Orasema bablyi, Baker & Heraty, 2020

Baker, Austin J. & Heraty, John M., 2020, The New World ant parasitoid genus Orasema (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae), Zootaxa 4888 (1), pp. 1-84 : 25-27

Orasema bablyi n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6A327150-AECB-43B8-B1E8-0615AF0493A1

( Fig. 12 )

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other members of the O. bakeri group by having a dark, almost black body coloration ( Fig. 12A ) and mesoscutum with lateral lobes dorsally smooth ( Fig. 12F ). It is most similar to O. texana but lacks a depression in the midlobe of the mesoscutum ( Fig. 12F ), lacks a medial carina on the propodeum ( Fig. 12F ), and has a smooth to imbricate upper mesepimeron ( Fig. 12C ).

Description. Female. Length 2.2–2.8 mm ( Fig. 12A ). Color. Head and mesosoma dark bluish-black. Scape dark brown with iridescence; pedicel and dark brown. Maxilla and labium brown. Tibiae light brown. Fore wing venation pale brown. Head ( Fig. 12B ). Head in frontal view subquadrate; HW:HH = 1.1–1.4; scrobal depression shallow, laterally rounded, with transverse striae; eyes sparsely setose, IOD:EH = 1.7–1.9; MS:EH = 0.7–0.9; supraclypeal area about as long as broad, shorter than clypeus, smooth; epistomal sulcus distinct and sharply defined; anteclypeus distinct, broadly rounded. Palpal formula 3:2. Occiput with dorsal margin evenly rounded. Pedicel small and globose. FL:HH = 1.0–1.1; F2L:F2W = 0.8–1.2, F2L:F3L = 1.0–1.2 ( Fig. 12D ). Mesosoma ( Fig. 12C, F ). ML:MH = 1.2–1.4. Mesoscutal midlobe bare; lateral lobe dorsally smooth; notauli deep. Axilla smooth to slightly reticulate, dorsally rounded, on roughly same plane as mesoscutellum; scutoscutellar sulcus narrow, irregularly foveate, narrowly separated from transscutal articulation; mesoscutellar disc as long as broad, reticulate; frenal line as smooth band, foveate posteriorly; axillular sulcus anteriorly absent, narrow and foveate posteriorly; axillula areolate-reticulate. Propodeal disc flat, without depression or carina ( Fig. 12G ); callus reticulate, bare; callar nib absent. Propleuron nearly flat. Postpectal carina weak. Upper mesepimeron smooth to imbricate; lower mesepimeron reticulate; transepimeral sulcus distinct. Metepisternum laterally reticulate. HCL:HCW = 1.4–1.9; HFL:HFW = 4.1–5.8, evenly covered with short, dense setae. FWL:FWW = 2.1–2.5, FWL:ML = 1.9–2.1; fore wing with basal third bare, wing disc setose; marginal fringe minute; submarginal vein with minute setae; marginal vein with minute setae; stigmal vein about twice as long as broad, slightly angled toward wing apex; postmarginal vein slightly longer than stigmal vein. Metasoma. Petiole broad, linear in profile, PTL:PTW = 0.6–1.3, PTL:HCL = 0.4–0.8, reticulate, lateral margin with longitudinal carina continuous with basal flange, ventral sulcus absent. Subapical carina absent; second (dorsal) valvula with 8–10 annuli that are narrowly separated dorsally, with carinae coalescing.

Male. Length 2.0– 2.4 mm. HW:HH = 1.2–1.3. FL:HH = 1.2–1.4, F2L:F2W = 1.0–1.2 ( Fig. 12E ). Tibiae light brown. PTL:PTW = 1.6–2.3, PTL:HCL = 0.8–1.3.

Hosts. Unknown.

Plant associates. Some specimens from Charlotte, North Carolina were collected from wild carrot ( Daucus carota L.; Apiaceae ), specimens from Bangs, Texas were collected from a peach orchard, and one other specimen from Texas was swept from Gaillardia (blanket flower; Asteraceae ); none are associated with observing oviposition.

Distribution ( Fig. 11 ). United States: NC, SC, TX. Collected April–July.

Material examined. Holotype. UNITED STATES. North Carolina: Mecklenburg Co., Charlotte, Beverly Woods , 35 ° 13’48”N, 80 ° 51’0”W, 18.vi.1964, P.P. Bably [♀, deposited in ZSM: UCRCENT00245271] . Paratypes. UNITED STATES. North Carolina: Charlotte, Beverly Woods , 35 ° 08’2”N, 80 ° 50’46”W, 3.vi.1964, P.P. Bably [2♀, BMNH: UCRCENT00309301, UCRCENT00309380]; 5.vi.1964 [1³, BMNH: UCRCENT00309300]; 10.vi.1964 [2♀, BMNH: UCRCENT00309374, UCRCENT00309453]; 11.vi.1964 [3♀, ZSM: UCRCENT00245265, UCRCENT00245297, UCRCENT00245311]; 13.vi.1964 [2♀, ZSM: UCRCENT00245286– 87]; 15.vi.1964 [1♀, ZSM: UCRCENT00245313]; 17.vi.1964 [1♀, ZSM: UCRCENT00245312]; 18.vi.1964 [1♀, ZSM: UCRCENT00245270]; 2.vi.1964 [1♀, ZSM: UCRCENT00245272]; 3.vi.1964 [10♀, BMNH: UCRCENT00309378, ZSM: UCRCENT00245288–96]; 4.vi.1964 [1³ 6♀, ZSM: UCRCENT00245279–85]; 5.vi.1964 [3³ 13♀, BMNH: UCRCENT00309370–72, ZSM: UCRCENT00245298–310]; 6.vi.1964 [1♀, ZSM: UCRCENT00245316]; 7.vi.1964 [2♀, BMNH: UCRCENT00309379, ZSM: UCRCENT00245318]; 8.vi.1964 [3♀, BMNH: UCRCENT00309373, ZSM: UCRCENT00245315, UCRCENT00245317]; 9.vi.1964 [2♀, BMNH: UCRCENT00309375, ZSM: UCRCENT00245314]. South Carolina: Oconee Co., Seneca, 289m , 34 ° 41’8”N, 82 ° 57’12”W, 26.v.1962, R.O. Eikenbary, on pine [1♀, USNM: UCRCENT00416723]. Texas: C.F. Baker, 2513 [1♀, USNM: UCRCENT00248504]. Brazos Co., Jones rd. 1.6 mi n. HWY 60 , 30 ° 34’48”N, 96 ° 23’24”W, 1.vi.1975, S.J. Merritt [1♀, TAMU: UCRCENT00426206]. Brown Co., Bangs , peach orchard , 31 ° 43’2”N, 99 ° 07’57”W, 8.vi.1938, Christenson, 10280 [4♀, USNM: UCRCENT00247934–37]; 10281 [1³, USNM: UCRCENT00247939]; 9704 [1♀, USNM: UCRCENT00247938]. Leon Co., 7.6 mi N Normangee , 31 ° 08’6”N, 96 ° 07’16”W, 12.vi.1976, S.J. Merritt [1♀, TAMU: UCRCENT00243109]. Live Oak Co., 10 mi. south George West , 28 ° 10’48”N, 98 ° 06’36”W, 22.iv.1978, D.W Plitt, ex pasture [1³, TAMU: UCRCENT00426207]. Mills Co., 23 mi. w. Goldthwaite , 31 ° 27’0”N, 98 ° 57’36”W, 24.iv.1971, V.V Board [1♀, UCRC: UCRCENT00311974]. Montague Co., Bowie Lake , 8 mi N Bowie , 33 ° 39’3”N, 97 ° 55’24”W, 13.vi.1972, R.W. Thorp [1♀, UCDC: UCRCENT00416059]. Robertson Co., 3 mi. South of Camp Creek Lake , 31 ° 00’36”N, 96 ° 18’0”W, 17.v.1970, J. C. Schaffner [1♀, TAMU: UCRCENT00243110].

Etymology. Named in honor of the collector, P.P. Bably, of a large series of specimens from North Carolina.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Distribution map of species in the Orasema bakeri species group.

FIGURE 12. Orasema bablyi. Holotype female (UCRCENT00245271): A, habitus, lateral; B, head, anterior; C, mesosoma, lateral; D, antenna; F, mesosoma, dorsal; G, propodeum, posterior. Paratype male (UCRCENT00245279): E, antenna.