Euxestophaga argentinensis Gallardo, 2017

Gallardo, Fabiana E., Reche, Vanina Anadina, Bertolaccini, Isabel, Brenda Zarate, & Curis, Cecilia, 2017, A new genus and species of Eucoilinae (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea, Figitidae) parasitoid of Euxesta eluta Loew (Diptera, Otitidae) attacked Bt sweet corn in Argentina, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 54, pp. 57-70 : 58-60

Euxestophaga argentinensis Gallardo sp. n. Figures 1-4

Material examined.

ARGENTINA. Santa Fe. Angel Gallardo. 31°33'18"S; 60°40'36.84"W (DMS). Holotype female ( MLP No. 5728/1), 6 paratype females ( MLP No. 5728/2-7) reared from Euxesta eluta ( Diptera, Otitidae ) on Zea mays L.(Bt sweet corn) ( Poaceae), 13-VI-2005; 1 paratype female ( MLP No. 5728/8) and 1 paratype male ( MLP No. 5728/9), 10-XII-2010, Bertolaccini and Curis colls. 36 females (MLP No. 5728/10-46) and 24 males ( MLP No. 5728/47-61) reared from Euxesta eluta ( Diptera, Otitidae ) on Zea mays L. (Bt sweet corn) ( Poaceae), 02-XII-2015, Bertolaccini coll. (), 1 paratype female ( USNM) and 1 paratype male ( USNM), same data. Tucumán. 27°0'0"S; 65°30'0"W (DMS), 1 female partype ( MLP No. 5728/62), VI-1976, Figalgo coll. San Javier. 26°46'59"S; 65°23'6"W (DMS) 1 male ( MLP No. 5728/63), 16-XI-1981, on herbaceous vegetation, Mulvany, Díaz, Fidalgo and Armesto colls.

Description.

Female. Total length 1.85-2 mm. (Fig. 1 ). Head and mesosoma black, metasoma completely dark reddish brown. Antennae brown, mandibles, wings venation and legs yellowish brown.

Head (Figs 1-3 ) in anterior view as high as wide. Malar sulci simple. Antenna (Fig. 1 ) with 13 segments, pilose, subcylindrical, flagellomeres 1 and 2 subequal in length, F6 to F11 moniliform, club consisting of six flagellomeres, with rhinaria. Posterior margin of gena distinct, but not carinata (Fig. 2 , see arrow). Pronotum. Pronotal plate (Fig. 2 ) wide, striate in anterior half as well as bridge that connect this half with posterior half. Posterior half with row of setae, lateral foveae open. Dorsal margin emarginate. Pronotal ridge absent. Sides of pronotum convex, with a pubescent area on upper half of ventral margin (beneath pronotal plate).

Mesoscutum. Strongly convex in profile (Fig. 1 ). Parapsidal ridges represented by hair lines (Figs 2 , 3 ). Parascutal impressions incomplete. Notauli absent.

Mesopectus (Fig. 1 ). Upper part and lower part of mesopleuron smooth, glabrous. Mesopleural carina simple. Precoxal carina present. Subalar pit narrow and shallow. Mesopleural triangle undefined. Surcoxal depression absent.

Mesoscutellum. Scutellar foveae (Fig. 3 ) deep, large, wider than long. Lateral bars of scutellum striate. Dorsal surface of scutellum (Fig. 3 ) areolate-punctate, posterior margin bluntly rounded. Scutellar plate (Figs 2 , 3 ) suboval, posterior margin rounded, dorsal surface with midpit placed close to posterior margin of plate, with punctures on each side, with single setae in each one.

Metapectal-propodeal complex (Fig. 1 ). Posteroventral corner of metapleuron flat, rounded and pubescent, anteroventral cavity subcircular, setose. Propodeum covered with long, apressed setae. Lateral propodeal carinae semiparalell.

Wings. Forewings hyaline (Fig. 1 ), apical margin with hair fringe, basal margin lacking hair fringe, with membrane pubescence mostly reduced hair bases, marginal cell closed, longer than wide.

Legs (Fig. 1 ). Fore and mid coxa subequal in size, variously setose, hind coxa about twice the size of either fore or mid coxae, with a patch of woolly setae on posterior margin. Femora and tibiae sparsely setose, tibiae with more apprised setae; tarsomeres covered with dense appressed setae.

Metasoma (Fig. 1 ). Base of syntergum with hairy ring completed, remainder of metasoma glabrous.

Male. Similar to female. Male antennae (Fig. 4 ) filiform, 15 segments, F1 curved, longer than following flagellomeres, F2 shorter than other flagellomeres. Metasoma nearly squared posteriorly in lateral view. Metasoma completely dark reddish brown or ventrally yellowish brown. Base of syntergum with hairy ring interrupted apically.

Distribution.

Argentina.

Type locality.

Angel Gallardo (Argentina, Santa Fe province).

Hosts.

Diptera Otitidae : Euxesta eluta Loew.

Etymology.

In reference to the country where the specimen was collected: Argentina.

Figures

Figures 1 - 4. Holotype of Euxestophaga argentinensis Gallardo sp. n. Female. 1 Habitus (lateral view) 2 Head and mesosoma (dorsal view), arrow indicates posterior margin of gena distinct, but not carinata 3 Head (posterior view) and mesosoma (dorsal view), arrow indicates basal margin of forewing lacking hair fringe. Male 4 Antenna, arrow indicates posterior margin of scutellum bluntly rounded.