Eupelmus (Episolindelia) fuscipectus, Gibson, CNC, 2011

Gibson, Gary A. P., 2011, 2951, Zootaxa 2951, pp. 1-97 : 12-13

2. Eupelmus (Episolindelia) fuscipectus n. sp.

Fig. 5; Map 2

Type material. HOLOTYPE (♀, CNC no. 23945): USA: FL: Seminole Co., Sanford , CFREC, 18.VIII.1987, V. Gupta, MT / Holotype Eupelmus (Episolindelia) fuscipectus Gibson, CNC Type no. 23945. [Condition: pointmounted; entire.]

PARATYPES (20♀). USA. ARIZONA: Santa Cruz Co., Pena Blanca Lake , 1.0 mi. S., 4100', 6.VIII.82, G. Gibson (1♀) . FLORIDA: Alachua Co., Gainesville , American Entomological Institute — 24-30.IV.86, J. LaSalle (1♀) ; 17-24.VII.87, BRC Hym. Team (1♀); 19-30.X.86, D. Wahl (1♀). Brevard Co., Titusville, State Road 405, Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, White Trail , 21.II-7.III.2000, Z. Prusak, P.J. Russell & S.M. Fullerton, Xeric Oak Hammock (1♀ UCFC) . Seminole Co., Econ Wildlife Area , 1.X.2000, T. Smith, P. Russell & S.M. Fullerton, Scrub Oak / Saw Palmetto (unburned) (1♀ UCFC) . Sanford , CFREC, 1.IX.87 (1♀) , 28.IX.87 (1♀), 13.X.87 (2♀, CNC Photo 2010-5), V. Gupta. MISSISSIPPI: Bolivar Co., Boyle , 19 km W. on Hwy 446, 33º42'N 99º55'W, 20.VII- 3.VIII.97, N.N. Schiff (1♀ UCDC) . NEW MEXICO: Lincoln Co., Lincoln , 2 mi. E., 5600', 18.VI.82, G. Gibson (1♀) . TEXAS: Brazos Co., Lick Creek Park, College Station , 8-21.IX.81, J.B. Woolley, R. Cecora (1♀) . Gillespie Co., Fredericksburg , 3, 9.V.88, H. & M. Townes (2♀ AEIC) . Kerr Co., Center Point , 21.VI-6.VIII.87, R. Wharton (1♀) . Nacogdoches Co., Steven F. Austin Experimental Forest , Angelina National Forest , 12 km E. Nacogdoches, 30º21'N 94º47'W, 16.V-5.VI.2003, N. Schiff & C. Rudolph (2♀ UCDC) . VIRGINIA: Fairfax Co., near Annandale , 28.V-4.VI.88, D. Smith, MT (1♀) . WEST VIRGINIA: Hardy Co., Mathias , 3 mi. NE, 38º54.6'N 78º52.8'W, 6.IX-2.X.07, D.R. Smith (1♀, USNM) .

Extralimital specimens excluded from type series. BRAZIL. Guanabara: Represa Rio Grande , VII.72, F.H. Oliveira (1♀) . Pernambuco: Caruaru , IV-V.72, M. Alvarenga (1♀) . MEXICO. Chiapas: L. [Lagunas de] Montebello National Park , 13.VI.69, W.R.Mason (1♀) . Munic. Ocozocoautla , El Aguacero, 1800'-2200', 8.VIII.90, J.W. Woolley (1♀) . Puebla: Acatepec , 4.4 mi. SW, 9.VII.81, Bogar, Schaffner & Friedlander (1♀ TAMU) .

Etymology. A noun in apposition; combination of the Latin words fusci (dark) and pectus (breast) in reference to its dark mesosoma as opposed to that of E. rubicola .

Description. FEMALE (Fig. 5). Length about 2.0− 3.9 mm. Head dark brown with slight metallic lusters under some angles of light; maxillary and labial palpi brown. Antenna sometimes entirely dark brown, but usually scape partly to entirely yellow to yellowish orange and sometimes inner surface of pedicel light brown to yellowish. Mesosoma dark brown with V-shaped, posteriorly protuberant part of dorsellum usually yellowish, and mesoscutum medially and propodeum with metallic green or bluish-green lusters under most angles of light, at least in larger specimens. Front leg with trochanter, almost all of femur, and tibia at least subbasally brown, but knee, tibia variably extensively apically, tarsus, and usually trochantellus at least in part yellowish. Middle leg with coxa yellow to yellowish-brown, otherwise yellow except for variably distinct, short, subbasal brown band or spot on tibia and subapical brownish region on femur opposite tibial mark when femur and tibia appressed. Hind leg yellow except for about basal two-thirds of coxa. Gaster dark brown except with metallic green or bluish-green lusters dorsobasally and laterally under some angles of light, at least in larger specimens; ovipositor sheath bicolored with medial yellowish band and similar brown basal and apical bands, the medial band often somewhat longer than apical band but occupying about medial third of sheath.

Head with frons finely coriaceous, but scrobal depression or at least scrobes extensively smooth and shiny; IOD about 0.4−0.5× head width; OOL: POL: LOL: MPOD = 0.8−1.0: 1.8−2.5: 1.1−1.4: 1.0. Antenna with flagellum elongate-gracile, combined length of flagellum + pedicel about 1.6−1.75× width of head, fl1 slightly transverse to quadrate and subsequent funiculars all obviously longer than wide but increasing only slightly in width distally such that pedicel at least slightly and usually distinctly shorter than combined length of fl1 + fl2, fl2 about 2.5−3.6× and fl8 about 1.3−1.7× as long as wide, and clava about one-quarter to one-third as long as funicle and about 2.7−4.0× as long as wide. Mesoscutum finely coriaceous, the cells larger medially than on lateral lobes; scutellar-axillar complex finely coriaceous, the cells smaller than on mesoscutum medially. Acropleuron with very fine meshlike sculpture, the sculpture often almost effaced mesally but at least much smaller than posteriorly, and more or less distinctly aligned longitudinally except toward anterior and posterior margins. Forewing setose except for linea calva; mv about 1.5−1.6× as long as pmv and about 3.7−3.8× as long as stv; pmv about 2.3−2.5× as long as stv. Mesotibia without apical pegs; mesotarsus ventrally with even line of closely spaced, yellowish-orange to reddish pegs on either side of at least basal 3 tarsomeres, the fourth tarsomere usually with 1 inconspicuous apical peg on either side. Propodeum with short plical region and median carina behind dorsellum, the V-like plical depression not extending to foramen. Ovipositor sheaths often curved but about half as long as gaster and about as long as mv.

MALE. Unknown, but presumably very similar to males of E. (Episolindelia) rubicola .

Distribution. Southern and eastern USA to about 40ºN (Map 2), but apparently much more widely distributed through Central America and South America to at least 23ºS in Brazil.

Biology. Unknown.

Map 2. Regional distribution of E. fuscipectus .