Parastethynium Lin and Huber, 2007

Huber, John T., Read, Jennifer D. & Triapitsyn, Serguei V., 2007, Paranaphoidea Girault 1913, Zootaxa 1596, pp. 1-111 : 56-57

Parastethynium Lin and Huber , gen. nov. ( Figs. 280–284 )

Type species: Parastethynium maxwelli (Girault) , by present designation.

Diagnosis. Parastethynium belongs to the Anagrus group of genera. It is distinguished from other genera in the group by the following combination of features: eye conspicuously setose ( Fig. 284 ) and fore wing with apex strongly truncate ( Fig. 280 ).

Description. Female. Head ( Fig. 284 ) with height about 0.85 x width, and length about 0.64 x width. Setae relatively long and conspicuous. Face with subantennal grooves ( Fig. 284 ). Toruli separated from transverse trabecula by 1.5 x their height. Ocelli large, in equilateral triange: LOL = 3.5, POL = 3.5, OOL = 2.0. Eye large, round, with numerous short setae among the ommatidia and its posterior margin dorsally not extending to back of head. Malar space 0.4 x eye height. Antenna ( Fig. 281 ) with radicel fused to scape; pedicel normal, distinctly wider apically than basally; funicle 6-segmented; clava 3-segmented, with oblique sutures. Mandibles with 2 distinct ventral teeth and a broad, serrate dorsal ridge with 4 small teeth ( Fig. 284 ).

Mesosoma ( Fig. 283 ) as wide as high and about 1.4 x as long as wide, with dorsal margin flat except anteriorly where pronotum at lower level than mesoscutum. Pronotum almost vertical, scarcely visible in dorsal view, about 0.2 x length of mesoscutum and longitudinally divided medially, each lobe with 2 anterior setae and 2, more widely separated posterior setae. Spiracle moderate in size, at posterolateral angle of pronotum. Prosternum diamond-shaped, with trace of median longitudinal groove and with two setae in posterior half. Mesoscutum about 2.2 x as wide as long, the midlobe with two setae in posterolateral angle next to notauli and each lateral lobe with seta sublaterally. Notauli distinct and percurrent. Scutellum about 1.6 x as long as mesoscutum; anterior scutellum about 0.6 x as long as posterior scutellum, with placoid sensilla close together and in anterior half of anterior scutellum (in specimens from Indonesia, abutting each other and anterior margin of scutellum) and a long seta laterally at junction with axilla beside each placoid sensillum; posterior scutellum apparently undivided or only partly divided by a longitudinal suture in posterior half. Mesophragma widely truncate apically and extending posteriorly into base of gaster. Dorsellum extremely short, less than 0.1 x as long as posterior scutellum, with a short submedial seta sublaterally. Propodeum in same plane as scutellum and less than 0.2 x its length; spiracle small, propodeal seta near posterolateral angle of propodeum.

Fore wing ( Fig. 280 ) about 2.5 x as long as wide and truncate apically; blade with discal microtrichia dense beyond venation and numerous behind venation; longest setae of marginal fringe about 0.05 x maximum wing width; venation slightly longer than 0.33 x wing length, with marginal vein (measured as distance between macrochaetae) about 0.4 x length of submarginal vein, and stigmal vein about 0.65 x length of marginal vein; hypochaeta just basal to proximal hypochaeta. Hind wing ( Fig. 280 ) 7.5 x as long as wide, slightly wider apically than basally and with its apex rounded; blade with microtrichia numerous in apical half, more scattered posteriorly and with a distinct row anteriorly in basal half beyond venation; setae of marginal less than maximum wing width.

Legs with tarsi 4-segmented and each basitarsus about one-fifth as long as entire tarsus; fore leg ( Fig. 282 ) without evident peglike sensilla on outer surface of tibia and tibial spur bifurcate, without setae on inner surface ( Fig. 282 ). Middle leg with tibial spur slightly longer than basitarsus and hind leg with tibial spur slightly shorter than basitarsus.

Metasoma about 1.4 x as long as mesosoma, with very short, inconspicuous petiole, and gastral tergum 5 slightly the longest tergum. Gastral spiracle absent. Ovipositor as long as gaster and slightly exserted beyond gastral apex ( Fig. 283 ).

Male. Unknown.

Body length. 565–922 µm.

Distribution. Australia, Indonesia.

Hosts. Unknown.

Derivation of genus name. From para-, Greek prefix meaning beside or near, + Stethynium , the genus in which the type species was originally described and refering to the similarity to Stethynium . Gender: neuter.

Figures

FIGURES 280–284. Parastethynium maxwelli. Female (Qld, Heathlands, 11.45°S 142.35°E, 25.iv–7.vi.1992, T. McLeod) 280, fore- and hind wings; 281, antenna; 282, fore leg; 283, meso- and metasoma lateral; 284, head anterior.