Sycophila (Tineomyza) luteacola Lotfalizadeh, 2024

Lotfalizadeh, Hossein, Delvare, Gérard, Cruaud, Astrid & Rasplus, Jean-Yves, 2024, Morphological phylogeny and revision of Sycophila and Ficomila (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Eurytomidae) associated with Afrotropical fig trees (Moraceae, Ficus), Zootaxa 5401 (1), pp. 1-190 : 181-185

Sycophila (Tineomyza) luteacola Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

( Figs 133–135 )

Type material examined. Holotype ♀: United Republic of Tanzania, Mialo, Mt Usambara West , 20-21.ii.1995, ex syconia of F. natalensis , Rasplus J.-Y. & Kerdelhué C. leg. Deposited in CBGP . Paratypes: same data as holotype , 8♀ & 5♂. Kenya, Kakamega Forest, Kisere , 3.ii.2006, ex syconia of Ficus thonningii, Hiller Y. leg ., 3♀. Madagascar, Ambohimanga , 4.v.1996, ex syconia of Ficus lutea , Rasplus J.-Y. & Kerdelhué C. leg. , 1♀ & 1♂.

Etymology. From the specific name of its host fig tree ( F. lutea ) and -cola meaning inhabitant.

Diagnosis. Female with all funiculars distinctly longer than wide, at least 2× as long as wide, fu1 as long as or slightly longer than pedicel ( Fig. 133B ). Malar sulcus present and slightly sinuous ( Fig. 133E ). Propodeum with a truncate mesally basal carina, relatively smooth medially ( Fig. 134B ). Fore wing with a large dark brown spot below mv, slightly extending into posterior half of wing ( Fig. 134E ). Petiole short, distinctly shorter than hind coxa ( Fig. 134C ).

In male body mostly dark brown and partly yellowish ( Fig. 135A ). All funiculars long, longer than wide ( Fig. 135C ). Costal cell sparsely setose ( Fig. 135D ). Dark brown spot of fore wing longer than wide ( Fig. 135D ).

Description of holotype ♀ ( Figs 133–134 ). Length 3.14 mm. Body generally dark brown ( Fig. 133A ), except head in frontal view, scape, pronotum anterolaterally, fore and mid legs and all tarsomeres, Gt4 partly and Gt5–Gt6 completely yellowish; antennal colour mostly darkened; fore wing with a dark brown spot below mv; lower margin of mv obscured by dark brown spot, reaching base of mv ( Fig. 134E ); gaster bicoloured ( Fig. 134C ); body setation whitish, setation of fore wing entirely dark.

Head 1.26× as broad as high [HW 184 & HH 146] ( Fig. 133C ); in dorsal view stout, 1.84× as broad as long [HW 210 & HL 114] ( Fig. 133D ); face and vertex mostly coriaceous; malar space 0.52× length of eye [ms 44 & EH 85]; malar sulcus distinct, sinuous ( Fig. 133E ); genal margin regularly curved, edged but not carinate; antennal toruli widely separated; interantennal space not raised, carinate laterally; scrobal depression smooth, reaching the median ocellus, not carinate on margin; POL 2.38× as long as OOL [POL 50 & OOL 21] ( Fig. 133E ); temple rounded, 0.28× the eye length (in dorsal view) [TL 25 & EL 90]; setation oriented downwards on face, outwards on the punctuate frons.

Antenna. Scape reaching lower margin of median ocellus, 4.72× as long as broad [SL 85 & SW 18]; fu1 2.26× as long as broad [fu1L 34 & fu1W 15], not longer than pedicel, not bulging dorsally; funiculars (fu2–fu4) with two rows of mps and 2–3 whorls of adpressed setae; fu2–fu4 distinctly longer than broad; fu5 distinctly longer than broad ( Fig. 133B ).

Mesosoma weakly arched dorsally, 1.6× as long as wide (175:110), with obliterate punctures ( Fig. 134A ); pronotum with coarse umbilicate punctures; mesepisternum without any process or raised sculpture on epicnemium; mesoscutum sparsely umbilicate, coriaceous anteriorly; notauli conspicuous, slightly obliterated by mesoscutum sculpture; prepectus bare, slightly sculptured; mesoscutum 0.6× as long as wide (65:110), 0.7× longer than length of pronotal collar (65:95), with sparse umbilicate punctures laterally and coriaceous sculpture on mesoscutellar disc; mesepimeron transversally strigose; metepimeron subtriangular and areolate with long white hairs; propodeum ( Fig. 134A ) with shallow median depression, with a smooth median band, and a distinct median carina; lateral rows of areolae absent; basal carina inverted V, truncate mesally; lateral branches of basal carina slightly convex; distance between lateral carinae less than 0.5× width of nucha.

Fore wing with long marginal fringe, apically subtruncate (pointed anteriorly); dark brown spot below mv; basal cell more setose; mv slightly enlarged, normally broadened, in lower margin straight, longer than pmv; stv not curved; pmv distinct, longer than stv; ventral side of costal cell sparsely setose, dorsally bare; speculum present; parastigmal bristles absent ( Figs 134E, F ).

Legs. Fore coxa without depression on frontal surface, hind coxa bare basodorsally; fore (30:12) and hind femora (30:13); hind tibia dorsally with 7–8 setae, setae shorter than tibia width.

Metasoma. Petiole shorter than broad dorsally, ventral transverse carina between petiole and St1 present. Metasoma 1.5× as long as wide (160:105) ( Fig. 134C ), longer than mesosoma, strongly compressed laterally and dorsally angulate ( Fig. 134D ); ventral transverse carina between petiole and St1 present; petiole in dorsal view not longer than wide, shorter than half length of hind coxa; tergites finely sculptured; Gt4 (in lateral view) slightly as long as Gt3, sinuous posteriorly; Gt5 partly covering Gt6, sinuous posteriorly; Gt4– Gt5 with one row of few setae dorsally, Gt6 sparsely setose ventrally; ovipositor oriented dorsad but not distinctly upturned ( Fig. 134C ).

Male ( Fig. 135 ). Length 2.06–6.00 mm. Similar to female with longer petiole ( Fig. 135A ); exhibiting same colouration, antennal formula 11143, each funicular with one row of mps and 2 whorls of relatively long adpressed setae ( Fig. 135C ); fore wing basal cell entirely setose ( Fig. 135D ).

Variation. Length 2.00– 3.20 mm

Host plants. Ficus lutea , F. natalensis and F. thonningii .

Geographical distribution. Kenya, Madagascar and United Republic of Tanzania.

Figures

FIGURE 133. S. (Tineomyza) luteacola sp. n. (♀). A, female in lateral view. B, antenna. C, head in frontal view. D, head in dorsal view. E, head in lateral view. F, mesosoma in lateral view.

FIGURE 134. S. (Tineomyza) luteacola sp. n. (♀). A, propodeum. B, mesosoma in dorsal view. C, metasoma in lateral view. D, metasoma in dorsal view. E, fore wing. F, fore wing venation.

FIGURE 135. S. (Tineomyza) luteacola sp. n. (♂). A, male in lateral view. B, propodeum. C, antenna. D, fore wing.