1894: 7. Type species: Centrodora clisocampa Ashmead 1894, by original designation.
Azotus Howard, 1898: 138. Type species: Azotus marchali Howard, by monotypy. Synonymy by Girault, 1913: 189.
Myocnemella Girault, 1913: 195. Type species: Myocnemella bifasciata Girault, by original designation. Synonymy by Hayat, 1994: 83.
Dimacrocerus Brethes, 1914: 4. Type species: Dimacrocerus platensis Brethes, by original designation. Synonymy by Howard in Girault, 1917: 8.

Diagnosis

Antenna in female usually with alternating light and dark banding patterns, 7-segmented (1141 formula with one or two anelli), third funicular segment typically reduced, usually shorter than both F2 and F4
Antennae of males uniformly colored, all segments except F3 elongate with more longitudinal sensillae
Forewing with conspicuous marginal fringe, either uniformly infuscate behind venation or with infuscate bands of various shapes, bearing darker setae
Submarginal vein with one seta, marginal vein shorter than or subequal to costal cell, stigmal vein either with a thin or swollen stigma

Species in India

1. Ablerus bharathius (Subba Rao)
2. Ablerus inquirenda Silvestri
3. Ablerus perspeciosus Girault

Hosts and habitat

Species of Ablerus are hyperparasitoids of diaspine scales through their aphelinid and encyrtid parasitoids. Some are hyperparasitoids of Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera). Primary parasitism of eggs of Lepidoptera and Membracidae is also known in some species.

Selected references

Hayat, M. 1998. Aphelinidae of India (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea): A taxonomic revision. Memoirs of Entomology, International. Volume 13. Associated Publishers, Gainesville, Florida. 416 pp.
Howard, L.O. 1894. Two parasites of important scale-insects. Insect Life, 7: 5-8.