Prococcophagus Silvestri 2025, stat. rev.
Creators: name: Kresslein, Robert L.
name: Polaszek, Andrew
name: Burks, Roger A.
name: Mottern, Jason L.
name: Lahey, Zachary
name: Heraty, John M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Aphelinidae
Prococcophagus

description: Prococcophagus Silvestri stat. rev.
(Figure 5)
Prococcophagus Silvestri, 1915: 359–360 [in Silvestri 1915b]. Type species: Prococcophagus varius Silvestri, 1915 by original monotypy in Silvestri 1915b [examined].
Taneostigmoidella Girault, 1915: 39. Type species: Taneostigmoidella nympha Girault, 1915 by original monotypy. Subjective synonym of Prococcophagus Silvestri, 1915 in Girault 1917c: 37.
Diagnosis
Body with opalescent lustre. Antennal segments with contrasting light and dark pigment; scape laterally compressed and expanded ventrally (except three species), inserted close to the clypeal margin (Figure 5A–C). Mesosoma with pronotum (no1) medially membranous; midlobe of mesoscutum setose (Figure 5E); axilla subquadrate with 1–4 setae. Fore wing usually with infuscate area consisting of dark setae basally and hyaline apically; stigmal vein variable in length (Figure 5D).
Material examined
Holotype of Prococcophagus varius: ERITREA: Cheren (=Keren) [1♀, UNP]. Holotype of Prococcophagus aurantifrons: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales, Sydney, Taronga Zoological Park, 20.x.1927, ex. Inglisia sp., Compere, H. No.10282713 [1♀, USNM]. Paratypes of Prococcophagus aurantifrons: same data as holotype [3♀ 2♂, USNM]. Holotype of Prococcophagus asterolecanii: HAITI: Morne-a-Cabrito, 22.v.1931, ex. Asterolecanium epidendri (Bouch.) [= Asterolecanium aureum Targioni Tozzetti] on Anona sp., Dozier, H.L. [1♀, USNM 1049008]. Paratypes of Prococcophagus asterolecanii: same data as holotype except ex. Asterolecanium epidendri (Bouch.) (= Asterolecanium aureum) Targioni Tozzetti) on shrub 21.v.1931 [2♂, USNM]; 22.v.1931 [♀, USNM]; 29.v.1931 [3♂, USNM]; 1.vi.1931 [1♂, USNM]; 2.vi.1931 [1♂, USNM]. Holotype of Prococcophagus hispaniolae: Caxeau, 16.iv.1930, ex. Ceroplastes giganteus Dozier on Ficus rubricosta Warb., Dozier, H.L. [1♀ USNM 1049018]. Paratype of Prococcophagus srilankaensis: SRI LANKA (=Ceylon): Punduloya (=Pundaluoya), Green, E.E. 1073/01 [1♀, USNM]. Non type Material of Prococcophagus sp.: BENIN: Calavi, x.2021, Goergen, G., ex. Bambusaspis miliaris (Boisduval) on leaves of Bambusa vulgaris (Schrad. ex J.C. Wendl.) [3♀, NHMUK: DNA1715]. COSTA RICA: Rio Magnolia, 16–17.ii.2017, Noyes, J.S. [1♀, UCRC: UCRCENT00508967]. MEXICO: Jalisco, Chamela 19°29′49.7″N 105°02′27.8″W, 23.vi.2008, Clebsch, H., low deciduous woodland, swp [1♀, NHMUK: DNA322].
Comments
Prococcophagus was established for species that resemble Coccophagus but have a laterally compressed scape inserted close to the margin of the clypeus (Silvestri 1915b). Taneostigmoidella Girault, 1915 was established in the same year, and was recognised as a junior synonym of Prococcophagus less than two years later (Girault 1915, 1917c). Synonymy of Prococcophagus and Taneostigmoidella with Coccophagus was published independently by several authors (Shafee et al. 1985; Viggiani 1985; Hayat 1988) based the apparent homology of the male genitalic morphology and larval development (Mazzone and Viggiani 1984; Viggiani and Battaglia 1984). Hayat (1988) established the Coccophagus varius species group for all species originally placed in Prococcophagus and Taneostigmoidella, as well as two species of Aneristus Howard, 1895a.
Prococcophagus superficially resembles the other genera of Coccophagini Förster, 1878. The wing venation and antennal conformation of males in some species is similar to that of the Coccophagus ochraceus species group. However, Prococcophagus can be easily distinguished from Coccophagini by the medially membranous pronotum and the shape of the axilla, which align it closer to Encarsia. Contemporary phylogenomic analysis places Prococcophagus outside of Coccophagini (Cruaud et al. 2024; Kresslein 2024). Given the phylogenetic placement of the genus, and the ease with which it can be diagnosed, we revive Prococcophagus with 27 species (Table 1) and establish Prococcophagini within Coccophaginae. Presently, Prococcophagini contains two genera, Prococcophagus and Oenrobia. Additional genera will be described in an upcoming revision of the Prococcophagini.
description: Published as part of Kresslein, Robert L., Polaszek, Andrew, Burks, Roger A., Mottern, Jason L., Lahey, Zachary & Heraty, John M., 2025, Nomenclatural spring cleaning: tidying Aphelinidae of taxa that do not spark joy, and a new species of Prococcobius Hayat (Aphelinidae: Coccophaginae), pp. 609-653 in Journal of Natural History 59 (9 - 12) on pages 621-623, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2024.2436124, http://zenodo.org/record/14970885