Gonatocerus (Gastrogonatocerus) juvator Perkins, 1912

Triapitsyn, Serguei V., Huber, John T., Logarzo, Guillermo A., Berezovskiy, Vladimir V. & Aquino, Daniel A., 2010, Review of Gonatocerus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) in the Neotropical region, with description of eleven new species, Zootaxa 2456, pp. 1-243 : 60-63

Gonatocerus (Gastrogonatocerus) juvator Perkins, 1912

( Figs 100–105 )

Gonatocerus juvator Perkins 1912: 23 –24. Type locality: Cuantla, Morelos, Mexico. Gonatocerus (Gonatocerus) juvator Perkins : De Santis 1979: 365 (catalog).

Gonatocerus juvator Perkins : Huber 1988: 33 (assigned to the membraciphagus species group); Huber & Beardsley 2000: 53 (diagnostic features).

Type material examined. Lectotype female [ BPBM], here designated to avoid confusion about the status of the type specimens of this species, on slide labeled: 1. “2549 [A. Koebele’s number] Fulgorid eggs Sugar cane Cuantla. Morelos Mex . Dec. 10. 0 7 5699 [probably a catalog number al] a. Koebele’; 2. “ Gonatocerus juvator . Type. 239 [faint, ip]’. The lectotype (the uppermost female, circled in black ink) is complete ( Fig. 100 ); although uncleared it is in relatively good condition, mounted more or less dorsoventrally, with the gaster turned in the lateral position. Paralectotypes: 2 females on the same slide and under the same coverslip with the holotype, one missing one and the other both antennae.

Although Perkins (1912) did not mention the number of specimens in the type series of his G. juvator , there should be at least one more male paralectotype that we have not seen because he described the male of this species. However, there is no more material of this species in BPBM (Keith Arakaki, personal communication).

Material examined. MEXICO. CHIAPAS, Palenque, 23.vii.1984, G. Gordh [1 ♀, UCRC] .

Redescription. FEMALE (lectotype, paralectotypes, and non-type specimen from Chiapas). Body length 930–1107 µm. Head mostly brown; mesosoma dark brown, base and tip of gaster yellowish, remainder of gaster dark brown; scape and pedicel light brown, flagellum brown; legs mostly yellowish to light brown except parts of procoxa and metacoxa, and meso- and metatibiae brown.

Antenna ( Fig. 102 ) with radicle about 0.3x total length of scape, remainder of scape 2.7–3.2x as long as wide; pedicel much longer than F1; F1–F4 short, subequal; F5–F8 subequal, much longer than preceding funicle segments; mps on F5 (1 or 2), F6 (2), F7 (2) and F8 (2); clava 3.5–3.6x as long as wide, about as long as combined length of F6–F8, with 8 mps.

Mesosoma ( Figs 100 , 103 ). Propodeum ( Fig. 104 ) with 2 faint submedian lines; propodeal spiracle huge. Forewing ( Figs 101 , 105 ) 3.1–3.2x as long as wide; disc slightly infumate, bare behind and just beyond venation except for 2–4 setae behind marginal and stigmal veins, a little more than its distal half setose; longest marginal seta about 0.3x maximum wing width. Hind wing ( Figs 101 , 105 ) 16–19x as long as wide; disc with a row of setae along each margin and with a few scattered setae, slightly infumate at apex; longest marginal seta 2.2–2.5x maximum wing width.

Petiole strap-like, 2.5–3.5x as wide as long; gaster longer than mesosoma; ovipositor 1.9–2.2x length of mesotibia, projecting by up to 0.1x own length forward under petiole and also sometimes under the posterior half of propodeum, and either barely exserted or projecting at most by 0.08x own length beyond apex of gaster.

Measurements (µm) of the lectotype. Mesosoma 412; petiole: 27; gaster 500; ovipositor 545. Antenna: radicle 57; rest of scape 136; pedicel 58; F1 24; F2 24; F3 27; F4 27; F5 61; F6 67; F7 67; F8 64; clava 191.

Forewing 953:306; longest marginal seta 94. Hind wing 800:42; longest marginal seta 106. MALE: See Perkins (1912).

Diagnosis. Gonatocerus (Gastrogonatocerus) juvator is characterized by the following unique combination: female antenna ( Fig. 102 ) with F1–F4 very short, without mps, and F5–F8 subequal, much longer than preceding funicle segments, each with mps; propodeal spiracle huge ( Fig. 104 ); forewing ( Figs 101 , 105 ) mostly bare behind and just beyond venation; and ovipositor barely projecting forward under the petiole and also sometimes under the posterior half of the propodeum, and at most projecting only a little beyond apex of the gaster ( Figs 100 , 103 ).

Distribution. NEOTROPICAL*: Mexico (Chiapas). NEARCTIC: Mexico (Morelos). Hosts. “Fulgorid eggs” on sugarcane ( Perkins 1912).

Figures

FIGURES 100, 101. Gonatocerus (Gastrogonatocerus) juvator ♀ (lectotype): 100, habitus; 101, wings.

FIGURES 102 – 105. Gonatocerus (Gastrogonatocerus) juvator ♀ (Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico): 102, antenna; 103, mesosoma and metasoma; 104, dorsellum and propodeum; 105, wings.