Perilampus houbaraensis Yoo and Darling, 2021

Darling, D. Christopher & Yoo, Jeong, 2021, The Perilampidae of the United Arab Emirates and Yemen (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), Zootaxa 5020 (1), pp. 101-129 : 122-125

Perilampus houbaraensis Yoo and Darling n. sp.

Figures 10G‒L , 11F‒K , Appendix 1

Material examined. Holotype. “ United Arab Emirates: Al Houbara Protected Area , 24°00'36"N, 54°02'24"E, 1- 31 May 2016, A Saji; A van Harten, Malaise trap ”, “Digital Image Voucher 2019, Royal Ontario Museum”. The holotype is point-mounted (Female: ROME159089 , ROME).

Paratypes. 2 males. United Arab Emirates: Al Houbara Protected Area , 24°00'36"N, 54°02'24"E, 1-31 Mar 2016, A Saji; A van Harten, Malaise trap ( ROME159086 - EAD, ROME159087 - ROME) .

Additional material examined. Yemen: 1 male . Abyan, Al Kowd , 13°5'0"N, 45°22'0"E: 1-5 Sep 2001, A van Harten; S Al Haruri, Light trap (1 male: ROME159198 - ROME) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from Al Houbara Protected Area, where most specimens, including the holotype, were collected.

Description. Female. Length: approximately 1.4 mm (HT 1.4 mm). Color: black, mesonotum with iridescent blue reflections, dorsellum black with blue reflections. Legs: coxae black, hind femora black or brown, pro and meso femora and tibiae brown, lighter distad and on inner surfaces, with weak blue reflections, tarsi brown. Antennae: scape brown, lighter distad, pedicel and flagellum brown.

Head ( Figs 10H, 10I ): in frontal view quadrate, slightly wider than high, HW/HH approximately 1.2, sparsely setose to smooth; in dorsal view weakly transverse ( Fig. 8H ), width same or slightly greater than twice length, HW/HL 2.0‒2.1; wider than pronotum, HW/PW about 1.4. Frontal carina: absent. Scrobal cavity: shallow; with weak round swelling originating from between median and lateral ocelli extend towards eye margin. Ocelli: large; forming a wide triangle, POL about twice distance between posterior and anterior ocelli; POL very long,>2.5× OOL. Vertex: rounded behind; smooth, interocellar region with long groove originating from occiput to anterior ocellus ( Fig. 10H , arrow); occiput with median furrow delimited below vertex, with costulae. Outer orbits: smooth, strong costulae behind. Inner orbits: in lateral view, nearly parallel to inner eye margin; smooth. Malar space: short, about 0.2× eye height, MS/EH approximately 0.2; smooth ( Fig. 10I ). Clypeus: weakly transverse, wider than high, CW/ CH approximately 1.7‒1.8, trapezoidal, lateral sulci weak and straight or weakly rounded, weakly divergent; epistomal sulcus straight or weakly concave, same strength as lateral sulci, only slightly extended ventrad; lower margin convex. Supraclypeal area: subquadrate. Antenna: scape length approximately 0.5× EH; anellus length approximately 0.1× PL; F1 subquadrate, shorter than pedicel, F1L/PL approximately 0.6‒0.7, F2–F7 transverse; clava 4-segmented, with distinct terminal button.

Mesosoma ( Figs 10G, 10J, 10K, 10L , 11F ): length approximately 1.4× maximum width. Pronotum in dorsal view: short, about 0.25× length of mesoscutum, PN/MSC 0.2‒0.3; shorter along midline, 0.5‒0.6× length laterad; anterior margin sharp, the first row of punctures slightly lower; without flange on lateral panel of pronotum at the level of mesothoracic spiracle. Lateral panel of pronotum: nearly as wide as prepectus, LPP/PPT approximately 1.1‒1.2; flat, with 3 rows of punctures and wide coriarious interspaces dorsad, ventrad with wide coriarious patch; anterior margin slightly rounded; posterior margin ventrad grooved, with row of alveolae. Prepectus ( Fig. 10J ): narrow; nearly indistinguishable from pronotum, without distinct suture; ventral strap long ( Fig. 10J , arrow), with row of alveolae. Femoral depression: nearly smooth. Midlobe of mesoscutum ( Fig. 11F ): without transverse tubercle; punctures rounded to weakly angulate, with wide and weakly coriarious to nearly smooth interspaces. Lateral lobe of mesoscutum: smooth dorsad; coriarious-punctate laterad. Scutellum: about as long as mesoscutum, SC/MSC approximately 1.1; posterior margin smoothly rounded; punctures rounded to weakly angulate, with wide and weakly coriarious to nearly smooth interspaces. Axilla: punctate dorsad, imbricate below. Axillula: short triangular lobe, shorter than width at base, smooth. Propodeum ( Fig. 10K ): length along midline about 0.3× width of propodeum; submedian area shagreened to smooth, with weak groove along median carina; smooth laterad; plicae incomplete laterad, delimited ventrad by plicae, dorsad by transverse band of foveae; propodeal spiracle margin narrowly foveate ventrad; nucha rugulose. Fore wing ( Fig. 10L ): postmarginal vein long, 0.8‒0.9× length of marginal vein, 1.4‒1.6× length of stigmal vein; stigmal vein with weak uncus.

Metasoma: petiole short with large smooth to weakly rugulose raised scale ( Fig. 10G , arrow); Gt2 smooth, posterior margin weakly concave at middle; Gt3 smooth.

Male. Length: approximately 1.4‒1.6 mm. Color: mesonotum with blue or green-blue reflections. Structure and sculpture similar to female except as follows: Head ( Fig. 11G ): in dorsal view quadrate. Ocelli: larger. Malar space: shorter. Scape ( Figs 11I, 11J ): about 0.5× EH; elongate, length about 5× width above radicle; strongly expanded distad, about 1.4× width above radicle; punctures covering about 0.3 scape length, with slightly wide interspaces. Mesosoma: more elongate, length approximately 1.5× maximum width. Gt3: weakly imbricate dorsad. Aedeagus: with paired lateral spines ( Fig. 11K , arrow).

Variation. One male specimen (ROME159198) lacks iridescence on the mesonotum.

Diagnosis. Perilampus houbaraensis is very similar to P.yemenensis with similar venation (i.e., long postmarginal vein) and prepectus (i.e. indistinct suture between prepectus and pronotum). However, P. houbaraensis and P. yemenensis can be distinguished by differences in sculpture: nearly smooth versus strongly imbricate propodeum ( Fig. 10K cf. 10E), smooth versus coriarious malar space ( Figs 10I , 11H cf. Figs 10C , 11C ), and weakly coriarious to nearly smooth versus strongly coriarious interspaces on mesonotum ( Fig. 11F cf. 11A). And the male scape of P. houbaraensis is more slender with punctures covering a smaller area than in P. yemenensis ( Figs 11I, 11J cf. Fig. 11D ).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Perilampus rainerius. A, habitus, lateral view; B, habitus, dorsal view; C, propodeum; D, fore wing; E, head, dorsal view; F, head, frontal view; G, prepectus; H, Gt3. [A‒G: ROME159094; H: ROME159204]

FIGURE 10. Perilampus yemenensis and P. houbaraensis. A‒F, P. yemenensis: A, habitus, lateral view; B, head, dorsal view; C, lower face sculpture; D, prepectus; E, propodeum; F, fore wing venation. G‒L, P. houbaraensis: G, habitus, lateral view; H, head, dorsal view; I, lower face sculpture; J, prepectus; K, propodeum; L, fore wing venation. [A‒F: Holotype, ROME159199; G‒L: Holotype, ROME159089]

FIGURE 11. Perilampus yemenensis and P. houbaraensis. A‒E, P. yemenensis: A, mesosoma, dorsal view; B, head, dorsal view, male; C, lower face sculpture male; D, scape, male; E, aedeagus, male, DCD Slide #2251, ventral view; F‒K, P. houbaraensis: F, mesosoma, dorsal view; G, head, dorsal view, male; H, lower face sculpture, male; I, scape, male; J, scape, male; K, aedeagus, male, dorsal view [A: Holotype, ROME159199; B‒E: Paratype, ROME159193; F: Holotype, ROME159089; G‒I: Paratype, ROME159087; J and K: Paratype, ROME159086].