Tenthredo nigrobullifera, Xiao & Niu & Wei, 2020

Xiao, Wei, Niu, Gengyun & Wei, Meicai, 2020, Two new species of the Tenthredo grahami group from China (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), with a revised key to species, Zoological Systematics 45 (2), pp. 118-125 : 119-121

Tenthredo nigrobullifera sp. nov. ( Figs 1 A–B, 2)

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to T. bullifera Malaise, 1945 , but differs from the latter by the body having much more black maculae, the hairs on dorsum of head much longer and apically curved, the pterostigma black, and the male penis valve with a broad triangular apical process.

Description. Female. Body length 12.0–14.0 mm ( Fig. 1A ). Head and thorax black, following parts yellowish green in alive: palpi, basal 2/5 of mandible, labrum, clypeus except narrow basal margin, triangular supraclypeal area ( Fig. 2A ), supraantennal tubercles, narrow inner orbit and connected subtriangular macula on temple, lateral stripes of postocellar area ( Fig. 2B ), lower 3/5 of hind orbit, lower anterior lobe and lateral corner of pronotum, tegula, a V-shaped stripe on posterior of mesoscutal middle lobe, mesoscutellum except narrow hind margin, mesoscutellar appendage, metascutellum ( Fig. 1A ), narrow base of metapostnotum, two big maculae on mesepisternum and entire metepisternum ( Fig. 2D ). Abdomen yellowish green, broad basal band of each segment black ( Fig. 1A ), upper margin of basal plate black, ovipositor apical sheath brown ( Fig. 2E ). Leg black, outer stripe on each coxa, anterior side of fore femur largely, narrow dorsal stripe on middle femur and apex of hind femur, middle 3/5 of each tibia, 1st to 4th tarsomeres except apex and 5th tarsomere entirely yellow green. Hairs on head and thorax black brown, pubescence on labrum, margin of clypeus and most of tibia and tarsi light brown. Wings hyaline, apex of vein C and pterostigma black, vein C except apex and R1 pale brown.

Dorsum of head ( Fig. 2B ) strongly shiny, black part with fine microsculptures, impunctate; mesonotum with fine and dense microsculpture, weakly shiny, margin of mesonotum with small punctures; mesoscutellum largely shining, posterior margin of mesoscutellum and lateral sides of mesoscutellar appendage with fine microsculpture; upper half of mesopleuron weakly microsculptured, lower half finely and densely microsculptured, punctures indistinct; metapleuron largely polished; all abdominal tergites distinctly microsculptured, weakly shiny; lateral of apical sheath weakly microsculptured, weakly shiny.

Length of hairs on dorsum of head, mesonotum, mesoscutellum and mesopleuron about 2, 1, 1.5 and 1.3 times diameter of lateral ocellus, respectively, apex of hairs on dorsum of head distinctly curved. Apex of labrum round; clypeus flat and much broader than distance between eyes below, anterior margin emarginated to a depth of 0.25 times length of clypeus ( Fig. 2B ); malar space 1.2 times diameter of lateral ocellus; distance between eyes below about 0.8 times longest axis of an eye; supraantennal tubercles strongly elevated, free-standing and parallel to each other, height 0.9 times its width, length about 2 times its height and 1.5 times the length of postocellar area, distance between tubercles 0.9 times its height, posterior end abruptly cut off from frontal ridges, bottom of median fovea with distinct carina; interocellar furrow deep and straight, postocellar furrow shallow; postocellar area flat, without middle carina or middle furrow, width 1.5 times its length; lateral furrows slightly curved, distinctly divergent backwards; temple in dorsal view 0.8 times length of eyes, both sides obtusely convex ( Fig. 2B ); occipital carina sharp and complete, low part without fold. Antenna as long as head and thorax together, 3rd antennomere 1.65 times length of 4th antennomere, subapical antennomeres not dilated, 8th antennomere twice as long as board ( Fig. 2I ). Mesoscutellum obtusely elevated, slightly higher than mesonotum, without middle longitudinal and transversal carina; mesoscutellar appendage with low and short middle carina; distance between cenchri 2.7 times longest axis of a cenchrus; middle of mesepisternum weakly and subtriangularly elevated, without sharp peak or carina, ventral thorn absent. Hind tibia 0.85 times as long as tarsus, basitarsus slightly shorter than following three tarsomeres together, inner tibial spur about 0.65 times length of basitarsus, basitarsus slender, tarsal pulvillus developed, distance between basal two pulvilli 2 times length of 1st pulvillus; claw with a small basal lobe, inner tooth shorter than outer tooth. Vein cu-a in fore wing joining cell 1M at basal 0.33, cell 2Rs longer than 1Rs; hind anal cell sessile. Ovipositor sheath slightly bent ventrally, apical sheath narrow, about 2 times length of basal sheath, apical margin round ( Fig. 2E ). Setae on sheath mostly straight. Lancet very narrow and long with 15 oblique serrulae, annular suture strongly oblique with indistinct annular spine band, ctenidia weakly developed ( Fig. 2C ); 5th–7th serrulae as Figure 2H , each with about 14 small outer subbasal teeth, spiculella small but distinct.

Male. Body length 11.0–12.0 mm ( Fig. 1B ). Body color and structure similar to female, but sometimes mesosternum with a middle triangular green spot, malar space about 0.5 times diameter of lateral ocellus, in dorsal view temple 0.5 times as long as eyes; subgenital plate slightly longer than broad, apex narrowly truncate; gonoforcep as in Figure 2F , harpe longer than broad, apex round; penis valve as in Figure 2G , valviceps with a short and triangular apical lobe.

Material examined. Holotype. ♀, China, Tibet, Motuo County, 24K (29°47′N, 95°42′E; elev. 3663 m), 21 June 2009, Meicai Wei leg. Paratypes. 5♀ 3♂, Tibet, Motuo County, Lage (29°34′N, 94°59′E; elev. 3740 m), 15 June 2009, Zejian Li leg. ; 6♀ 1♂, Tibet, Motuo County, Hanmi (29°22′N, 95°7′E; elev. 2180 m), 16 June 2009, Zejian Li leg. ; 1♀, Tibet, Motuo County, 2K (29°45′N, 95°43′E; elev. 3272 m), 17 June 2009, Gengyun Niu leg. ; 2♂, Tibet, Motuo County, 2K (29°45′N, 95°43′E; elev. 3272 m), 17 June 2009, Meicai Wei leg. ; 7♀ 11♂, Tibet, Motuo County, 24K (29°47′N, 95°42′E; elev. 3663 m), 21 June 2009, Meicai Wei leg. ; 3♀ 5♂, Tibet, Motuo County, 24K (29°47′N, 95°42′E; elev. 3663 m), 21 June 2009, Gengyun Niu leg. ; 1♀, Tibet, Motuo County, 30K (29°45′N, 95°42′E; elev. 3808 m), 20 June 2009, Gengyun Niu leg. ; 1♀, Tibet, Motuo County, 30K (29°45′N, 95°42′E; elev. 3808 m), 20 June 2009, Meicai Wei leg.

Distribution. China (Tibet).

Etymology. This new species is named after its body color as it has the richest black spots in the Tenthredo grahami group.

Figures

Figure 1. Tenthredo spp., adults. A–B. T. nigrobullifera sp. nov. C–D. T. megamaculata, sp. nov. A, C. Female; B, D. Male. Scale bars=1.0mm.

Figure 2. Tenthredo nigrobullifera sp. nov. A. Female head, front view. B. Female head, dorsal view. C. Lancet. D. Mesopleuron and metapleuron, female. E. Apical segments of abdomen and ovipositor, lateral view. F. Gonoforcep. G. Penis valve. H. The 5th–7th serrulae. I. Female antenna.