Rhoptromeris macaronesiensis, Costa Baião & Forshage, 2018

Costa Baião, Guilherme & Forshage, Mattias, 2018, Revision of the West Palaearctic species of Rhoptromeris Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Eucoilinae), Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 52 (17 - 20), pp. 1201-1224 : 1218-1220

Rhoptromeris macaronesiensis sp. nov.

( Figure 3g,h )

Diagnosis

Body brown, head somewhat darker than body and metasoma with a rufous tinge anteroventrally, legs yellow, 1.0– 1.1 mm. The species is most similar to R. ru fi ventris, from which it can be separated by the distinct round incision on the posterior metapleural margin.

Description

Female antennae approximately 0.8× body size, 13-segmented, scape and pedicel yellow or light brown, flagellomeres gradually darker until brown. Indistinct club of 6 segments, rhinaria sometimes hard to distinguish. Male antenna 15-segmented with scape and pedicel yellow or light brown, flagellomeres brown, rather slender. Second flagellomere modified, not much longer than third, weakly curved. Compound eyes and ocelli small.

Mesonotum smooth, with a few scattered setae, weakly arched. Pronotal plate with lateral bridges, foveae confluent in the middle forming a transverse furrow ( Figure 2d ).

Scutellar plate elongate, eliptical. Dorsal surface flat, with a distinct margin, a few scattered setae and a relatively small posterior glandular pit. Scutellar foveae narrow, shallow ( Figure 6d ). Lateral bars smooth. Dorsal scutellar surface smooth anteriorly and with light striation posteriorly. Dorsal surface with a line of setae along its rim, separated from lateral surface by a carina. Lateral surface smooth. Scutellum very short, sloping posteriorly.

Mesopleural line present. Lateral surface of metapleura smooth, glabrous, except for 2 or 3 long setae on dorsal region. Anteroventral cavity absent. Posterior incision of metapleura present ( Figure 1d ). Area around the incision sometimes more depressed than remainder of metapleura.

Propodeum more or less pubescent laterally, tuft of hair behind posteroventral metapleural cavity. Propodeal carinae slightly converging dorsally, sometimes weakly arched.

Metasoma with a rufous tinge anteroventrally. Hairy ring incomplete or much more sparse dorsally, more dense in females.

Metacoxae rather elongate, with a small posteroproximal tuft of short hair.

Wings relatively narrow, hyaline, pubescent, apex rounded with a rather long hair fringe. Marginal cell closed or diffusely closed, 3 times as long deep, vein 2r somewhat longer than Rs. Venation light brown, accessory veins not visible.

Etymology

In reference to the fact that most studied specimens of this species were collected from the Macaronesian islands.

Distribution

West Palearctic: specimens seen from Canary Islands, Denmark, Madeira archipelago.

Holotype

Male: MADEIRA: Monte, 600 m, 3 November 1996, M. Koponen (coll Koponen).

Paratypes

(6 females, 3 males): CANARY ISLANDS: La Palma, Breña Baja, Los Cancajos Hac . S. Jorge , 22 February 1997, M . Koponen (1 female, coll Koponen ) . MADEIRA: Monte , 550–750 m, 17 December 1994, M . Koponen (1 female, coll Koponen); Babosas , 550 m, 7 December 1991, M . Koponen (1 male, coll Koponen); Romeiros , 11 May 1980, M .W.R. de V . Graham coll (1 male, BMNH (E) 1995-177); Romeiros , 20 July 1982, M .W.R. de V . Graham coll (1 male, BMNH (E) 1995-177); Curral dos Romeiros , 20 August 1982, M .W.R. de V . Graham coll (1 female, BMNH (E) 1995-489); Cruzinhas do Faisl , 11 August 1987, on lime trees, M .W .R . de Graham coll (1 female, BMNH (E) 1995-489); Romeiros , 11 May 1980, E .M. Graham, M.W.R. de V . Graham coll (1 female, BMNH (E) 1995–177); Lombada dos Vacas , 11 August 1985, M .W.R. de V . Graham coll (1 female, BMNH (E) 1995-177) .

Additional material

DENMARK: Jylland , Grene 3 July 1984 (1 female, coll Munk) .

Biology

Specimens collected in November, December, February, May, July and August in Madeira and Canary Islands, height between 550 and 750 m. One specimen collected on lime trees). The only individual from Denmark was captured in July. Probably a parasitoid of Chloropidae (Diptera) , as is known for other Rhoptromeris species.

Figures

Figure 1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the metapleura of (a) Rhoptromeris dichromata sp. nov., (b) R. koponeni sp. nov., (c) R. leptocornis sp. nov. and (d) R. macaronesiense sp. nov. Vertical arrows point to the anterior cavity of the metapleura (present in a, b and c, absent in D) while diagonal arrows indicate the posterior incision of the metapleura (present in c and d, absent in a and b).

Figure 2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the pronotal plate of (a) female Rhoptromeris dichromata sp. nov., (b) male R. leptocornis sp. nov., (c) female R. koponeni sp. nov., and (d) female R. macaronesiensis sp. nov.

Figure 3. Habitus of Rhoptromeris dichromata sp. nov. (a: female, b: male), Rhoptromeris koponeni sp. nov. (c: female, d: male), Rhoptromeris leptocornis sp. nov. (e: female, f: male) and Rhoptromeris macaronesiesis sp. nov. (g: female, h: male).

Figure 6. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the scutellum of (a) female Rhoptromeris dichromata sp. nov., (b) female R. koponeni sp. nov., (c) male R. leptocornis sp. nov., and (d) female R. macaronesiensis sp. nov.