Eupelmus (Macroneura) barai, Fusu, 2017

Fusu, Lucian, 2017, An integrative taxonomic study of European Eupelmus (Macroneura) (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eupelmidae), with a molecular and cytogenetic analysis of Eupelmus (Macroneura) vesicularis: several species hiding under one name for 240 years, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 181 (3), pp. 519-603 : 562-566

EUPELMUS (MACRONEURA) BARAI SP. NOV.

FIGS 41, 61, 70, 71, 79, 82, 90, 96, 99, 111–115 (♀), 21, 29, 42, 54, 106, 107, 122 (♂)

Eupelmus sp. 1 – Fusu, 2008 b: 11. – Gokhman, 2009: 72, 91.

Eupelmus vesicularis dark form – Fusu, 2010: 1114.

Etymology: The species is named in honour of the late Romanian cytogeneticist, Professor Ion I. Băra.

Description: Female. Length = 1.0– 3.7 mm. Body almost uniformly dark brown, with faint metallic luster ( Fig. 41). Head brownish-black and mesosoma dark brown with variable faint metallic luster as described in detail for E. balcanicus but smaller specimens with mesosoma paler than head, with axillae and acropleuron light brown and mid- and hind tibiae mostly yellowish with darker areas yellowish-brown. Mesoscutal plate evenly and comparatively densely setose except narrowly asetose posteriorly, dark bronze-green and concave part with a large triangular violet spot with variably wide blue to greenish-blue outer borders and rarely posteriorly with variably extensively bronze to golden luster ( Fig. 61). Metasoma and ovipositor sheaths coloured as described for E. balcanicus but setae on metasoma very dense and when seen under oblique angle at low magnification forming a reflective silvery-white surface, on Gt2–Gt4 distance between sockets of two adjacent setae much shorter than seta length ( Figs 70, 71, 96, 99) and Gt1 dorsally extensively setose, with two to four rows of overlapping setae ( Fig. 96).

Head in lateral view hemispherical, in dorsal view 1.9–2.2× as broad as long, in frontal view 1.0–1.1× as broad as high. Frontovertex coriaceous-imbricate to reticulate. Pedicel plus flagellum 1.2–1.4× head width. Pronotal ridge with erect setae shorter than pronotal collar. Mesoscutal plate with flat, V-shaped anterior region differentiated by minute reticulate sculpture and posteromedial region finely coriaceous mesally and shallowly concave. Scutellum and axillae weakly convex ( Fig. 61). Acropleuron imbricate to slightly reticulate, with microsculptured region medially ( Fig. 90). Fore wing base extended to near petiole; basal cell densely setose dorsally; apical part normally abruptly bent upward, comparatively long, 1.7–2.45× as long as basal part, with marginal and postmarginal veins extended along straight leading margin and sometimes with a trace of a stigmal vein in the form of a small triangular dilatation, posterior and leading margins obliquely angled to rounded apex ( Figs 111–113). Due to allometry ( Fig. 17), in rare very small specimens (only four specimens of 1 mm in length seen) the wing apical part is only 1.3–1.6× longer than the basal part ( Figs 114, 115). Hind wing concealed beneath fore wing and apically reflexed. Middle leg with row of three to nine mesotibial apical pegs; mesotarsus with asymmetrical peg pattern on basitarsus, anterior margin with 6–14 pegs differentiated into two medially overlapping rows and posterior margin with three to six (usually four) pegs within basal half and with one or very rarely two pegs apically ( Fig. 79), but in very few specimens apical peg missing ( Fig. 82), second tarsomere with one to four pegs on anterior margin and one peg on posterior margin (single specimen seen with six pegs that occupy the entire length of the anterior margin and two pegs on posterior margin), and third and fourth tarsomeres with one apical peg on either side. The size correlated reduction of peg number is mostly on anterior margin of the tarsus and even is very small specimens posterior margin of basitarsus with at list four pegs within basal half, with single specimens seen with three pegs. Metasoma ovoidal and comparatively broad, 1.6–2.2× as long as wide, Gt5 coarsely alutaceous-granular. Syntergum and anal plate forming truncate to somewhat obliquely inclined surface above ovipositor sheaths and gaster extending to about apex of second valvifer. Ovipositor sheaths 0.5– 0.6× as long as metatibia, 0.3–0.4× as long as metasoma, and 1.0–1.3× as long as head.

Male. Length = 1.2–1.8 mm. Body metallic, dark greenish ( Fig. 42). Head dark, frontovertex and scrobal depression dull, dark violet, with faint bronze and coppery reflections under some angles of light and lower face, gena, and temples dark greenish with mostly bronze luster. Lower gena with one long seta. Maxillary palpus brown. Antenna with scape dark brown with faint dark green luster except narrowly yellow to light brown basally and on outer surface ventrally along longitudinal sensory region ( Fig. 106), pedicel and flagellum brown; pedicel with line of four hooked setae ventrally; fl2–fl8 with dense, semierect, slightly curved pale setae, with only apices of setae parallel with segment surface; fl2– fl3 and sometimes fl4 with a group of two to four short, stout, black setae ventrally. Mesosoma with stronger metallic luster than head, mesoscutum dark bluish-green with some coppery and bronze reflection ( Fig. 54), but rarely coloured as scutellum; scutellar-axillar complex almost always differently coloured than mesoscutum, dark with coppery and bronze reflections, propodeum with comparatively strong green to bluish-green luster. Tegula brown. Fore wing variably conspicuously infuscate beyond parastigma, in large specimens with a diffuse oval infuscate area behind marginal and stigmal veins; WIP with a yellow to orange and reddish band in apical third ( Fig. 21). Setae of costal and basal cells, disc and venation all similarly brown to dark brown; costal cell dorsally with single line of 6–14 setae near leading margin over about apical half or less, but clearly over more than parastigma length, and ventrally with one or two rows of setae along length except more setose distally in front of parastigma; basal cell similarly setose as disc, cubital fold setose along length ( Fig. 29). Front leg with coxa dark, femur dark except narrowly yellow to yellowish-white apically and tibia mostly yellow to brownish-yellow except dark ventrally and sometimes anterior and posterior surfaces subbasally, tarsus yellowish-brown, gradually darker toward apex. Middle leg with coxa and femur dark and tibia mostly yellow to yellowish-white with about apical one-third to one-fourth comparatively abruptly dark brown, tarsus with basitarsus whitish and following tarsomeres gradually darker, but second and third frequently similarly light as or only slightly darker than basitarsus. Hind leg similar to middle leg except tibia dark in about apical half. Metasoma dark brown with bluish-green to coppery luster on Gt1.

Antenna ( Figs 106, 107) comparatively long, flagellum cylindrical, clava elongate with narrow ventral micropilose sensory region, pedicel plus flagellum 1.6–1.75× head width. Fl1 inconspicuous, strongly discoidal. Basal funiculars subcylindrical, fl2 1.6–2.0, fl3 1.7–2.4, and fl8 1.8× as long as wide. Funiculars with MPS in single distal row ( Fig. 122). Mesosoma 1.7–2.0× as long as broad. Fore wing 2.3–2.5× as long as broad. Propodeum coriaceous with percurrent median carina.

Comparative diagnosis: Females of E. barai are easily recognizable by the following combination of characters: body almost uniformly dark brown with faint metallic luster except concave part of mesoscutum with a large triangular violet spot, densely pubescent gaster, and long fore wing rudiment. They are most similar to E. balcanicus females, but in the latter species the gaster is much less pubescent with Gt1 dorsally asetose or with only three to nine setae in single row (cf. Figs 69 with 70 and see also the comparative diagnosis under E. balcanicus ). The smallest specimens (about 1 mm in length) have a pale thorax with reduced metallic luster and shorter fore wing rudiments and thus could be confused with E. messene . Discrimination of these two species is sometimes made more difficult because they share the same habitats. However, the faint metallic luster on the mesoscutum of small E. barai females is bluish or violet and not greenish as in E. messene . In E. barai, Gt 1 is translucent in its distal half where it appears yellowish-white to a variable extent, but basally it is dark with strong variable metallic luster, whereas in E. messene Gt 1 is completely translucent, appearing uniformly yellowish-white, with an indiscernible metallic hue (cf. Figs 70 with 72). Although the apical part of the fore wing rudiment is short in very small E. barai females, with the ratio well below that of 1.71–2.5 indicated in the key (it is only about 1.3–1.6), and almost perfectly overlaps the range indicated for E. messene and E. vesicularis , similar very small E. messene (and certainly also E. vesicularis ) females have the fore wing rudiment with the apical part only about 1.1 times longer than basal part and more pointed apically (cf. Figs 115 with 121). The posterior margin of the basitarsus has about four pegs basally and one or very rarely two pegs apically, although in a very few females the apical peg is missing, which is not correlated with body size or geographical distribution. The presence of at least one apical peg can often help to separate E. barai females from dark E. messene females because in many specimens of E. messene apical pegs are missing (see comparative diagnosis under the latter). Females of E. barai also have a somewhat less transverse head in frontal view (1.0–1.1× as broad as high compared to 1.1–1.2× in the other three species).

Because of their generally dark body, E. barai females are also similar to those of E. vesicularis , the two species being sympatric over part of their distribution, mostly in the Carpathian Basin ( Fig. 124). For the best characters to separate both sexes of the two species, see under comparative diagnosis for E. vesicularis .

At present, the males of E. barai cannot be separated from those of the rare E. balcanicus (see under Male for this latter species). However, the apparently parapatric distribution of the two species ( Fig. 124) can help ascertain the identity of males over most of their distribution. The males of both E. barai and E. balcanicus are also very difficult to distinguish from those of E. (Eupelmus) atropurpureus Dalman (cf. Fig. 42 with Fig. 12a in Gibson & Fusu, 2016). Males of this latter species have the same habitus, body colour, and structural characteristics as described for E. barai , except the scape is uniformly dark, the fore wing is perfectly clear without any infuscation, and the tibiae are usually less infuscate apically, with the infuscation reduced sometimes to subapical spots; sometimes also the head and mesosoma are more distinctly green.

Biology: Polyphagous species; I have seen specimens reared from four insect orders. Coleoptera : Curculionidae : Scolytus rugulosus (Müller) . Diptera : Cecidomyiidae : Asphondylia dorycnii (Müller) , Bayeriola erysimi (Rubsaamen) , Lasioptera eryngii (Vallot) , L. rubi (Schrank) , Rhopalomyia tubifex (Bouché) ; Tephritidae : Urophora quadrifasciata (Meigen) . Hymenoptera : Cynipidae : Andricus quercuscalicis (Burgsdorff) , A. quercusradicis (Fabricius) , Aulacidea follioti Barbotin , A. hieracii (Bouché) , A. scorzonerae (Giraud) , A. tragopogonis (Thomson) , Aylax minor Hartig , Barbotinia oraniensis (Barbotin) , Callirhytis glandium (Giraud) , Cynips divisa Hartig , C. quercusfolii Linnaeus , Diastrophus mayri Reinhard , Diplolepis spinosissimae (Giraud) , Iraella ionescui Pujade-Villar & Schiopu , Isocolus scabiosae (Giraud) , Liposthenes glechomae (Linnaeus) , L. kerneri (Wachtl) , Panteliella bicolor (Ionescu & Roman) , Phanacis centaureae Förster , Phanacis sp. , Neuroterus albipes (Schenck) , Timaspis phoenixopodos Mayr , T. rufipes Ionescu & Roman , Trigonaspis brunneicornis Kieffer , T. mendesi Tavares , Xestophanes potentillae (Retzius) , X. szepligetti Balas ; Diprionidae : Neodiprion sertifer (Geoffroy) ; Eurytomidae : Bruchophagus roddi Gussakovskiy , Tetramesa brevicornis (Walker) , T. cylindrica (Schlechtendal) , Tetramesa sp. Lepidoptera : Coleophoridae : Coleophora silenella Herrich-Schäffer ; Millieridae : Millieria dolosalis (Heydenreich) ; Tortricidae : Rhyacionia buoliana ([Denis & Schiffermüller]); Yponomeutidae : Yponomeuta cagnagella (Hübner) , Y. malinellus Zeller.

Distribution: A common European species distributed from Spain to at least Rostov Oblast in Russia, but absent from Northern Europe. Although the distribution data are certainly biased due to large collections in NHMV for Eastern Austria, HNHM for Hungary, AICF for East Romania, and IPPM for Moldova, the species seems especially frequent in the Pannonian region and in the Eurasian Steppe that starts in Eastern Romania and stretches through Moldova and Ukraine to Siberia ( Fig. 124). It frequently shares the same habitat with E. messene .

Type material examined: Holotype ♀: ROMANIA, Iaşi county, Botanical Garden of Iaşi, 26.vi.2008, Leg. Fusu L. & Popovici O.; Holotypus ♀, Eupelmus (Macroneura) barai sp. n. Det. Fusu L. 2014 (AICF). Paratypes: AUSTRIA: Dornbach: 1♀, 15 May [18]82, ex Aulax Rogenhoferi Wachtl (Wachtl) (NHMV). Vienna: 2♀, 14 August 1964, ex Rhamnus saxatilis (C.I.E.) (BMNH). BULGARIA: Kavarna: 3♀, 20–24 July 2010 (Fusu) (1♀, DNA: B.BG 01f); 1♂, 24 July 2010, ex galls on Artemisia (Fusu) . Banya, nr Panagyurishte: 1♂, 13–18 July 2010 (Achterberg) (DNA: B.BG 02m). Madezhko, 40 km SSW’ Burgas, Hasekiata mts.: 1♀, 7 June 2002 (Tschirnhaus X-1482) (DNA: B.BG 03) (AICF). CROATIA: Istria: 2♀, Poreč, 27 April 1975, swept from clover and Lotus corniculatus meadow; 1♀, Kostanjica, 29 April 1975, swept from Juncus on edge of Phragmites marsh; 1♂, Rupa, 28 April 1975; 1♂, Rabac, 21–26 April 1975 (BMNH, all leg. J. S. & M. E. Noyes). Buzet: 2♀, 22 August 2007 (Mitroiu) (DNA: B.CR 01f & B.CR 02) (AICF). CZECH REPUBLIC: Praha, Hlubočepy: 2♀, 1♂ [on one pin], 1926, Boh., Isos [oma] cylindr + aciculatum (Nowicki); 1♀, Isos [oma] cylin (NHMV). Moravia: 1♀, Palava, Děvín-Kotel-Soutěska, Breclav distr., nr Perno, 1 July 2010 (Baur, Delvare & JanŠta); 1♂, Uraly u Valtic PP Kameniky, 1 August 2009 (Banar & Malanovsky) (CNC). FRANCE: Lot & Garonne, Bernac: 1♀, 2 August 1987. Dordogne: Monestier, 2♀, 1♂, 1979, ex galls Aylax minor , Papaver ; 2♀, Ste. Foy, August 1979; 2♀, Ste Alvère, 17 September 2001 (all Askew) (AICF, gift from RRAC). HUNGARY: Veszprém, Mindszentkálla: 32♀, 1♂, 26–27 [June] 2010; 6♀, 27 June 2010 (Baur, Delvare, Gibson & JanŠta) (including 1♀ DNA barcode voucher nr CNCHYM 015310). Veszprém: 29♀, 4♂, Hegyesd, 27–28 June 2010 (Baur, Delvare, Gibson & JanŠta) (CNC); 6♀, Nyirád, 27 June 2010 (Popovici) (DNA: B.HU 01 & B.HU 02) (AICF). ITALY: Genova, Varazze: 1♀, 4 September 1971 (Bouček) (BMNH). ROMANIA: Iaşi, Botanical Garden: 1♀, 13 June 2005 (Popovici); 4♀, 28 July 2005 (Fusu); 2♀, July 2008 (Fusu & Popovici) (DNA: B.RO 01f, B.RO 02f); 2♂, 20 August 2008 (DNA: B.RO 01m); 2♀, 26 June 2008; 11♀, 20 August 2008; 1♂, 2 September 2008 (Fusu & Popovici); 9♀, 1♂, 25 May 2010; 3♂, 27 August 2010; 2♀, ex galls of Andricus quercuscalicis on Quercus , February 2009 (Fusu) (AICF); 11♀, 3♂, 30 June 2011 (Noyes). Iaşi, Valea lui David Nat. Rez: 1♀, 8 May 2005 (Fusu) (CNC); 3♀, 5 August 1999; 6♀, 5♂ 16 July 2000, from galls of Panteliella bicolor on Phlomis tuberosa ; 3♀, 14 August 2001 (all Mitroiu); 1♀ *, 3 June 2005 (Fusu); 1♀, 1♂, 25 June 2005 (Popovici); 3♀, 15 July 2005; 1♀, 20 May 2006; 1♀, October 2007, ex? Isocolus scabiosae on Centaurea sp. (all Fusu). Iaşi, Breazu village, Mârzeşti: 5♀, 20 July 2003 (Mitroiu) (AICF); 11♀ 1♂, 7 August 2010 (Fusu & Popovici) (AICF, 1♀ GDCO); 13♀, 4♂, 5 July 2011 (Noyes). Iaşi, Ciric lake: 1♀, 4 September 2007 (Popovici); 9♀, 30 July 2010 (Popovici) (AICF, 3♀ GDCO). Iaşi, Bârnova forest: 1♀, 1 September 2005 (Popovici); 6♀, 23 July 2006 (Fusu & Popovici); 3♀, 21 June 2007 (Fusu & Popovici); 3♀, 1♂, 18 July 2007 (Popovici); 1♂, 18 August 2007; 2♀, 8 July 2008; 1♀, 11 July 2009 (all Fusu & Popovici); 2♀, 1 August 2010 (Popovici); 2♀, 5 September 2010 (O. & M. Popovici); 3♀, 17 July 2010 (O. & M. Popovici); 1♀, 4 July 2011 (Noyes). Iaşi, Leţcani: 3♀ *, 14 May 2006 (Fusu). Botoşani, Leorda: 1♂, 27 December 2003, Lasioptera eryngii on E. campestre (Popovici) . Botoşani, Stânca-Costeşti dam: 1♀, 11 September 2006 (Popovici). Iaşi, Osoi: 1♀, 29 August 2005 (Popovici). Iaşi, Vocoteşti, Bârca Lake: 1♀, 2♂, 14 April 2016, Lasioptera rubi on Rubus (Viciriuc & Pintilioaie) . Botoşani, Brăeşti: 3♀, 10 September 2011 (Popovici). Galaţi: Breana Roşcani Nat. Res., 1♀, 21 June 2005 (Fusu); 3♀, Gârboavele Forest, 15 July 2012 (Fusu & Popovici). Neamţ, Podoleni, Dealul Viei (La Moisei): 2♀, 4 August 2007 (Fusu). Galaţi: 1♀, 1♂, 29 April 2012 (Popovici). Vrancea, Valea Sării: 1♀, 19 June 2005 (Fusu). Buzău, Berca, Valea Nucului: 2♂, 19 August 2008; 1♂, 25 August 2008 (Sotec). Tulcea, Babadag: 1♀, 6–7 July 2009 (Fusu & Popovici); 1♀, 25–26 July 2009 (O. & M. Popovici); 7♀, 2♂, 14 July 2012; 3♀, 13–15 July 2012 (Fusu & Popovici). Tulcea, Danube Delta, Letea: 4♀, 25–26 July 2007 (Fusu & Popovici); 1♀, Millieria dolosalis leaf-mine on A. clematitis , 7 July 2003 (Andriescu). Constanţa, Crucea, Allah Bair Hill: 1♀, 11 September 2005 (Fusu). Constanţa, Canaraua Fetei Nat. Rez.: 3♀, 2♂, 16 May 2005 (Fusu & Popovici) (AICF). Constanţa, Gura Dobrogei Nat. Rez.: 3♀, 12 May 2007 (Fusu) (CNC). Constanţa, Agigea Nat. Rez.: 3♀, 30 Juy– 5 August 1964, din mac [from poppy]; 2♀, 9 August 1964 (Andriescu); 1♀, 3 August 1965; 1♀, 21 June 1966; 1♀, 14 May 1968 (Nagy) (ANCO); 5♀, 21 June 2000 (Fusu); 3♀, 23 June 2000 (Fusu); 4♀, 1♂, 23 June 2000 (Mitroiu); 2♀, 25 June 2000 (Mitroiu); 4♀, 28 June 2000; 1♀, 15 August 2005, blue pan traps; 1♀, galls of T. brevicornis on Festuca sp. , August 2005; 6♀, 17 August 2005; 19♀ *, 28–29 May 2006; 2♀, 9 July 2006 (all Fusu); 2♀, 2♂, 15–16 September 2006 (Fusu & Popovici). Constanţa County, Hagieni: 1♀, 5 September 1995, gale Phanacis pe Centaurea (Şchiopu) ; 1♀, 11–12 August 2005 (Popovici). Constanţa, Comana: 2♀, 1♂, 25 June 2012, Barbotina oraniensis on Papaver rhoeas . Şosea Constanţa-Mangalia km 33: 3♀, 13 July 2012, Aulacidea follioti (?) pe Sonchus ; 1♀, 3♂, 2 July 2011, Phanacis sp. pe Crepis foetida ; 1♂, 13 July 2012, Phanacis sp. nov. pe Crepis foetida rhoeadifolia (all Şchiopu) (AICF). Fântâniţa Murfatlar: 1♀, 16 August 2005 (Fusu & Popovici). Mehedinţi, Iron Gates, Dubova vill., Ciucaru Mare: 11♀, 3♂, 14–16 July 2009 (Fusu & Popovici) (AICF, 1♂ GDCO); 1♂, 15–16 July 2009, ex Lasioptera eryngii on E. campestre (DNA: B.RO 02m). Cheile Turzii: 2♀, 1♂, 9 August 2004 (Mitroiu). Caraş- Severin: 1♀, Berzasca, 16 August 2004; 3♀, Potoc, 16 August 2004 (Mitroiu) (AICF). 6♀, 6♂: Cluj, Suatu, 7 July 2014 (Karamaouna & Mitroiu). MOLDOVA: Anenii Noi, Chetrosu, Vişinele: 1♀, 1♂, 1 May 2005 (DNA: B.RM 03m); 1♀, 12 August 2007; 1♂, 6 June 2010 (DNA: B.RM 02m) (all Fusu) (AICF). Oniţcani: 1♀, 27 July 1967, from Yponomeuta malinellus collected on 4 July (Talitzki) (BMNH, label in Russian). SPAIN: Sal., Ciudad Rodrigo: 1♀ ex. Andricus quercusradicis ♂ ♀, 26 July 1979. Madrid, El Ventorillo: 1♀ ex gall Aylax kerneri on Nepeta latifolia , 14 September 1988, em. May 1989; 1♀, same data but Cercedilla, em. April 1989. Sal. Teso Santo: 1♀, Callirhytis glandium ŏ, Q. suber , 30 May 1982, em. August 1982. Cáceres, Madrigal de Vera: 11♀, 8♂ ex. gall Cynips divisa ♂ ♀, Q. pyrenaica 24 March 1989 – 28 April 1989 (all Nieves-Aldrey) (MNCN). Lleida, Omells na Gaia: 1♀, 1♂ ex Lasioptera eryngii galls, 6 July 2007, em. 15 July 2007 (Ribes 6668 & 6670) (DNA: B.SP 01f, B.SP 01m). Lleida, Ager: 2♀, Lasioptera eryngii , 29 June 2007, em. 15 July 2007 and 18 July 2007 (Ribes 6671 & 6706) (DNA: B.SP 05, B.SP 06) (AICF). Barcelona, Calella d. Costa: 2♀, June 1971. Santander, Castro Urdiales: 2♀, 1♂, 2 July 1973. Madrid, Escorial: 1♀, 7 July 1974 (all Bouček) (BMNH).

Non-type material: Austria (CNC, NHMV), Bulgaria (HNHM, PUPB/IBER), Czech Republic (NHMV), Czechoslovakia without further locality data (BMNH), France (BMNH, CNC), Greece (CNC), Hungary (CNC, HNHM, LUZN), Italy (HNHM, NHMV), Moldova (IPPM), Romania (AICF, ANCO, CNC, HNHM), Russia (Rostov Oblast) (BMNH), Slovenia (BMNH, NHMV), Spain (MNCN), and Switzerland (CNC). See Appendix 1.