Nesolynx thymus (Girault) (=Omphalomomyia thymus Girault, Syntomosphyrum obscuriceps Ferriere)

Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae: Tetrastichinae

Body 1.50-1.75 mm long. Female: Head dark metallic blue with a greenish tinge, eyes dark red; antenna with scape pale yellow, remaining segments blackish; mesosoma (thorax) yellow-orange; gaster yellow except lateral margins and apex dark brown to black; legs yellowish brown, coxae paler; wings hyaline. Antenna (Fig. 1) with three-segmented funicle, club three-segmented, apically acutely pointed. Mesoscutum densely pilose / hairy, hairs arising from conspicuous tubercles, with strong reticulate microsculpture. Scutellum with two pairs of bristles, one anterior, near to front border, one just above posterior margin; with strongly reticulate microsculpture. Propodeum with a median longitudinal carina. Gaster shiny, with reticulate, polygonal microsculpture. Fore wing (Fig. 3) with postmarginal vein much shorter than stigmal vein.

Male: Dorsal side more or less completely blackish to dark brown except propodeum and anterior portion of gaster lighter, yellowish brown; antenna and legs pale yellowish to white. Antenna (Fig. 2) with four-segmented funicle with long latero-terminal bristles, club three-segmented, apically acutely pointed. Mesoscutum similar to female, but conspicuously more strongly pilose.

 Fig. 1-2. Antenna: 1. Female; 2. Male
 Fig. 3. Forewing

   
     Adult female, dorsal view

Widely distributed in the Oriental and Australasian regions. India: Karnataka; Kerala; Tamil Nadu.

It is a gregarious external parasitoid of the pupae of several dipterous hosts. Nesolynx spp. also attack lepidopterous hosts, probably as hyperparasite through Tachinidae (Boucek, 1989). Mass produced and used in India for the biological control of Indian Uzi fly, Exorista bombycis (=Tricholyga bombycis), a pest of silkworm, Bombyx mori.