Neochrysocharis conglomeratae DO, 2013

Do, M. & A. K, 2013, Parasitoids complex of Asphondylia conglomerata De STEFANI (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on the Mediterranean Saltbush, Atriplex halimus L. (Chenopodiaceae) in Egypt, with descriptions of new species from Eulophidae and Torymidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), Linzer biologische Beiträge 45 (2), pp. 1799-1811 : 1804-1806

Neochrysocharis conglomeratae DO ö ANLAR nov.sp. ( Figs 4 a-b, 5 a-b)

E t y m o l o g y. The name is derived from the name of its host.

T y p e Types: Holotype female, Egypt: Alexandria, Alameria District, 30°59'54"N, 29°49'70"E, 07.iv. 2013, emerged from galls of Asphondylia conglomerata on Atriplex halimus , leg. Ayman Kh. Elsayed, Cat. No:005-02 (MKUI). Paratypes: 27 females; 23 males, same data as Holotype. 5 females; 6 males, same data as Holotype, deposited in The Biology Centre of the museum of Upper Austria.

D i a g n o s i s. propodeum with callus having 3 setae; gaster elongated, large third anellus, violet coloration and predominantly dark femora and pale tibiae; length of anelli plus two subquadrate funicle segments 1.33 times; propodeum about twice as long as dorsellum, weakly reticulate; forewing 2.08 times as long as broad; lengths of costal cell: marginal vein: stigmal vein: postmarginal vein as 20: 24: 7: 6.

D e s c r i p t i o n:

Female. Head and mesosoma dark brown with strong violet reflections. a tinge of green laterally on propodeum: mesoscutum and scutellum concolorous; gaster brown with weak violet reflections, some green on first tergite; antenna pale testaceous, the clava dorsally brownish with white apical stylus; coxae concolorous with thorax, trochanters pale yellow, femora infuscate except apically, rest of legs pale yellow except for slightly brown flexor surface of front tibia and fourth tarsal segments and brown claws; wings hyaline with pale yellow veins and white pilosity. tegulae brown. Length 1.4-1.6mm.

Head with vertex finely reticulate, hairs about 1.5 times ocellar diameter: frons very weakly reticulate, about 10 hairs on lower face between lower eye margin and mouth, toruli on lower ocular line. Malar space about 0.6 times mouth opening. Antenna ( Fig. 4 a ) with scape slender, 4 times as long as broad and 0.72 times height of eye; length of pedicel plus flagellum 0.7 times breadth of head; pedicel twice as long as broad, hairy; three anelli, the third large and closely applied to first funicle segment; length of anelli plus two subquadrate funicle segments 1.33 times length of pedicel, the funicle segments distinctly narrower than pedicel; clava elongated, conical, about 2.75 times as long as broad and almost 1.4 times as long (including stylus) as combined length of anelli and funicle segments, apical stylus about 0.4 times as long as third claval segment.

Mesosoma in dorsal view about 1.5 times as long as broad, finely but distinctly reticulate, meshes on scutellum elongated: mesoscutum 1.7 times as broad as long, with two pairs of long setae, notaular depressions broad and very shallow: scutellum almost as long as mesoscutum and as broad as long, with one pair of setae: dorsellum short, convex, weakly reticulate; anterior margin of mesepimeron almost straight: propodeum about twice as long as dorsellum, weakly reticulate. callus with three setae.

Forewing ( Fig. 4 b ) 2.08 times as long as broad. ratio length from base of parastigma to wing apex: maximum wing breadth (LW: HW of Hansson (1990)) =1.67; lengths of costal cell: marginal vein: stigmal vein: postmarginal vein as 20: 24: 7: 6; hair-lines radiating from stigma absent and space between postmarginal and stigmal vein pilose: speculum hardly developed: basal cell with 4 hairs towards apex; submarginal vein with (0-2) short hairs beneath.

Gaster long ovate, 2.6-3.0 times as long as broad, about 1.4 times as long as rest of body, mesosoma length: gaster length 0.65; petiole very short; hypopygium reaching 0.38 length of gaster; apices of ovipositor sheaths just visible in dorsal view.

Male. Differs very little from female except for structure of gaster; antenna (fig. 5) with scape about 4.66 times as long as broad with long distinct setae on its surface, with ventral plaque situated in upper half and 0.18 length of scape; three anelli, the third slightly larger than others, closely applied to first funicle segment; length of anelli plus two subquadrate funicle segments 1.4 times length of pedicel, clava elongated, conical, about 3.67 times as long as broad and almost 1.3 times as long (including stylus) as combined length of anelli and funicle segments.

D i a g n o s i s Neochrysocharis conglomeratae nov.sp. is similar to N. violaceus ASKEW in many respects, but it differs in having length of anelli plus two subquadrate funicle segments 1.33 times; propodeum about twice as long as dorsellum, weakly reticulate. callus with three setae; forewing 2.08 times as long as broad; lengths of costal cell: marginal vein: stigmal vein: postmarginal vein as 20: 24: 7: 6 (in N. violaceus length of anelli plus two subquadrate funicle segments only slightly greater than length of pedicel; propodeum about 3 times as long as dorsellum, weakly reticulate. callus with two setae; forewing 2.2 times as long as broad; lengths of costal cell: marginal vein: stigmal vein: postmarginal vein as 29:24:11:9).

B i o l o g y Parasite of Asphondylia conglomerata on Atriplex halimus . Level of parasitism is high during the period from the middle of March to the end of the 1st generation.

D i s t r i b u t i o n. Egypt, Alexandria.

Figures

Fig. 4: Neochrysocharls conglomeratae DOöANLAR nov.sp. female: (a) antenna; (b) forewing.