Gasteruption smithi, Macedo, 2011

Macedo, Antonio Carlos Cruz, 2011, A revision of Gasteruption Latreille (Hymenoptera: Gasteruptiidae) in the Neotropical Region 3030, Zootaxa 3030 (1), pp. 1-62 : 49-50

Gasteruption smithi n. sp. ( Fig. 22 )

Etymology. The epithet for this species is in honor of Dr. David R. Smith, U.S. Department for Agriculture, National Museum of Natural History.

Diagnosis. Differs from other Neotropical species by the combination of the following characters: head longer than wide ( Fig. 22a ); hind tarsus entirely dark brown ( Fig. 22e ); mesoscutum rugulose ( Fig. 22c ); metacoxa striate; occipital carina relatively wide dorsally and laterally ( Fig. 22b ); ovipositor sheath longer than the metasoma ( Fig. 22c ); and fore wing discal cell absent.

Description. Female ( Fig. 22e ). Length: 12.3 mm (11.3–14.0 mm) (n=6); ovipositor sheath length 0.79 (0.70– 0.88) × body length.

Head. Subtrapezoidal in dorsal view, longer than wide ( Fig. 22a ), punctulate; mandible pre-apical tooth distinct; malar space short, almost separated from gena; posterior ocellus inserted at the level of upper eye margin; occipital carina relatively wide dorsally and laterally ( Fig. 22b ). Head length 1.30 (1.25–1.35) × eye length; eye length 18.44 (17.33–20.33) × malar space; distance from posterior ocellus to occipital margin 1.72 (1.58–1.83) × distance between posterior ocelli; 1 st flagellomere 1.23 (1.09–1.33) × as long as scape, 1.36 (1.30–1.56) × as long as pedicel, 0.65 (0.53–0.72) × as long as 2 nd flagellomere. Color: black, clypeus with anterior portion lighter than remaining.

Mesosoma. Propleuron imbricate; pronotal process short; pronotum imbricate, area between lobes rugulose to crenulate; mesonotum rounded in lateral view ( Fig. 22d ); mesoscutum and mesoscutelum rugulose ( Fig. 22c ); mesepisternum imbricate dorsally and rugulose ventrally; mesepimeron scrobiculate to rugulose; metapleuron rugulose, ventral region with a reduced smooth portion; propodeum areolate, longitudinal carina distinct; metacoxa finely striate. Mesosoma (excluding propleuron) 2.20 (1.98–2.31) × as long as high; propleuron 1.92 (1.71–2.10) × longer than its largest wide, 1.17 (1.09–1.30) × pronotum length; metacoxa 2.86 (2.67–3.13) × as long as wide; metatibia 4.55 (4.06–4.88) × as long as wide, 1.48 (1.34–1.67) × as long as femur, 3.03 (2.91–3.25) × as long as 1 st tarsomere. Fore wing discal cell absent; hind wing with 3 hamuli, not or almost equidistant. Color: propleuron and mesonotum black; pronotum, mesopleuron and metapleuron red brown, with some black areas; propodeum black; fore and middle legs with coxa dark brown, trochanter, femur and tibia red brown, tibia with a yellow longitudinal stripe, 1 st tarsomere yellow, remaining yellow to red brown; hind leg with coxa, trochanter, femur and tibia dark brown, subbasal portion of tibia yellow, tarsus dark brown.

Metasoma. Imbricate, 3.03 (2.82–3.30) × as long as mesosoma; subgenital sternun notched, Y-shaped; ovipositor sheath 1.26 (1.08–1.44) × as long as metasoma. Color: dark brown; ovipositor sheath black to dark brown, with apex yellow brown.

Male. Similar to female.

Geographic distribution: Argentina (Tucumán), Bolivia.

Material examined. Holotype, female ( AEIC): ARGENTINA: Tucumán: Tafi, Horco Molle, nr Tucumán , 28.I–3.II.1966, L. Stange.

Paratypes: ARGENTINA: Tucumán: Tafi, Horco Molle , 8–15.I.1966, 18.I.1966, H. & M. Townes, 4♀ ( AEIC) ; Trancas, San Pedro de Calalao , I.1952, J.M. Arnau, 1♀ ( IMLA) ; Trancas, Tacanas , 1.II.1953, J.M. Arnau, 1♂ ( IMLA) ; BOLIVIA: Chuquisaca: E. Monteagudo, 23.XII.1984, L.E. Peña, 2♂ ( AEIC) .

Figures

FIGURE 22. Gasteruption smithi. a: head in dorsal view; b: head in lateral view; c: mesonotum in dorsal view; d: mesosoma in lateral view; e. habitus. Scale bar: 1.0 mm.