Eriaphytis Hayat, 1972

Eriaphytis Hayat View in CoL

( Figure 2 View Figure 2 )

Eriaphytis Hayat, 1972: 152 View in CoL . Type species: Eriaphytis orientalis Hayat, 1972 View in CoL by original monotypy [examined].

Diagnosis

Antenna 8-segmented, formula 1,1,4,2 ( Figure 2B View Figure 2 ); anellus (anl) enlarged and subtriangular ( Figure 2B View Figure 2 ; inset). Mesosoma with pronotum undivided; axilla (ax) large and subtriangular, each with 2 setae, posterolateral margin separated from the mesoscutellum ( Figure 2C View Figure 2 ); mesoscutellum (mss) large, hexagonal, and strongly convex, posterior margin rounded, scutellar sensilla (ss) in posterior third and widely separated ( Figure 2C View Figure 2 ); metanotum with semicircular dorsellum (dor) ( Figure 2C View Figure 2 ). Fore wing with linea calva; submarginal vein longer than marginal vein, with 5 setae; stigmal vein elongate, with prominent stigma and uncus; postmarginal vein absent ( Figure 2D View Figure 2 ; Hayat 1972, fig. 1). Tarsal formula 555; gaster 8-segmented; Gt 7 reduced and band like; Gt 8 broad and setose at apex. Third valvulae elongate and narrow. Male genitalia with phallobase cylindrical; digiti with sclerotised bar running from base to apex along inner margin, and terminating with robust spine ( Hayat 1978, fig. 2).

Material examined

Holotype of Eriaphytis orientalis : INDIA: Uttar Pradesh: Aligarh, 27°52 ʹ 48”N, 78°04 ʹ 12”E, M. Hayat [1♀, ZSI] GoogleMaps . Non-type material of Eriaphytis orientalis : Same data as holotype [3♀, UCRC: UCRCENT14276, UCRCENT75191, UCRCENT498694]. Holotype of Eriaphytis chackoi Subba Rao INDIA: Karnataka: Chikmaglur, Coffee Research Station, vii.1977, ex. Vinsonia stellifera Westwood, M.J. Chacko [1♀, NHMUK]. Paratype of Eriaphytis chackoi : Same data as holotype [1♀, NHMUK].

Comments

Eriaphytis Hayat, 1972 was lab-reared from an unknown species of Cerococcus Comstock, 1882 ( Cerococcidae ) ( Hayat 1972). The genus was established due to the unusual combination of character states that align it with taxa from both Aphelininae (fore wing with a linea calva, structure of the syntergum) and Coccophaginae (8-segmented antenna, strongly advanced axillae). Additionally, the morphology of the male genitalia is unique among Aphelinidae . As a result, Eriaphytis has historically been placed in its own subfamily Eriaphytinae ( Hayat 1978) . Phylogenomic analyses place Eriaphytis as the sister group of all other Coccophaginae ( Kresslein 2024) . While its placement would allow Eriaphytinae to exist in a cladistic framework, we believe that it is more appropriately placed as a tribe within Coccophaginae . Eriaphytis possesses all the key diagnostic characteristics of the Coccophaginae and lacks any distinct synapomorphies warranting a unique subfamily. A linea calva is present in two genera of Coccophaginae ( Hayat 1972; Polaszek et al. 2023) rendering the structure homoplastic within Aphelinidae , and an enlarged anellus is present in species of Euxanthellus . Thus, we establish Eriaphytini Hayat 1978 stat. rev. as a tribe within Coccophaginae containing a single genus and two species: Eriaphytis chackoi which targets Cerococcus ( Hayat 1972) , and Eriaphytis orientalis Hayat, 1972 which targets Ceroplastes stellifer ( Westwood, 1871) (= Vinsonia stellifera Westwood ) ( Coccidae ) ( Subba Rao 1980).

Historically, anelli have not been considered in Aphelinidae due to their minute size. Some speculate that the apparent anellus in Aphelinidae is a pseudo-segment formed from cuticular folding at the base of Fu 1, though no studies have confirmed the origin of the structure (Heraty and Polaszek pers. comm.). However, the anellus (anl) of Eriaphytis is relatively enlarged and easily recognised as its own segment ( Figure 2B View Figure 2 ). For this reason, we break with tradition and include the anellus in the antennal formula of Eriaphytis , increasing the described antennal count from seven to eight segments.