Review of the Nearctic species of Leiophron and Peristenus (Hymenoptera Braconidae: Euphorinae) parasitizing Lygus (Hemiptera: Miridae: Mirini:)
Author
Goulet, Henri
Author
Mason, Peter G.
text
Zootaxa
2006
2006-09-28
1323
1
1
118
https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1323.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.1323.1.1
11755334
5071178
071E8D92-514B-4E2B-9F3F-E085CACA976A
Peristenus
Foerster
Diagnosis:
Head with medial carina between antennal socket and median ocellus (
Fig. 79
). Metasomal tergum 2 sharply folded above spiracle, separating tergum into medio and laterotergites (the fold caused by break in the cuticle not only by a change in cuticle thickness) (
Figs. 4–9
,
77, 78
). Hind wing subbasal cell large: vein 1M 0.9–1.7 times as long as vein cua (
Fig. 66
).
The following characters apply to specimens of almost all species. Metasomal tergum 1 with lateral margins meeting ventrally in basal 0.1–0.5 (
Fig. 70
). Fore wing with radial cell more than 0.5 times maximum width of stigma (
Figs. 52, 57–63
), and wing densely pubescent (
Figs. 52, 54
).
The occipital carina development mentioned in
Shaw (1997)
is variable and is not used further.
This is a large worldwide genus. All reared specimens are from
Miridae
.
Peristenus digoneutis
group.
Adults show a wide range of colour patterns, but all have the occipital carina widely interrupted dorsally (this character may be hidden in some specimens with the head inclined upward) (
Fig. 32
). The three included species,
P. digoneutis
,
P. relictus
(Ruthe)
and
P. rubricollis
(Thomson)
, were intentionally introduced and established for biological control of
Lygus
and
Adelphocoris
plant bugs.