Zuparka fisheri Heacox & Dominguez, 2017

Burks, Roger A., Heraty, John M., Mottern, Jason, Dominguez, Chrysalyn & Heacox, Scott, 2017, Biting the bullet: revisionary notes on the Oraseminae of the Old World (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eucharitidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 55, pp. 139-188 : 177-180

Zuparka fisheri Heacox & Dominguez sp. n. Figs 68-73 , 74-78 , 79-80

Etymology.

Named after Brian Fisher of the California Academy of Sciences for his tremendous collecting efforts that have contributed to the understanding of the fauna of Madagascar.

Diagnosis.

Face entirely smooth. Scutellum vaulted anterior to frenum and medially depressed. Propodeal disc laterally smooth. This species resembles Zuparka monomoria , but can be easily differentiated by the presence of an elevated medial region of the scutellar disc (Fig. 70 ) with a median depression (Figs 71 , 72 ), sculptured axilla (Fig. 71 ), torulus with ventral margins roughly on the same plane as the ventral margins of the eyes (Figs 69 , 79 ). Based on differing structures of the male antenna, what we are currently recognizing as Z. fisheri may ultimately be a complex of species.

Female.

Length 1.8-2.4 mm. Head and mesosoma, including mid and hind coxae and petiole, dark bluish-black; fore coxae dark bluish-black and yellow apically. Flagellum brown; scape, pedicel and anellus yellow to brown. Legs beyond coxa yellow with femora medially brown and tarsomeres apically pale brown. Gaster dark brown. Wings hyaline, venation pale yellowish-brown.

Head (Figs 69 , 77 - 79 ) 2.2-2.6 × as broad as long; face broadly rounded, smooth and polished with faint indication of cellulate sculpture on upper frons and vertex; interocular distance 1.3-1.4 × eye height; malar space 0.5-0.7 × eye height; distance from anteclypeus to ventral margin of toruli 0.3-0.4 × head height; clypeus smooth and with scattered setae, lateral margins and epistomal sulcus strongly impressed; anteclypeus distinct and subtruncate. Mandibular formula 3:2; palpal formula 3:3. Occiput transversely aciculate, dorsal margin broadly rounded, occipital carina absent; temples broad. Antenna 11-segmented (Fig. 77 ); scape narrow and cylindrical, slightly broadening medially and reaching median ocellus, at least 7 × as long as broad; pedicel 1.3-2.0 × as long as broad, apex broader than anellus; flagellum 0.8-0.9 × head height; funicle 7-segmented; flagellar segments beyond anellus densely setose with numerous longitudinal sensilla; F2 1.2-1.6 × as long as broad, following segments becoming more transverse; clava subconical, about as long as preceding three segments.

Mesosoma (Figs 70 - 74 ). Midlobe of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum finely reticulate; notauli foveate, reaching transscutal articulation (TSA) and broadly separated posteriorly; lateral lobe and axilla broadly rounded; scutellar disc abruptly vaulted anterior to frenum (Fig. 70 ) and with weak median depression (Figs 71-72 ); scutellar disc about as long as broad, separated from axillae and TSA by deep foveate scutoscutellar sulcus that is continuous medially; axillular sulcus and frenal line medially foveate with a weak carina along ventral margin of sulcus, continuing laterally as a smooth ridge; frenum semicircular and vertical. Propodeal disc rounded, areolate medially, smooth laterally (Fig. 73 ); callar region smooth with few setae dorsally; metepimeron smooth dorsally and ventrally reticulate. Upper and lower mesepimeron mostly smooth; transepimeral sulcus irregularly foveate; femoral groove obscure. Prepectus foveate dorsally, with a strong posterior flange, ventrally narrow and smooth. Pronotum reticulate laterally and smooth medially. Propleuron imbricate. Fore and mid coxae imbricate; hind coxae reticulate. Fore wing 2.6-2.9 × as long as mesosoma, 2.4-2.6 × as long as broad; basal cell setose; costal cell ventrally pilose, remainder of wing pilose; stigmal vein as long or slightly longer than wide and perpendicular to wing margin; postmarginal vein 0.1-0.2 × length of marginal vein, about twice length of stigmal vein. Hind wing costal cell with several ventral setae in apical half.

Metasoma (Figs 75-76 ) with petiole cylindrical, 1.6-1.9 × as long as hind coxa; finely reticulate; ventral sulcus absent. Gt1 as long as or slightly shorter than femur, smooth and bare; Mt7 densely pilose anterior to cercus, cercus with 5 long setae; Gs1 smooth and without antecostal sulcus. Hypopygium with 2 pairs of minute subapical setae. Ovipositor expanded subapically and curved forward; first valvula with 3 lateral teeth and sinuate subapical ridge; second valvula with 8 lateral teeth (Fig. 76 ).

Male.

Length 1.7-1.8 mm. Scape yellow to brown, flagellomeres brown. Fore coxa bluish-black and brown apically; legs yellow to yellowish-brown, hind femur darker with yellow tips, tarsomeres yellow to brown. Scape ventroapically with dense minute pores. Gs8 apically strongly convex with sparse ventral hairs; Ms8 densely setose near cerci. Genitalia with broad flattened parameres with two subapical setae, digiti with 4 lateral spines; aedeagus subapically expanded (Fig. 80 ).

Holotype.

Madagascar: Fianarantsoa Prov.: Parc National Ranomafana, Belle Vue at Talatakely, 1020m, 21°15'59"S, 47°25'07"E, 2-10.i.2002, R. Harin’ Hala, secondary tropical forest, Malaise trap [1♀, CASC: UCRCENT00417485]. Paratypes: Madagascar: Antananarivo Prov.: 3 km 41 degrees NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147 degrees SSE Anjozorobe, 1300m, 18°28'24"S, 47°57'36"E, 5-13.xii.2000, Fisher, Griswold et al., montane rainforest, Malaise trap [1♂, CASC: UCRCENT00417369]. Antsiranana Prov.: Parc National Montagne d’Ambre, 960 m, 12°30'52"S, 49°10'53"E, 12.ii-4.iii.2001, 4-19.iii.2001, R. Harin’Hala, Malaise [5♂ 1♀, CASC: UCRCENT00175169, UCRCENT00278241-45]. Parc National Montagne d’Ambre, 1125m, 12°31'13"S, 49°10'45"E, 29.i-11.ii.2001, 5-21.iv.2001, 14-30.v.2001, 30.v-6.vi.2001, R. Harin’Hala, Malaise trap [4♂ 1♀, CASC: CASENT02014649, CASENT02015483, CASENT02015488, UCRCENT00417343, UCRCENT00417345]. Sakalava Beach, 10m, 12°15'46"S, 49°23'51"E, 16-31.v.2001, R. Harin’ Hala, dwarf littoral forest, sandy trail, Malaise trap [1♂, CASC: UCRCENT00417339]. Fianarantsoa Prov.: Parc National Ranomafana, Belle Vue at Talatakely, 1020m, 21°15'59"S, 47°25'13"E, 28.xi-6.xii.2001, M. Irwin & R. Harin’Hala, secondary tropical forest, Malaise Trap [1♂ 1♀, CASC: UCRCENT00417551, UCRCENT00417553]. Parc National Ranomafana, radio tower at forest edge, 1130m, 21°15'03"S, 47°24'26"E, 16.x-8.xi.2001, 24.v-4.vi.2002, 7-17.v.2003, R. Harin’ Hala, mixed tropical forest, Malaise [2♂ 4♀, CASC: UCRCENT00417386-487, UCRCENT00417388, UCRCENT00417489, UCRCENT00417490, UCRCENT00417492]. Parc National Ranomafana, Vohiparara at broken bridge, 1110m, 21°13'34"S, 47°22'11"E, 21-28.i.2002, 4-12.ii.2002, M. Irwin and R. Harin’Hala, high altitude rain forest, Malaise trap [1♂ 2♀, CASC: UCRCENT00417509-10, UCRCENT00417537]. Toamasina Prov.: bot. garden near entrance to Andasibe National Park, 1025m, 18°55'35"S, 48°24'28"E, 16-24.x.2001, 24.x-1.xi.2001, 1-7.xi.2001, R. Harin’Hala, tropical forest, Malaise Trap [2♂ 2♀, CASC: UCRCENT00417486, UCRCENT00417497, UCRCENT00417513, UCRCENT00417538].

Additional material examined.

Madagascar: Antsiranana Prov.: Parc National Montagna d'Ambre , 1125m, 12°31'13"S, 49°10'45"E, 12.ii-4.iii.2001, 19.iii-5.iv.2001, 12-14.v.2001, R. Harin’Hala, Malaise trap [3♀ 1♂, CASC: CASENT02015492, UCRCENT00417340, UCRCENT00417344, UCRCENT00417346]. Sakalava Beach, 10m, 12°15'46"S, 49°23'51"E, 16-31.v.2001, R. Harin’ Hala, dwarf littoral forest, sandy trail, Malaise trap [1♀, CASC: UCRCENT00417338] .

Figures

Figures 68 - 73. Zuparka fisheri. Paratype female: 68 habitus, lateral 69 head, anterior 70 mesosoma, lateral 71 mesosoma, oblique dorsal 72 mesosoma, anterior 73 propodeum, oblique dorsal. apc = anterior petiolar carina; cal = callus; frn = frenum; lpr; lateral propodeal disc; mts = metascutellum; sct = mesoscutellum; tsa = transscutal articulation.

Figures 74 - 78. Zuparka fisheri. Paratype female: 74 fore wing 75 petiolar base 76 ovipositor. Paratype male: 77 antenna 78 pores on scape ventrally. ads = anterodorsal swelling of petiole; apc = anterior petiolar carina; dv = dorsal (2 nd) valvula; F = flagellomere; F 1 / an = anellus; lhp = petiolar lateral hair patch; vp = ventral pore of scape; pmv = postmarginal vein; stv = stignal vein; vv = ventral (1 st) valvula.

Figures 79 - 80. Zuparka fisheri. Paratype male: 79 head, anterior 80 genitalia and subgenital plate, ventral. acy = anteclypeus; dsd = dorsal scrobal fovea; msd = median scrobal depression; prm = paramere; sgp = subgenital plate; tor = torulus.