Orasema cirrhocnemis, Baker & Heraty, 2020

Baker, Austin J. & Heraty, John M., 2020, The New World ant parasitoid genus Orasema (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae), Zootaxa 4888 (1), pp. 1-84 : 73-75

Orasema cirrhocnemis n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AC384C31-DD97-43D6-9181-FF161AF12735

( Fig. 40 )

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other Orasema by the following combination of characters: antenna with 8 funiculars ( Fig. 40D ), labrum with 4–6 digits ( Fig. 40B ), legs beyond coxae entirely tawny-orange colored except for a small dark patch on the posterior surface of the fore and mid femora, mid and hind tibiae broadened apically (nearly as broad as femora) ( Fig. 40E ), mesoscutal midlobe and mesoscutellum rugose-reticulate ( Fig. 40F ), and malar depression strongly impressed between eye and mouth.

Description. Female. Length 3.7 mm ( Fig. 40A ). Color. Head and mesosoma iridescent blue-green. Scape, pedicel, and anellus brown; flagellum dark brown. Mandible dark brown; maxilla and labium brown. Coxae iridescent blue-green-purple; fore and mid femur mostly orange with iridescent brown patches laterally; hind femur and tibiae orange. Fore wing hyaline; venation pale brown to clear. Petiole same as mesosoma; gaster dark brown with iridescence. Head ( Fig. 40B ). Head in frontal view subtriangular; HW:HH = 1.1–1.2; face reticulate; scrobal depression shallow, laterally rounded, with transverse striae; longitudinal groove between eye and torulus absent; eyes sparsely setose, IOD:EH = 1.6–1.8; MS:EH = 0.8–0.9; malar depression impressed between mouth and eye margin; supraclypeal area about as long as broad, shorter than clypeus, weakly reticulate to smooth; clypeus smooth; epistomal sulcus vaguely defined; anterior tentorial pit strongly impressed; anteclypeus distinct, straight. Labrum with 4–6 digits. Mandibular formula not observed; palpal formula 3:3. Occiput imbricate, shallowly emarginate in dorsal view, dorsal margin evenly rounded; temples present, rounded. Scape not reaching median ocellus. Pedicel small and globose. Flagellum with 8 funiculars; FL:HH = 1.0–1.2; anellus disc-shaped; F2L:F2W = 1.3–1.7, F2L: F3L = 0.8–0.9; following funiculars subequal in width, successively shorter; clava subovate ( Fig. 40D ). Mesosoma ( Fig. 40C, F ). ML:MH = 1.1–1.2. Mesoscutal midlobe costate anteriorly, rugose-reticulate posteriorly, sparsely setose; lateral lobe reticulate dorsally, rugose laterally; notauli deep. Axilla reticulate, dorsally flat, on same plane as mesoscutellum; scutoscutellar sulcus broad, irregularly foveate, narrowly separated from transscutal articulation; mesoscutellar disc as long as broad, rugose-reticulate; frenal line foveate; frenum areolate; axillular sulcus indicated by a weak longitudinal carina; axillula areolate-reticulate. Propodeal disc flat, areolate-reticulate, without medial depression or carina ( Fig. 40G ); callus areolate-reticulate, with a few small setae. Propleuron convex, reticulate. Prepectus triangular dorsally, strongly narrowed ventrally, rugose-reticulate. Mesepisternum rugose-reticulate, strigate-areolate posteriorly, broadly rounded anterior to mid coxa; postpectal carina weak. Upper and lower mesepimeron rugose-reticulate; transepimeral sulcus distinct. Metepisternum laterally weakly reticulate. HCL:HCW = 1.2–1.8, reticulate dorsally, smooth ventrally; HFL:HFW = 4.7–5.0, evenly covered with short, dense setae. FWL: FWW = 2.6, FWL:ML = 1.8–2.2; entirely setose; marginal fringe relatively long; submarginal vein and marginal vein with minute setae; stigmal vein about as long as broad, slightly angled toward wing apex; postmarginal vein as long as stigmal vein. Hind wing costal cell sparsely setose. Metasoma. Petiole cylindrical, linear in profile, PTL: PTW = 1.2–1.3, PTL:HCL = 0.9–1.2, areolate-reticulate, lateral margin with longitudinal carina continuous with

basal flange, ventral sulcus present, margins narrowly spaced. Antecostal sulcus foveate; acrosternite posteriorly angulate; apical setae of hypopygium with several pairs of setae on either side of the midline. Ovipositor not visible.

Male. Unknown.

Hosts. Unknown.

Plant associates. Unknown.

Distribution ( Fig. 38 ). Uruguay: CO. Collected in February (2 specimens).

Material examined. Holotype. URUGUAY. Colonia: R. 2, km. 194, Arroyo S. Pedro, 32 ° 52’51”S, 57 ° 58’20”W, 8.ii.1989, C.W. & L. O’Brien & G. Wibmer [♀, deposited in CASC: UCRCENT00417413] . Paratype. URUGUAY. Colonia: R. 2, km. 194, Arroyo S. Pedro, 32 ° 52’51”S, 57 ° 58’20”W, 8.ii.1989, C.W. & L. O’Brien & G. Wibmer [1♀, CASC: UCRCENT00417412] .

Etymology. From Greek cirrho meaning “tawny” and cnemis meaning “leg” in reference to the tawny-orange color of the legs.

Discussion. This species was preliminarily placed in several different groups. The large body size, 8 funiculars, and sculpture on the body may suggest that it is close to the tolteca group, however, the face is not as broad, the femora are not darkly colored, and the fore wing costal cell lacks the bare anterior area.

Figures

FIGURE 38. Distribution map of unplaced Orasema species.

FIGURE 40. Orasema cirrhocnemis. Holotype female (UCRCENT00417413): A, habitus, lateral (inset: stigmal vein, wing apex to the right); B, head, anterior; C, mesosoma, lateral; D, antenna; E, metatibia and tarsus; F, mesosoma, dorsal; G, propodeum, posterior.