Telenomus nizwaensis Polaszek, 2024

Polaszek, Andrew, 2024, Telenomus nizwaensis Polaszek sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae): availability of the species name, Journal of Natural History 58 (25 - 28), pp. 771-774 : 772-773

Telenomus nizwaensis Polaszek sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1A2DCC9A-3D76-44BB-94E2-ABCE73ED6734

Telenomus nizwaensis Polaszek in Polaszek et al. 2021, figs. 1–12 (unavailable name).

Material examined. Holotype ♂: OMAN, Al Jabal Al Akhdar (part of the Hajar mountain range in Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate of Oman ; capital city of Nizwa ); June 2015 ex eggs of D eudorix livia . R. Al Shidi and A. Al-Riyami col. DNA1309: A14; genitalia mounted separately on microscope slide ( NHMUK 013377700 ; HYM 9.1024) . Paratypes: 5♀ 20♂, same data as holotype (3♀ [2 sputter-coated for scanning electron microscopy] 10♂, NHMUK 013378214–03378227; 1♀ 1♂ ONHM, 1♀ 1♂ USNM).

Differential diagnosis

Telenomus nizwaensis can be distinguished from all species for which CO1 barcode sequences are available (about 40) by its unique barcode sequence, which has been deposited in GenBank under accession numbers MT635051–MT635053. The 28S sequence is also unique among Telenomus species having 28S sequences available in GenBank (about 30). The 28S sequences have been deposited in GenBank under accession numbers MT636558–MT636560. Female T. nizwaensis are morphologically unique, being the only species known so far in the T. californicus complex with papillary sensilla present only on the last four antennomeres (last five antennomeres in other species of the complex).

Description

Colour (holotype): almost entirely dark brown-black, with the following paler: apices of all tibiae; basitarsi. Wings hyaline.

Morphology (holotype): Vertex smoothly rounded onto occiput; entire vertex with deep reticulate sculpture; occiput entirely smooth, occipital carina present, higher and weaker centrally; hyperoccipital carina absent; frons smooth, reticulate sculpture present between lower inner eye margins and toruli; interantennal process and frontal depression absent. Frons moderately convex between inner orbits and toruli; eyes setose; malar region smooth; malar sulcus present; gena with reticulate sculpture behind eyes. Antennae 11-merous.

Mesoscutum flattened, entirely reticulately sculptured except posterior lateral corners (above axillae) which are smooth; scutellum mostly smooth; axillae smooth. Lateral portion of scutoscutellar sulcus foveolate. Length of intercoxal space longer than fore coxae. Netrion present as area of smooth surface sculpture, delimited dorsally by weak indication of netrion sulcus. Mesopleural pit deep, slightly transverse, with weak sulcus extending towards tegula. Acropleural sulcus more or less continuous, the foveae almost completely merged; acetabular carina short, without post-acetabular sulcus (ie no foveae present; post-acetabular patch clearly indicated, setose; episternal foveae absent; metapleural carina broadly foveolate; metapleural sulcus indicated as a weak, shallow groove posterior to the metapleural pit; anteroventral surface of metapleuron with a series of fine grooves that extend towards the acutely pointed anteroventral extension. Metascutellum (= dorsellum) with deep, regular reticulation in anterior half and weak longitudinal carinae in posterior half, interstices smooth.

Metasoma: T1 with 1 pair of sublateral setae, 2 pairs of lateral setae. Basal costae on T1 reaching its posterior margin centrally; basal costae on T2 present as a row of foveae. Ventral metasoma entirely smooth, a pair of large setae close to the posterior margin of S2; many smaller setae present on laterotergites centrally.

Genitalia. Central projection absent; digiti large relative to aedeagal lobe (about half its length); aedeagal lobe 0.40× length aedeagovolsellar shaft, truncate. Digiti with 3 digital teeth. Basal ring comprising 0.30× length of entire aedeagus.

Variation. Length 0.71–0.79 mm. Extensive variation in colour with many specimens, including paratypes with the metasoma lighter than in the holotype. Morphologically extremely uniform.

Female: Morphologically similar to male with the main exception of the antenna. Clava present and 4-merous, papillary sensilla on A8(1); A9(2); A10(2); A11(1). F1 slightly longer than wide, all other antennomeres wider than long, except A11 (terminal claval segment).

Species-group placement. Telenomus californicus complex.

Host. Known from the eggs of its natural host, Deudorix livia ( Lepidoptera : Lycaenidae ). Observations of emergence from eggs of other hosts require confirmation.

Distribution. Oman.