Aulacidea andriescui, Şchiopu & Tataroǧlu & Katilmiş, 2024

Şchiopu, Ion, Tataroǧlu, Musa & Katilmiş, Yusuf, 2024, New species of gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Aulacideini and Phanacidini) inducing galls on plants of the genera Sonchus and Crepis (Asteraceae) in Romania (Dobrogea Province) and notes on their parasitoids, Zootaxa 5471 (1), pp. 33-55 : 35-44

Aulacidea andriescui sp. n.

( Figs. 1–5 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE (♀): Romania, Dobrogea Province, Hagieni forest Natural Reserve, 43°47’38’’ N, 28°27’32’’ E; ex. gall in stem of Sonchus palustris L. ( Asteraceae ); galls collected 26.X.2022; adult emerged 05. V.2023 (Şchiopu leg.). Holotype deposited in “G.A.” NMNH and ERL –PAU. PARATYPES: 43♀♀, thus obtained: 12♀♀, Romania, Dobrogea Province, Constanta county, Hagieni forest Natural Reserve, 43°47’38’’ N, 28°27’32’’ E; ex. galls in stem of S. palustris ; galls collected on 16.XI.2022; adults emerged on 15. V.2023: 20♀♀, same data as above; galls collected on 25.XI.2022; adults emerged on 22. V.2023: 10♀♀, same data as before, but galls collected on 30.XI.2022; adults emerged on 14. VI.2023: 1♀, same data; ex. gall on leaves of S. palustris , gall collected on 10.XII.2022; adult emerged on 21. VI.2023 (Şchiopu leg.). Paratypes deposited in “G.A.” NMNH (3♀♀); ERL –PAU (2♀♀); Coll. JP-V (2♀♀); Coll. SION (36♀♀).

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Prof. Dr. Andriescu Ionel (“Alex. I. Cuza” University-IaŞi) a renowned chalcidologist from Romania and mentor of the first author. Noun in the genitive case.

Diagnosis. The new species resembles Aulacidea follioti Barb. which produces galls on host plants of the same genus ( Sonchus ); moreover, this species is also present in Romania. It is differentiated by the following character states: head 1.3 X higher than wide, in anterior view; 1.9 X wider than long, in dorsal view, sometimes slightly exceeds the width of the mesosoma; transfacial distance 1.2 X as long as height of eye and 1.48 X as long as height of lower face; F3 1.1 X longer than F4; median mesoscutal line broadened posteriorly, exceeding almost 1/6 of length of scutum; mesopleuron with uniform transverse parallel interrupted fine striae; scutelar foveae large, elongated (almost 1.8 X longer as broad), deep, open to the transscutal suture; radial cell 2.7 X longer as broad, areolet distinct, triangular, wide, well defined; coxae and pretarsus (with claws) dark brown; metasomal T2, measured on dorsal line, occupy more than half of metasomal length; T3 with rare, indistinct punctures, subsequent tergites and hypopygium with dense, distinct micropunctures; galls are formed within the stem and midrib of leaves of Sonchus palustris , while in A. follioti : head slightly wider or at least as wide as high, in front view; 2.0 X as wide as long, exceeding width of thorax; transfacial distance 1.5 X as long than height of eye; F3 0.8 X as long than F4; median mesoscutal line absent; mesopleuron with fine longitudinal costulated-striate sculpture; scutellar foveae small and narrow; radial cell 2.5 X as long than wide, areolet very small or absent; coxae, trochanteres and base of femurs darkened; metasomal T2 covered 1/3 or 2/5 of metasomal length; entire metasoma without punctures; galls are formed within the stem of Sonchus asper .

The new species is also morphologically similar to Aulacidea abdominalis (Thoms., 1877) , but differs by: F1 1.5 X as long as pedicel; F2 1.3 X as long than F1; median mesoscutal line broadened posteriorly, extending 1/6 of scutum length; Rs+M exceed 3/4 of the distance between the areola and basalis; lateral propodeal carinae parallel, while in A. abdominalis : F1 1.7 X as long as pedicel and very slightly shorter than F2; median mesoscutal line like a very short triangle; Rs+M reach basalis; lateral propodeal carinae convergent posteriorly; galls are formed within the flower head of Scorzonera spp. Also, the new species resembles Aulacidea tragopogonis (Thoms., 1877) but differs in the following characters: the female antenna 13 segments (14 segments in A. tragopogonis ); diameter of antennal torulus 2.0 X as long as distance between them, and 1.58 X shorter than distance between torulus and eye margin (4.6–4.8 X as long as distance between them and equal to distance between torulus and eye margin; galls are formed within the stem and root collar of Tragopogon spp. in A. tragopogonis ). Based on the above diagnostic morphological character states, including the type of gall, biology, ecology, and host plant association, the new species is clearly differentiated from the known species of the genus Aulacidea .

Description.

FEMALE (holotype).

Body length: 2.0– 2.2 mm; length of head+mesosoma almost equal to length of metasoma.

Colour: head and thorax black; metasomal T2 light brown, remaining tergites black–brown; scapus+pedicel black, the flagellomeres brown, grading to black brown towards the tip of the antenna; coxae and pretarsus black; trochanters, femurs, tibiae and first four segments of tarsus light chestnut.

Head ( Fig. 1A–C ): seen from the front, almost round, 1.3 X higher than wide and 1.9 X as broad as long from dorsal view; with fine alutaceus-coriaceous sculpture and covered with very few scattered short white setae. Lower face with interrupted striae, radiating from lateral margins of clypeus, extending close to the ventral edges of compound eyes and antennal sockets, without touching them. Median elevated area of lower face obscure coriaceous, without striae and covered only with very few white setae, scattered, especially in ventral edge. The malar space, coriaceous partially, 0.6 X as long as height of the compound eye; its surface covered with same striae as lower face. Clypeus quadrangular, almost as wide as high; slightly curved ventrally but not projecting over mandibles. Anterior tentorial pits conspicuous; epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line weakly impressed. Gena delicately coriaceous. Transfacial distance 1.2 X as long as height of eye and 1.48 X as long as height of lower face. Diameter of antennal torulus 2.0 X as long as distance between them, and 1.58 X shorter than distance between torulus and eye margin. POL 1.5 X as long as OOL, 2.2 X as long as LOL and 3.1 X as long as diameter of lateral ocellus. Frons, vertex as well as occiput fine alutaceus-coriaceous. Gular sulci slightly divergent, almost parallelthey extend to half the distance between the occipital foramen and the hypostomal carina; postgena delicately alutaceous, covered with rare white setae.

Antennae ( Fig. 3N–P ): filiform, with the last flagellomere not broadened; shorter than body length (sometimes reach half of the metasoma); all segments, less scapus+pedicel, covered with a short, silvery–white pubescence, oriented toward the tip of the flagellum; the female antenna with 13 segments; scapus and pedicel black; flagellomeres light chestnut to dark brown, thus: F1–F3 chestnut colour, F4–F7 each flagellomere half chestnut, half brown, F8– F11 completely darkened; placodeal sensilla on F2–F11, weakly impressed. Pedicel slightly elongated, 1.18 X as long than wide; F1 1.5 X as long as pedicel; F2 1.3 X as long than F1 and approx. equal with F3, also F4; F5–F10 nearly equal to each other and slightly shorter than F1–F4; F11 2.1 X as long as F10.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 2H–K ): convex dorsally, 1.2 X as long as high in lateral view, covered with sparse white setae. Pronotum ( Fig. 1. D, D1 , E) entirely fine coriaceous-reticulate, with rarely, scattered white setae, except anterior margin which is densely pubescent; also, the pronotum, on the median dorsal line, measures about 1/2 of the distance measured on the outer lateral margin; submedian pronotal pits transversely, deep, oval-elongated, open laterally, separated from each to other by a relatively narrow bridge; pronotal plate with the same sculpture as well as the pronotum, and with sparse white setae on hers surface; axillula nearly triangular, 1.6 X as long as high, smooth, shiny in posterior part and with relative dense white setae in anterior area; subaxillular bar smooth, shinning; lateral axillar area striate, in antero-ventral direction, with rare, strong striae; dorsal axillar area also striate. Mesopleuron, inclusively speculum, with uniform transverse parallel interrupted fine striae; the parallel striae, viewed anteroposteriorly, became slightly curved in the central area of mesopleuron; only in the ventral-posterior angle and the along ventral margin with sparse white setae; the mesopleural triangle covered with dense pubescence especially in the anterior half, while the posterior area is smooth, shiny, without setae; propleura smooth faced, without striae, only a few setae, scattered, especially toward its edges. Scutum reticulate-coriaceous; as long as wide, 1.8 X longer than the scutellum; notauli incomplete, they do not touch the anterior edge of the mesoscutum, but extend to half its length, the rest of the distance, up to the anterior limit of the mesonotum, continue with a narrow, superficial, almost indistinct line; median mesoscutal impression broadened posteriorly, short relative, extending approx. 1/6 of length of scutum; anterior parallel lines distinct, extending nearly to 1/3 of scutum length; parapsidal lines visible, superficial, not deep, weakly impressed, they do not start from the posterior edge of the scutum, but a short distance from it, and exceed the level of the tegulae. Scutellum slightly wider (1.1 X wider than long); rounded posteriorly; 1.79 X shorter than the scutum length; reticulate central on disk, strongly rugose latero-dorsally; it spills very little over the metanotum; the scutellar foveae large, elongated (approx. 1.8 X as long as broad), smooth and shinning, placed obliquely, almost joined in the anterior part and divergent posteriorly, separated between them by a wider space in the posterior part, deeps, well contoured posteriorly and the lateral parts, wide opened at the edge from the transscutal suture. Propodeum smooth, shinning; the median propodeal area is smooth centrally, only toward its edges covered with some relatively long white setae; the lateral propodeal area with a dense white pubescence; lateral propodeal carinae parallel; the metapleural sulcus touches the mesopleuron in upper half of its height; metanotal foveae uniformly covered with short dense white setae; dorsellum smooth, without setae; nucha short, surrounded by a some strong irregular wrinkles to rugose sculpture at its base.

Legs ( Fig. 3L ): light chestnut colour; except coxae and pretarsus dark–brown; tarsal claws simple ( Fig. 4Q ), without basal lobe, with a few long setae; all segments covered with white, short, scattered setae, somewhat longer and denser on the tibia and tarsomeres.

Forewing ( Fig. 4T ): exceed the body length with a length nearly equal of mesosoma length; hyaline, with dark–brown veins, well pigmented; wing surface and margins with short, rare cilia, slightly longer and dense on the apical edge; radial cell entirely closed, 2.7 X longer than wide; areolet distinct, triangular, wide, well defined; sometimes, the base of the vein M, which form one of the side of areolet, is obscure; Rs+M distinct, exceed 3/4 of the distance between the areolet and basal vein; 2r curved.

Metasoma ( Fig. 4R ): 1.1 X longer than high, in lateral view; the metasomal T2 with a small patch of dense white setae antero-laterally; measured on dorsal line occupy more half of metasoma length and is 2.0 X as long than T3; also, T2+T3 cover almost the entire length of the metasoma; T3 with rare, indistinct punctures uniformly scattered, especially in dorso-lateral area; subsequent tergites as well as hypopygium with very fine dense distinct micropunctures, except for their ventral margins ( Fig. 4S ); the prominent part of the ventral spine of the hypopygium very short, not exceeding the tip of spine, covered with sparse white setae located ventrally in two parallel rows.

Remarks: male unknown; in 15 specimens, out of a total of 43 (designated as paratypes), the ovipositors are not visible, but the other morphological characters are identical to those of the females.

Host plant ( Fig. 6 ): Sonchus palustris L. ( Asteraceae : Cichorieae ), Common name: Marsh Sow-thistle. Synonyms: Hieracium palustre (L.) E.H.L. Krause; Sonchus paludosus Gueldenst. ; Sonchidium palustre (L.) Pomel; Sonchus inundatus Popov. Perennial plant; grows in forests, along streams, in wet, swampy, peaty areas; yellow flowers, blooming from July to mid-September; stem height 30–40 up to 250 cm. The gall-bearing plants from which the new species were reared were collected from the marsh biotope.

Galls ( Fig. 7 , 8 ): develop inside the stem in a hypertrophied tissue, usually grouped where the leaves are attached to the stem. At the site of gall formation, a globular or slightly elongated swelling (8–20 mm Φ) can be observed, which has some semi-spherical elevations on the outside, corresponding to the larval chambers inside the stem. 1–3 multilocular galls can form in a stem, together with several isolated galls (larval chambers of 4–5 mm in Φ), arranged along the inner walls of the stem ( Fig. 8 j, k ); sometimes galls also develop on the midrib of the basal leaves; thus, 1–3 spherical ovoid galls (4 mm Φ), unilocular, strung on the main vein can form on a leaf ( Fig. 7g –i ).

Life cycle: monovoltine species, a single generation synchronised with its annual host plant. Gall-maker cynipid overwinter as larvae inside the galls (on host plant) and pupate the following spring; adult gall wasps emerge during May–June; the females lay eggs in late May in stem tissue and basal leaves and the life cycle resume; the new galls are evident on the host plants from the middle of June. Optimal time of gall collection: late autumn Oct.–Nov. [outside optimal period, the identification of the gall-bearer plants is very difficult, sometimes impossible, because in winter the plants rot and decompose/collapse]. The frequency of the attack of the new species on the host plant: F=53%.

Associated fauna: together with the cynipid adults, some parasitoid species associated with the galls of the new species were also obtained. Some of the parasitoids emerge from the galls in early July, in the first year, and the rest emerge in the spring of the following year (April–May).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aulacidea andriescui sp. n. (♀): A, B, C, head in frontal, dorsal, respectively posterior view; D, pronotum dorsal view; D1, pronotum-detail with submedian pronotal pits; E, pronotum in lateral view.

FIGURE 2. Aulacidea andriescui sp. n. (♀): F, scutum dorsal view; G, scutellum dorsal view; H, I, K mesosoma dorsal, lateral respectively posterior view; J, mesopleuron.

FIGURE 3. Aulacidea andriescui sp. n. (♀): L, propleura and first legs; M, propleura; N, O, antenna general and in detail view; P, antenna with F2–F3 in detail-antenomeres.

FIGURE 4. Aulacidea andriescui sp. n. (♀): Q, tarsal claws; R, metasoma lateral view; S, metasomal T3 with sculpture detailpunctures; T, forewing.

FIGURE 5. Aulacidea andriescui sp. n. (♀): U, ventral spine, hypopygium and the last tergites with sculpture detail.

FIGURE 6. Sonchus palustris L.; the host plant (photos by I. Schiopu).

FIGURE 7. Aulacidea andriescui sp. n.; a–f, plurilocular young galls into stem; g, ripe galls into stem and leaf; h, monolocular mature galls in leaves; i, galls in leaf (photos by I. Schiopu).

FIGURE 8. Aulacidea andriescui sp. n.; j, k, monolocular galls in the internal walls of the stems; l, m, longitudinal section in plurilocular gall of stem (larval chambers with larvae) (photos by I. Schiopu).