Gonatocerus (Lymaenon) bulgaricus Donev & Triapitsyn

Triapitsyn, Serguei V., Donev, Atanas D. & Huber, John T., 2013, Descriptions of two new species of Gonatocerus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) from southeastern Europe, Zootaxa 3718 (3), pp. 277-286 : 277-281

Gonatocerus (Lymaenon) bulgaricus Donev & Triapitsyn , sp. n.

( Figs 1–7 )

Type material. Holotype: female ( Fig. 1 ) on slide [PUPB] labeled: 1. “ 21.5.1988, Rož. manastir, leg. A. Donev”; 2. “Fam. Mymaridae Gonatocerus bulgaricus sp. n.? ♀ paratype [crossed out] Holotype Det. At. Donev”; 3. [light green] “CNCI JDR-specm 2008-407”; 4. [red] “ Gonatocerus (Lymaenon) bulgaricus Donev & Triapitsyn HOLOTYPE ♀”. The holotype is mounted laterally and is in fair condition although not cleared. The type locality is Rozhen Monastery (Rozhenski manastir, in the Pirin Mountains), Sandanski Municipality, Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria.

Paratypes: BULGARIA. BLAGOEVGRAD: Novo Delcevo, 20.v.1988, A. Donev [1 ♀, 1 ♂ on slides, PUPB]. Petrich, 20.v.1988, A. Donev [3 ♀ on slides, PUPB, CNC, UCRC]; Rozhen Monastery, 21.v.1988, A. Donev [5 ♀ on slides, CNC (1), PUPB (3), UCRC (1)]. LOVECH, Glozhene [a village at the foot of Stara Planina Mountains], 26.vii.1997, A. Donev [1 ♀ on slide, PUPB]. PLOVDIV, Muldava [a village at the foot of Rhodope Mountains], 8.v.1980, A. Donev [1 ♀ on slide, PUPB].

Other material examined. BULGARIA. BLAGOEVGRAD, Sandanski, 20.v.1988, A. Donev [1 ♂, PUPB]. GREECE. MACEDONIA, Provatas, 6.vii.1983, A. Donev [1 ♂, PUPB]. These appear to belong to this species but because their identity is not absolutely certain (no conspecific females were collected in the same localities), they are not included in the type series of G. bulgaricus .

Description. FEMALE (holotype and paratypes). Body length 970–1230 µm. Body and antenna mostly dark brown except base of gaster light brown to brown (scape and pedicel often a little lighter than flagellum); legs segments light to dark brown.

Antenna ( Figs 1 , 2 , 4 ) with radicle about 0.3× total length of scape, rest of scape with transverse ridges on inner surface; pedicel longer than F1; F2 longer than F1, F3–F6 subequal in length, longer than preceding funicle segments and a little longer than F7 or F8; mps on F4 (0 ( Fig. 4 ), 1, or 2 ( Fig. 2 )), F5 (1 or 2), F6 (2), F7 (2) and F8 (2); clava with 8 mps, 3.2–4.0× as long as wide, longer than combined length of F7 and F8 and shorter than combined length of F6–F8.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 1 ). Mesoscutum and scutellum with fine but conspicuous sculpture. Propodeum with submedian lines rather wide apart.

Fore wing ( Figs 1 , 5 ) 3.0–3.3× as long as wide; longest marginal seta 0.17–0.19× maximum wing width; discal setae originate usually behind apex of submarginal vein (rarely behind base of marginal vein); area between marginal vein and cubital row of setae and also the rest of disc uniformly, densely setose; disc almost hyaline except infumate behind submarginal vein and base of marginal vein. Hind wing ( Figs 1 , 5 ) 21–23× as long as wide; disc densely setose (although a little sparser behind venation) with setae arranged in more or less 5 or 6 rows; longest marginal seta 2.3–2.6× maximum wing width.

Metasoma. Petiole strap-like, much wider than long. Gaster longer than mesosoma. Ovipositor 1.8–2.5× length of mesotibia and, in lateral view, occupying entire length of gaster ( Figs 1 , 3 , 6 ), projecting forward under petiole and extending to posterior margin of propodeum anteriorly, and slightly to notably exserted posteriorly beyond gastral apex (by 0.05–0.16× total ovipositor length).

Measurements of the holotype (µm). Body 1119; head 227; mesosoma 443; gaster 602; ovipositor 627. Antenna: scape minus radicle 151; pedicel 56; F1 36; F2 52; F3 71; F4 73; F5 75; F6 75 (70); F7 67; F8 57; clava 173. Fore wing 1095:350; longest marginal seta 61. Hind wing 905:42; longest marginal seta 97.

MALE (paratype). Body length 1150 µm. Similar to female except for normal sexually dimorphic features such as antenna and genitalia. Gaster relatively shorter than in female, shorter than mesosoma. Antenna ( Fig. 7 ) with transverse ridges on scape, the latter 1.7× as long as wide; pedicel small, about as long as wide; flagellomeres subequal in length, each with 6–8 mps. Fore wing 2.8× as long as wide, longest marginal seta 0.2× maximum wing width; hind wing 21× as long as wide, longest marginal seta 2.2× maximum wing width.

Hosts. Unknown.

Diagnosis. Females of G. bulgaricus are characterized by the combination of the antenna with long funicle segments ( Figs 2 , 4 ), presence of mps at least on F5–F8 (F 4 may have or lack mps), and a long gaster with the ovipositor occupying its entire length ( Figs 3 , 6 ).

In Triapitsyn (2013), the G. bulgaricus specimens with slightly projecting ovipositors key to the same couplet as G. (Lymaenon) komarik Triapitsyn (to which it is most similar, known from France) and G. (Lymaenon) kulik Triapitsyn (known from the Far East of Russia). Gonatocerus bulgaricus differs from G. komarik in having usually 2 mps (occasionally only 1) on F5 and 2 mps on F6 of the female antenna (F5 without mps and F6 either without mps or at most with 1 mps in G. komarik ). Gonatocerus kulik usually has 9 (occasionally as many as 11) mps on clava of the female antenna whereas G. bulgaricus always has 8 mps. Also in Triapitsyn (2013), specimens of G. bulgaricus with notably projecting ovipositors key to G. (Lymaenon) kusaka Triapitsyn (known from the Far East of Russia) from which they differ in having 2 mps on F8 and 8 mps on the clava (4 or 5 and 9 or 10 mps, respectively, in G. k u s a ka). The following couplets are thus modified accordingly in Triapitsyn’s (2013: 39–40) key to females of G. ( Lymaenon ) to accommodate G. bulgaricus :

5(4) Fore wing ( Figs 1 , 5 ) wide, at most 3.3× as long as wide [also Fig. 135 in Triapitsyn (2013)]........................ 5’ - Fore wing narrow, at least 4.2× as long as wide [Fig. 175 in Triapitsyn (2013)]............ G. (Lymaenon) novickyi Soyka 5’(5) F8 with 2 mps, clava with 8 mps............................ G. (Lymaenon) bulgaricus Donev & Triapitsyn sp. n. (part) – F8 with 4 or 5 mps, clava with 9 or 10 mps....................................... G. (Lymaenon) kusaka Triapitsyn 8(7) Clava with at least 9 mps.................................................. G. (Lymaenon) kulik Triapitsyn (part) - Clava with 8 mps..................................................................................... 8’ 8’(8) F5 at least with 1 mps (usually with 2 mps); F6 with 2 mps....... G. (Lymaenon) bulgaricus Donev & Triapitsyn sp. n. (part) - F5 without mps; F6 at most with 1 mps......................................... G. (Lymaenon) komarik Triapitsyn

Figures

FIGURE 1. Gonatocerus bulgaricus female (holotype): habitus and slide.

FIGURES 2, 3. Gonatocerus bulgaricus female (holotype). 2. Antennae. 3. Gaster.

FIGURES 4 – 7. Gonatocerus bulgaricus, paratypes. 4 – 6. Female (Muldava, Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria): 4. Antenna. 5. Fore and hind wings. 6. Gaster. 7. Male antennae.