Dolichogenidea kelleri Fagan-Jeffries & Austin, 2019

Fagan-Jeffries, Erinn P., Cooper, Steven J. B. & Austin, Andrew D., 2019, New species of Australian microgastrine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) documented through the ‘ Bush Blitz’ surveys of national reserves, Zootaxa 4560 (3), pp. 401-440 : 423-425

Dolichogenidea kelleri Fagan-Jeffries & Austin sp. nov.

( Fig. 13 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9E4C3CF1-EF91-423B-B8EA-2690BE5BB069

Material examined (including Genbank numbers of DNA barcodes). Holotype: South Australia: ♀ Bon Bon Stn, 30°37'34"S 135°24'11"E, 25–28/x/2010, S. Mantel, F.C., R. Kittel, G. Taylor, Bush Blitz Svy Malaise 9 amongst Senna artemisioides, Acacia tetragonophila , A. aneura , & A. victoriae (SAMA: 32-036130; Genbank COI: MH138911 WG: MH139346 ). Paratypes: South Australia: ♂ Great Victoria Desert, Cook Road, - 28.9684°S 130.0772°E to - 29.0449°S 129.9475°E, 29/viii/2015, J.A. Forrest, R. Leijs, vehicle net (SAMA: 32- 036131; Genbank COI: MK073915 ). ♀ Great Victoria Desert Bush Blitz, 29°6'49"S 129°32'29"E, 23/ix/2017, E. Fagan-Jeffries, sweeping general vegetation, 250 m (SAMA: 32-035459; Genbank COI: MH138909 WG: MH139344 ). 2♂ Great Victoria Desert, 29.453611°S 129.534722°E, 24/ix/2017, E. Fagan-Jeffries, sweeping Senna artemisioides (one in ethanol) (SAMA: 32-036132 pinned, SAMA: 32-036133 in ethanol; Genbank COI: MK073913 , MK073912 , respectively). ♂ Great Victoria Desert, 29.176111°S 129.949722°E, 26/ix/2017, E. Fagan-Jeffries, sweeping Dodonaea sp. (SAMA: 32-036134; Genbank COI: MK073914 ).

Diagnosis. Dolichogenidea kelleri can be separated from D. bonbonensis by having a longer ovipositor (ovipositor sheaths equal in length to metatibia rather than shorter than metatibia), a narrower T1, and a less clearly defined propodeal areola. Dolichogenidea kelleri can be separated from D. biroi , D. lipsis , D. ilione and D. tasmanica by the absence of a white gena blotch. Dolichogenidea acratos , D. brabyi , D. hyposidrae , D. eucalypti , D. expulsa , D. garytaylori and D. orelia all have ovipositor sheaths shorter than D. kelleri , less than half the length of the metatibia. Dolichogenidea carposinae , D. coequata , D. cyamon , D. finchi , D. ilione , D. iulis , D. labaris , D. lobesiae , D. mediocaudata , D. miris , D. platyedrae , D. stantoni , and D. xenomorph all have ovipositor sheaths longer than the metatibia, and clearly longer than that of D. kelleri . Dolichogenidea hyblaeae has ovipositor slightly longer than the metatibia, and a completely smooth propodeum with only a slight depression indicating the areola, whilst D. kelleri has the areola clearly defined in the posterior half. Dolichogenidea inquisitor also has ovipositor sheaths only slightly longer than the metatibia (ovipositor sheaths measured as 1.25 x metatibia on holotype, description states 1.5 x) but can be separated by having a complete propodeal areola which is strongly carinate anteriorly, as opposed to the more indistinct anterior half of the areola in D. kelleri . Dolichogenidea gentilis and D. heterusiae both have strong carinae along the lateral margins of T1 which are absent in D. kelleri . Dolichogenidea agonoxenae is described as having a strongly formed propodeal areola and costulae, distinguishing this species from D. kelleri , which has a more indistinct areola with formed by small diverging carinae rather than a single strong carina. The description of D. upoluensis was not clear enough to confirm any diagnostic differences, but we consider it almost certainly a distinct species based on the geographic location; D. upoluensis was bred from a leaf-roller on Ficus sp. in Samoa, whilst D. kelleri is from arid South Australia ( Table 1).

Description. FEMALE. Colour: all dark, antenna dark; coxae (pro-, meso-, metacoxa) dark, dark, dark; femora (pro-, meso-, metafemur) dark to paler at posterior end, dark to paler at posterior end, dark; tibiae (pro-, meso-, metatibia) pale, pale, pale in anterior half, dark in posterior half; tegula and humeral complex dark; pterostigma dark; fore wing veins pale proximally, dark distally. Head: antenna slightly shorter than body length; body length (head to apex of metasoma) 2.2–2.6 mm; ocular–ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter 1.7–2.0; interocellar distance/posterior ocellus diameter 1.8–2.1. Mesosoma : anteromesoscutum evenly and densely punctate; mesoscutellar disc with a few fine punctures associated with setae; number of pits in scutoscutellar sulcus 12–14; maximum height of mesoscutellum lunules/maximum height of lateral face of mesoscutellum 0.5–0.6. Wings: fore wing length 2.3–2.5 mm; length of veins r/2RS 1.3–1.7; length of veins 2RS/2M 1.0–1.3; length of veins 2M/(RS+M)b 0.8–1.1; pterostigma length/width 2.5–2.8. Legs: metatibia inner spur length/metabasitarsus length 0.5. Propodeum: areola clearly defined in posterior half, anterior half less well defined, carinae forming anterior half of areola and lateral carinae formed of small diverging carinae rather than a single clear carina, areola open at anterior end, propodeum otherwise mostly smooth. Metasoma: T1 length/width at posterior margin 1.2– 1.3; T1 shape broad, rectangular, almost parallel-sided; T1 sculpture rugose with irregularly shaped punctures, longitudinal strigosity or rugosity in posterior half, smoother area centrally; T2 width at posterior margin/length 3.5–4.0; T2 sculpture almost smooth, some sparse punctures associated with setae; T3 sculpture smooth and shiny; hypopygium with central membranous area mid-ventrally; ovipositor sheaths length/metatibial length 1.0.

MALE. As female, but with antenna longer than body, T1 and T2 slightly longer relative to width.

Etymology. This species is named for Professor Mike Keller, who hosted author EPF-J as part of the ‘CSIRO Student Research Project’ many years ago, and helped inspire a high school student to a career in entomology. The species name is an invariable genitive.

Distribution. This species is currently only known from the arid zone of central South Australia.

Remarks. The measurement of the ovipositor sheaths length was made difficult by the highly curved sheaths of the holotype, and the missing sheaths in the paratype. This species is closely related to D. bonbonensis based on both morphological and molecular evidence. The WG sequences of these two species differ by only 1–3 bp, however, the COI sequences are at least 10% different, far above the 2% divergence often used for species delimitation in microgastrines. Morphologically there are also clear differences that can be used to separate the two species (see diagnosis). No information is known about possible host species. The BOLD BIN for D. kelleri is BOLD:ADL2799.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Dolichogenidea kelleri A. holotype, dorsal mesosoma and metasoma (part); B. holotype, lateral metasoma; C. paratype, fore wing; D. paratype, dorsal habitus; E. holotype, anterior head.