 Fig 1. Aphytis - dorsal view |
 Fig 2. Aphytis - lateral view |
 Fig 3. Aphytis - dorsal view |
 Fig 4. Aphytis - dorsal view |
 Fig 5. Aphytis - dorsal view |
 Fig 6. Forewing |
 Fig 7. Head & mesosoma |
Nomenclature
Aphytis Howard, 1900: 168. Type species: Aphytis chilensis Howard, by monotypy.
Prospaphelinus De Gregorio, 1914: 227. Type species: Aphelinus (Prospaphelinus) silvestrii De Gregorio, by monotypy. As subgenus of Aphelinus. Synonymy by Mercet, 1930b: 48-49.
Paraphytis Compere, 1925: 129. Type species: Paraphytis vittatus Compere, by original designation. Synonymy by De Bach & Rosen, 1976: 541.
Sydiella Shafee, 1970: 144. Type species: Sydiella maculata Shafee, by original designation. Synonymy by Hayat, 1982: 169.
Diagnosis
- Most of the species lemon yellow or paler in colour with various degrees of infuscation
- Antenna 6-segmented, formula 1131 or 1122; in some cases 5 or 4 segmented, formula 1121, 1111
- Fore wing variable, but with venation long, reaching clearly beyond half length of wing
- Linea calva distinct, with setae proximad of linea calva always longer than those on disc; submarginal vein usually with 2 setae
- Posterior margin of propodeum almost always crenulate which can be observed only at high magnification
Species in India
1. Aphytis alami Agarwal
2. Aphytis bangalorensis Rosen & DeBach
3. Aphytis aligarhensis Hayat
4. Aphytis chrysomphali (Mercet)
5. Aphytis diaspidis (Howard)
6. Aphytis fioriniae Rosen & Rose
7. Aphytis fisheri DeBach
8. Aphytis gordoni DeBach & Rosen
9. Aphytis hispanicus (Mercet)
10. Aphytis holoxanthus DeBach
11. Aphytis lepidosaphes Compere
12. Aphytis lingnanensis Compere
13. Aphytis maculicornis (Masi)
14. Aphytis manii Hayat
15. Aphytis melinus DeBach
16. Aphytis mytilaspidis (Le Baron)
17. Aphytis paramaculicornis DeBach & Rosen
18. Aphytis philippinensis DeBach & Rosen
19. Aphytis pinnaspidis Rosen & DeBach
20. Aphytis proclia (Walker)
21. Aphytis sankarani Rosen & DeBach
22. Aphytis theae (Cameron)
Hosts and habitat
Ectoparasitoids of diaspidid scales (Hemiptera: Diaspididae). One of the most widely used parasitoids in applied biological control worldwide. Species identification is often very difficult due to the presence of biological races / strains and lack of reliable morphological characters.
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.