Pauesia silana Tremblay, 1969

Pauesia silana Tremblay, 1969 View in CoL

Pauesia silana Tremblay, 1969:153–160 View in CoL . Holotype ♀. – Italy

( Figs 1–2)

Material examined: 7♀♀ 4♂♂ ( DPPZ), ex. Cinara palaestinensis Hille Ris Lambers, 1948 , on Pinus halepensis Miller , Tunisia, ISA CM ( 35°54'58"N, 10°33'36"E) GoogleMaps , 1♀ 1♂, 25.03.2021; 1♀ (on slide) 1♂, 26.03.2021; 4♀♀ ( 1♀ on slide) 1♂, 22.04.2021; 1♀ 1♂ (partly damaged), 29.04.2021, leg. M. Ben Halima Kamel.

Diagnosis (Female – Fig. 1). Body length 2.9–3.1 mm. Head ( Fig. 1A) sparsely setose, wider than thorax at tegula. Eyes medium sized. Malar space 0.45–0.50 times longitudinal eye diameter. Maxillary palpi with four palpomeres, labial palpi with three palpomeres. Antenna ( Fig. 1B) filiform, flagellum with 17–18 flagellomeres. Mesoscutum smooth and shiny, slightly punctulated at dorso-lateral areas. Notauli poorly developed, present on anterior part of mesoscutum, with slightly different sculpturing marking their posterior ends among the rows of sparse setae. Forewing ( Fig. 1C) stigma distinct, wide triangular, its length 2.0–2.1 times its maximum width, and 0.88–0.90 time R1. Vein r long, 1.3–1.4 times 3RSa and 2.3– 2.4 times as long as r-m vein. Propodeum ( Fig. 1E) with anterolateral carinae at the extreme apex but the posterolateral area never bordered. Petiole ( Fig. 1E) elongated, with constriction behind its spiracles, 3.40– 3.55 times its width at spiracles. Gaster elongated, expanded toward the tip. Ovipositor sheath ( Fig. 1F) short, 2.0–2.15 times its maximum width at base, apically truncated, dorsal and anterio-ventral sides of ovipositor sheath, each with three and two long and curved setae.

Coloration. ( Fig. 2A) Generally yellowish-brown, dorsal surface of scape and pedicel, vertex and hind legs except for coxae brown; the patches around ocelli and whole flagellomeres dark brown to black. Head and mesosoma black, gaster dark brown. Legs light brown with yellow patches at the tip of segments.

Male ( Fig. 2B). Similar to female, body length 1.9–2.1 mm, body generally dark brown, the lower part of the face and moth parts pale yellow, mesosoma, except posterior part of mesoscutum to propodeum and lower part of mesopleuron, yellow.

Mummified aphids ( Fig. 3). Concolorous with healthy aphids in early stages ( Figs 3A–B) migrating outside the colony on the same branch, before final mummification. Winged mummies with head and thorax black ( Fig. 3C), wingless mummies brown ( Fig. 3D). Parasitoids emerged 5–9 days (average 6.7 days) post-collection by cutting a circular hole at the posterior part of the mummy, at the area between cornicles and the cauda ( Fig. 3E).

Zoogeographical Distribution: Western Palaearctic (Europe, North Africa) into the border of Eastern Palaearctic (South-central Russia) ( Fig. 5).

Secondary parasitoids

Few mummies were hatched lately, which led to the emergence of two secondary parasitoids (Hym., Chalcidoidea, Pteromalidae ). The hyperparasites emerged 12–25 days (average 20.4) post-collection by cutting an irregular hole at the dorsal or the posterior-dorsal part of the mummy ( Fig. 3F). The emerged hyperparasites were as follows: Asaphes vulgaris Walker, 1834 ( Fig. 4A), 1♀, 26.03.2021; 1♀, 01.04.2021; 1♀, 04.04.2021; 1♀, 28.04.2021; Pachyneuron aphidis (Bouché, 1834) ( Fig. 4B), 1♀, 22.04.2021, ex. mummies of Cinara palaestinensis Hille Ris Lambers , on Pinus halepensis Miller , parasitized by Pauesia silana Tremblay , Tunisia, ISA CM ( 35°54'58"N, 10°33'36"E).

Seasonal occurrence of Cinara palaestinensis in Tunisia

The first colonies of Cinara are observed on the young shoots in March. The activity of aphids reached a maximum in mid-April. Thereafter a regression of population was kept until the annihilation of the colonies at the end of May. The presence of mummies was detected till the end of March. The parasitoid remains active until the end of April. During this survey, we obtain twenty-four mummies from which 11 parasitoid and five hyperparasitoid specimens emerged.