A revision of the Encarsia longifasciata species group (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

The Encarsia longifasciata group is established and revised, and its relationship to other species group of Encarsia is discussed with reference to biological, morphological and molecular evidence. Principal component analysis on all available specimens provided supporting evidence for the existence of five species, two of which are described herein as new: E. dewa Pedata &Polaszek, sp. n. and E. prinslooi Pedata & Polaszek sp. n. All species are either diagnosed or described, and illustrated, and information is given on their distribution and host range. Additional information on the biology and larval stages, and scanning electron micrographs of morphological details, are provided for E. arabica Hayat. A preliminary phylogenetic study using 28S D2 rDNA sequence data for E. arabica was inconclusive, but suggested possible affinities between the longifasciata and parvella species groups. An illustrated dichotomous key to all species of the E. longifasciata group is given