Ambogaster karooi Heydon

Heydon, Steven L., 2014, Review of south temperate New World Coelocybinae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), Zootaxa 3754 (4), pp. 420-434 : 422-424

Ambogaster karooi Heydon , n. sp.

( Figs 2, 3 )

Remarks. Since the description of Am. wibawae , I discovered that certain specimens designated as paratypes ( Isla Chiloé, Chepu, and road to Melleico), and even the allotype (Hullay Bajo), are actually specimens of the new species described below.

Description. Holotype, female. Color. Head with vertex and occiput brown, becoming paler ventrally and anteriorly until face brownish yellow. Mesosoma yellowish brown with broad dorsal median stripe, metapleuron, propodeum all darker. Gaster dark brown, lighter at apical tip. Legs brownish yellow. Antenna with scape brownish yellow; pedicel and flagellum brown. Wings hyaline; submarginal vein reddish brown, remainder of veins pale brownish yellow.

Sculpture. Frenum finely reticulate; dorsellum coriaceous; propodeum reticulate–striate except smooth along anterior edge, with sinuous medina carina fading out at about midlength; hind coxa smooth except lateral face carinulate along ventro-anterior edge.

Structure. Body length 3.0 mm. Head subquadrate in anterior view, relatively massive with genal area enlarged ( Fig. 2 ); width 1.1× height (53:46), 1.8× length (53:29); eye height 1.4× length (30:22), 1.7× malar distance (30.0:17.5), length 4.4× temple length (22:5); ratio of MOD:OOL:POL:LOL as 4:6:11:6; clypeus with anterior margin arcuately projecting. Antenna ( Fig. 2 ) with length of pedicel plus flagellum 0.94× head width (50:53); relative lengths of scape, pedicel, A1–2, F1–6, club as 21.0:8.0:2.0:3.5:4.0:4.5:4.5:4.0:3.5:3.0:10.0; widths of F1, F6, club as 3:5:5; anelli quadrate with 2nd anellus longer than wide and longer than F1, F1–3 longer than wide, F4 quadrate, F5–6 transverse; MPP sensilla in single row starting on 3rd flagellar segment; scape about 4× as long as wide, anterior margin lamellate and arcuately curved in lateral view ( Fig. 2 ). Mesosomal length 1.8× width (89:50). Legs with hind coxa enlarged anteriorly and filling space behind middle coxa; hind femur robust, length 3.9× maximum width (51:13). Fore wing length 2.1× width (76:36); relative lengths of submarginal, marginal, postmarginal, and stigmal veins as 77:30:42:20; speculum reduced. Gaster length 2.3× width (117:50); length 1.1× combined length of head and mesosoma; hypopygium extending 0.45× gaster length (53:117).

Allotype, male. Similar to holotype except body (including legs) brownish orange, with vertex and flagellum slightly darker and gaster dark brown. Body length 2.2 mm. Antenna ( Fig. 3 ) with length of pedicel plus flagellum 1.0× head width (53:51); relative lengths of antennal segments as 21.0:8.0:3.0:4.0:5.0:5.0:5.0:4.5:4.5:3.5:12.0; relative widths of F1, F6, club as 2:5:5; F1–2 appearing elongate, F3–4 appearing quadrate, F5–6 appearing transverse; scape length 3.0× width.

Type material. Holotype, female ( MNNC). CHILE: X Región; Isla Lemuy, Aldachildo, 20.II.1996, collected by T. Cekalovic off Fuchsia magellanica . The allotype ( UCDC) was collected in Región X, on Chiloé Island near the Río Dongo on 12.II.1997 by T. Cekalovic. Five additional paratypes were collected as follows ( UCDC): CHILE: X Región. Isla Quinchao, Hullay Bajo, 17.II.1995, 1 ♂; Quetro, 12.I.1999, 1 ♂; Isla Chiloé, San Juan de Chadmo, 10.II.1999, 1 ♀, Chepu, 12.II.1994, 1 ♂; road to Melleico, 18.II.1995, 1 ♂.

Variation. As in Am. wibawae , there is considerable color variation in this species that seems to be at least partially correlated with size. Smaller specimens, such as a paratype female with a body length of only 2.2 mm, have an almost completely brown body. The allotype male is also only 2.2 mm in length and it also is almost completely brown. The smallest male examined was only 1.7 mm in length.

Etymology. This species is named after Karoo Yang, who was born in the museum during the time this paper was written.

Biology. Unknown, but the holotype was collected off Fuchsia magellanica .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Ambogaster spp. 1. Ambogaster colyma Heydon, ♂ antenna. 2. Ambogaster kerooi n. sp., ♀ head (lateral view) and antenna. Ambogaster kerooi n. sp., ♂ antenna. Ambogaster wibawae Heydon, ♀ antenna.