Plumaroides tapilophus Diez & Fidalgo

Diez, Patricia A. & Fidalgo, Patricio, 2012, Two new species of the genus Plumaroides Brothers, 1974 (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea, Plumariidae) from Argentina, Zootaxa 3188, pp. 64-68 : 66-67

Plumaroides tapilophus Diez & Fidalgo , sp. nov.

( Figs 5–8 )

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from other known species of the genus by the almost flat longitudinal medial carina on the seventh tergum.

Description. MALE. Holotype male. Total length 3.8 mm (paratypes 3.6 to 5.6 mm). Color: Body light brown with head significantly darker and the following parts slightly light: antennae, front, clypeus, gena, base of mandible, labial and maxillary palpus, legs, pterostigma. Sculpture: Alutaceous, body with abundant, regular hairs. Head and mesosoma with conspicuous punctures separated approximately by 1 x their diameter.

Head. 0.7 x as high as wide, in frontal view, equal to maximum width of the mesosoma between tegulae. Ocellocular distance 1.1 x the diameter of lateral ocellus, postocellar distance 2.1 x the ocellocular. Antennocular distance 0.5 x the diameter of antennal socket; interantennal distance 3.4 x the antennocular. Distance between socket and clypeus 0.8 x the diameter of socket. Malar space 0.2 x height of eye. Clypeus slightly curved in the basal margin; apex of clypeus in frontal view emarginate medially, apical margin recessed, epistomal suture distinct and curved medially ( Fig. 5 ). Discal setae of clypeus vary in size, being the longest as long as height of clypeus, medially. Labrum small, distinct in frontal view, weakly emarginated apically. Labial palpus two segmented both segments equal lengths. Maxillary palpus five segmented; proportions of segments (length/width): 1.3: 0.3; 1.2: 0.4; 1.5: 0.4; 1.2: 0.5; 1.0: 0.4. Mandible with three blunt teeth, with setae varying in length, being the longest 0.5 x the basal width of mandible. Antenna with 13 segments tapering to apex. Scape subrectangular, shorter than pedicel and first flagellomer together. Proportion of flagellomeres (lengths), from base to apex 0.8; 1.2; 1.4; 1.4; 1.2; 1.2; 1.1; 1.2; 1.1; 1.1; 1.3. Flagellomeres with short, decumbent and abundant setae, longest setae 0.1 x as long as width of flagellomere; ovoid sensory plate, present on flagellomeres in varying numbers, 8 to 14 in flagellomeres 2 to 4, and 1 to 4 in flagellomeres 1 and 5 to 10; last flagellomer without sensilias.

Mesosoma. 1.8 x as long as wide. Proportions of length of mesoscutum, mesoscutelum, metanotum, metapostnotum and propodeum in dorsal view, along median axis: 37: 33: 19: 4: 14. Pronotum not distinct, except for small part of pronotal lobe in front of tegula; ventrolateral angle rounded. Mesoscutum with parapsidal line and notaulus distinct. Metanotum subrectangular 0.5 x as long as mesoscutum. Propodeum convex, subrectangular in dorsal view, 4 x wider than long; spiracles loop-shaped and separated from the basal margin of the propodeum by a distance less than the length of the spiracle. Wings: Fore wing: 2.3 x as long as wide; marginal cell with anterior margin 1.6 x as long as posterior margin; basal margin slightly curved forward ( Fig. 6 ). Hind wing with vannal lobe 1.3 x the length of submedial cell; seven hamuli. Legs: Slender; tibiae and tarsi with scattered weak setae; fore tibiae with 13 strong spiniform setae apically and along outer margin; mid tibiae with approximately 30 strong spiniform setae apically and along outer margin; hind tibiae without spiniform setae. Tibial spurs 1-2-2; anterior spur curved and weakly pectinate on inner margin; fore basitarsus with shallow strigilar concavity approximately as half as length of basal region, bearing strigilar comb of fine setae.

Metasoma. 1.7 x as long as its maximum width. Seventh tergum with subtriangular shape and polished distal zone; lateral carinae well developed; longitudinal medial carina almost flat, uniformly increasing its heights from base to apex ( Fig. 7 and 8 ).

FEMALE. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype 3: Argentina, province Catamarca, 10 km north Fiambal, 16-II-07, Diez, Fidalgo ( MACN). Paratypes: 20 3, same data as holotype ( MACN); 4 3, same data as holotype ( MLP); 4 3, same data as holotype ( IFML). Province La Rioja: 1 3, RN 27 between San Ramon and Valle Vertil, 14-XII-06, Diez, Fidalgo ( MACN).

Variation. The ocellocular distance varies 1.0 to 1.6 x the diameter of lateral ocellus; postocellar distance varies 1.5 to 2.3 x the ocellocular; antenocular distance varies 0.3 to 0.6 x the diameter socket; interantennal distance varies 3.5 to 5.1 x the antenocular distance; distance between clypeus and socket varies 0.5 to 1.0 x the diameter socket. In marginal cell, anterior margin varies 1.5 to 2.0 x longer than posterior margin. Conspicuous punctures separated by more than 1 x their diameter. In some specimens fore tibiae have 4 to 6 strong spiniform setae. Lateral carinae of seventh tergum may be poorly developed.

Distribution. Catamarca and La Rioja provinces, Argentina

Discussion. Plumaroides tapilophus sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species of Plumaroides by: ocellocular distance is 1.1 x the diameter of lateral ocellus in P. tapilophus sp. nov., while it is 1.6 x in P. andalgalensis and P. brothersi , and 2.0 x in P. tiphlus ; length of anterior margin of marginal cell is 1.5 to 2.0 x as long as posterior margin in P. tapilophus sp. nov., while it is 2.2 x in P. andalgalensis , 2.8 x in P. brothersi and 4.3 x in P. tiphlus ; P. tapilophus sp. nov. has long setae on coxa and femur of fore leg in dorsal view, while these long setae are absent on the coxae in P. andalgalensis , P. brothersi and P. tiphlus .

Etymology. This species was named after the almost flat longitudinal medial carina of seventh tergum (from Greek tapeinos: low and lophos: crest).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Plumaroides. 1 – 4. P. aquilus sp. nov. 1, Head; 2, Hind wing; 3, Seventh tergum, dorsal view; 4, Seventh tergum, apical area, lateral view. 5 – 8. P. tapilophus sp. nov. 5, Head; 6, Fore wing, marginal cell; 7, Seventh tergum, dorsal view; 8, Seventh tergum apical area, lateral view. 9. P. brothersi, seventh tergum apical area, lateral view. 10. P. tiphlus, seventh tergum, dorsal view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.