Fig 1. Marietta leopardina	Fig 2. Marietta leopardina
Fig 3. Marietta leopardina	Fig 4. Marietta leopardina
Fig 5. Marietta leopardina	Fig 6. Marietta leopardina
Fig 7. M. leopardina - forewing	Fig 8. M. leopardina - forewing
Fig 9. M. leopardina - antenna	Fig 10. M. leopardina - antenna
Fig 11. M. leopardina - mesosoma	Fig 12. Marietta leopardina

Nomenclature

Marietta Motschulsky, 1863: 51. Type species: Marietta leopardina Motschulsky, by monotypy.

Diagnosis

Body very small in size (0.5-1.0 mm long), usually pale coloured, with a beautiful pattern of dark bands or spots or both on head, thorax, gaster and legs
Antenna 6-segmented in female (antennal formula 1-1-2-2 or 1131), F1 and F2 transverse, anelliform. Antenna in male 5-segmented in male (1-1-2-1)
Pronotum narrow and transverse, entire / composed of a single plate
Fore wing of almost all known species characteristic, conspicuously maculated with a dark and light pattern of setae; marginal vein longer than costal cell, parastigma well developed, postmarginal vein absent, stigmal vein barely visible to punctiform; linea calva distinct
Mesopleuron large and undivided as in encyrtids
Axillae hardly projecting forwards
Adults commonly collected in association with scales and mealybugs as hyperparasitoids

Distribution

Known from Oriental, Nearctic, Neotropical, Palaearctic and Indo-Pacific regions.

Species in India

1. Marietta carnesi (Howard) (India: Jammu & Kashmir; Uttar Pradesh)
2. Marietta leopardina Motschulsky (Almost throughout India)
3. Marietta picta (André) (India: Uttar Pradesh)

Similar looking genera

This genus is similar to Paraphytis Compere in general appearance.

Selected references

Hayat, M. 1986. Notes on some species of Marietta (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), with a key to world species. Colemania, 2: 1-18.
Hayat, M. 1998. Aphelinidae of India (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea): A taxonomic revision. Memoirs of Entomology, International. Vol. 13. Associated Publishers. Gainesville. 416 p.