Synergus khazani Melika & Schwéger, 2015

Schwéger, Szabina, Melika, George, Tang, Chang-Ti, Bihari, Péter, Bozsó, Miklós, Stone, Graham N., Nicholls, James A. & Pénzes, Zsolt, 2015, New species of cynipid inquilines of the genus Synergus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) from the Eastern Palaearctic, Zootaxa 3999 (4), pp. 451-497 : 478-482

Synergus khazani Melika & Schwéger , new species

Figs 91–106

Type material. HOLOTYPE female: RUSSIA (RU266) Khazan Lake, nr North Korea border, 26.IX.2008., leg. G. Stone, ex asex. gall of Andricus mukaigawae on Quercus mongolica . 99 female and 64 male PARATYPES: 9 females and 7 males: RUSSIA (RU271, RU217, RU268, RU272, RU266) Khazan Lake, nr North Korea border, 26.IX.2008., leg. G. Stone, ex asex. gall of Andricus mukaigawae on Quercus mongolica ; 2 females and 1 male: RUSSIA (RU261, RU37) Khazan Lake, nr North Korea border, on Quercus dentata 26.IX.2008., leg. G. Stone, ex asex. gall of Andricus kashiwaphilus ; 10 females and 9 males: RUSSIA (RU455, RU126, RU29, RU461, RU123, RU462) Khazan Lake, nr North Korea border, 26.IX.2008., leg. G. Stone, ex asex. gall of Andricus kashiwaphilus on Quercus dentata ; 3 females: RUSSIA (RU312) road to Telyakovskogo Bay, on Quercus dentata 27.IX.2008., leg G. Stone, ex asex. gall of Andricus kashiwaphilus ; 4 females: RUSSIA (RU417, RU316) Vityaz Bay, road to Telyakovskogo Bay, 27.IX.2008., leg G. Stone, ex asex. gall of Andricus kashiwaphilus on Quercus dentata ; 1 female and 3 males: RUSSIA (RU418) Ryazonovka Village, nr Vityaz Bay, on Quercus dentata , 25.IX.2008., leg. G. Stone, ex asex. gall of Andricus kashiwaphilus ; 20 females and 12 males: RUSSIA (RU416, RU417, RU419, RU414, RU275, RU276) Ryazonovka Village, nr Vityaz Bay, on Quercus dentata , 25.IX.2008., leg. G. Stone, ex asex. gall of Andricus kashiwaphilu ; 3 females and 2 males: RUSSIA (RU380) Kraskino, Primorskij Kraj, 25.IX.2008., leg. G. Stone, ex asex. gall of Andricus kashiwaphilus on Quercus dentata ; 38 females and 20 males: JAPAN (JP1234, JP1223, JP1226, JP1181, JP1172, JP1154, JP1224, JP1164, JP1162, JP1233, JP1216, JP1222, JP1220, JP1200, JP1168, JP1193, JP1202, JP1183) Ishikarii Coast, nr Sapporo, 09.X.2008., leg. J. Nicholls, ex Andricus kashiwaphilus gall on Quercus dentata ; 4 females and 1male: JAPAN (JP648, JP636, JP642) Minami Chitose, 10.X.2008., leg J. Nicholls, ex Andricus kashiwaphilus gall on Quercus dentata ; 1 female: JAPAN (JP1024) Tomakomai Experimental Forest, 07.X.2008., leg. J. Nicholls, ex Andricus kashiwaphilus gall on Quercus dentata ; 4 females and 3 males: JAPAN (JP611) Mt. Moiwa, nr Sapporo, 07.X.2008., leg. J. Nicholls, ex Andricus kashiwaphilus gall on Quercus dentata .

The female holotype, 69 female and 34 male paratypes are deposited in PHMB, 10 female and 10 male paratypes in USNM and 20 female and 20 male paratypes in NCHU.

Etymology. The species is named after the Khasan lake ( Russia, Far East, Primorskij Kraj), in the vicinity of which this species was reared for the first time.

Diagnosis: Synergus khazani most closely resembles two Eastern Palaearctic species, Synergus japonicus and S. gifuensis . In S. khazani F 1 in female 3.3 times as long as pedicel, 1.25 times as long as F2 ( Fig. 97 ), F 1 in male expanded only apically ( Fig. 98 ), while in S. japonicus and S. gifuensis F 1 in female only 2.0 times as long as pedicel, subequal with F2; F 1 in male expanded apically and basally. In S. khazani the posterodorsal incision of the syntergite twice deeper ( Fig. 105–106 ) than in S. japonicus and S. gifuensis . In S. khazani the distance between antennal toruli less than the diameter of torulus, the frons between frontal carinae with distinct deep punctures ( Fig. 91–92 ), while in S. japonicus the distance between antennal toruli 2.0 times as long as the diameter of torulus, the frons between frontal carinae with shallow punctures. In S. khazani the head from above transverse ( Fig. 92 ), scutellar foveae with dull rugose bottom, not delimited from mesoscutellum disk, not divided by a median carina ( Fig. 102 ), while in S. gifuensis the head is more robust from above, scutellar foveae with coriaceous, bottom, divided by a distinct median carina, posteriorly well-delimited from the mesoscutellum disk. Other two herein described species, S. abei and S. changtitangi , also somehow resembles S. khazani . For details see Diagnosis of S. abei and S. changtitangi and also the key to species.

Description. FEMALE. Head and mesosoma black to dark brown; antenna light brown, mouthparts, maxillary and labial palps yellowish; legs yellowish brown with darker coxae; wings with yellowish brown venation; 1st metasomal tergite always dark brown, rest of metasoma yellowish brown, dorsally always darker than laterally.

Head dull rugose, ovate, 1.25 times as broad as high in frontal view; slightly broader than mesosoma, 2.0 times as broad as long in dorsal view. Lower face, malar space, and gena behind eye with dense white setae, row of setae present along inner margin of eye, postgena with setae, posterior areas aside hypostoma with much denser setae. Eye 1.8 times as high as length of malar space. Malar sulcus absent, strong striae radiating from clypeus and reaching eye and torulus. Clypeus very small, smoothly joins central area of lower face, with striae, slightly impressed, ventrally straight, not emarginate; epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line indistinct, anterior tentorial pit small, distinct. Lower face entirely and uniformly with distinct numerous striae radiating from clypeus and extending to lower level of toruli and eyes. Frons delicately coriaceous laterally of strong frontal carinae, with numerous deep punctures between frontal carinae; interocellar area dull rugose. Transfacial distance closely same length as height of eye; distance between inner margin of eye and torulus slightly shorter than diameter of torulus; diameter of torulus 1.6 times as long as distance between toruli. POL 2.1 times as long as OOL and 1.8 times as long as LOL; length of lateral ocellus 1.2 times as long as OOL. Vertex dull rugose, with distinct, numerous, deep punctures, with few white setae. Occiput smooth. Gena not broadened behind eye in frontal view, dull rugose, with some white setae. Postgenal bridge reduced to long, narrow median strip; postgenal sulci united well before reaching hypostoma; posterior tentorial pit distinct, area around occipital foramen well-impressed, smooth, shiny.

Antenna with 12 flagellomeres, pedicel 1.2 times as long as broad, F1 1.25 times as long as F2 and 3.3 times as long as pedicel; F2=F3, F12 1.8 times as long as F11; placoid sensillae on F3–F12, invisible on F1–F2.

Mesosoma 1.2 times as long as high in lateral view. Sides of pronotum angled in dorsal view; pronotum rugose, laterally with some strong short interrupted rugae, area between them weakly coriaceous or almost smooth. Propleuron alutaceous with some transverse striae and short white setae. Mesoscutum nearly as long as broad measuring along anterior edge of tegulae, with white dense setae; uniformly dull rugose, with short interrupted transverse rugae, especially between notauli. Notaulus complete, reaching pronotum, slightly broadened anteriorly, with smooth bottom. Anterior parallel line distinct, extending to ¼ of mesoscutum length; parapsidal line distinct, smooth, extending to half length of mesoscutum; distinct parascutal carina present, reaches pronotum; median mesoscutal line deeply impressed in posterior half, complete or extending to 3/4 of mesoscutum length.

Dorsoaxillar area coriaceous; lateroaxillar area joins dorsoaxillar area at acute angle. Mesoscutellum slightly longer than broad, uniformly dull rugose. Scutellar foveae transverse, deeply impressed, with rugose bottom, not separated by distinct narrow median carina, not delimited posteriorly. Mesopectus with transverse parallel longitudinal striae, with smooth area between striae. Metapleural sulcus reaches posterior margin of mesopectus in upper 1/3 of its height. Propodeum glabrous, with dense long whitish setae laterally and centrally; lateral propodeal carina distinct, nearly straight; central propodeal area delicately coriaceous, with dense whitish setae. Metascutellum smooth, much shorter than smooth ventral impressed area; metanotal trough smooth, with few short setae. Nucha with longitudinal parallel rugae dorsally and laterally.

Fore wing veins brown or yellowish brown; margin with long cilia; radial cell closed, 2.4–2.6 times as long as broad; Rs and R1 slightly curved, areolet present. Legs with short white setae, tarsal claws with distinct basal lobe.

Metasoma only very slightly longer than head+mesosoma and 1.3 times as long as high in lateral view. First metasomal tergite with longitudinal parallel rugae dorsally and laterally. Syntergite with few white setae anterolaterally, smooth, glabrous; posterodorsally strongly incised, with distinct posterior band of micropunctures extending onto lateral sides to ventral edge and dorsally to 1/3 of metasoma length. Subsequent tergites and hypopygium uniformly densely micropunctate; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium short with very few short white setae ventrally. Body length 3.8–4.8 mm (n =15).

MALE. Similar to female but head more rounded in frontal view, lower face and malar space yellowish brown, rest of head very dark brown to black; antenna with 13 flagellomeres, F1 strongly curved and broadened apically, not broadened basally, 1.3 times as long as F2; placoid sensillae on F3–F11. Body length 3–4 mm (n = 15).

Biology. Most specimens were reared from the asexual galls of A. kashiwaphilus ( Fig. 145 ) and A. mukaigawae ( Fig. 146 ), collected from Q. mongolica and Q. dentata ; few specimens were obtained from an unknown bud gall (spJPb1, A33, Fig. 154 ) and unknown acorn gall (spJPa1, A34, Fig. 156 ) both collected from Q. crispula . Adults emerged under laboratory conditions in October-November.

Distribution. Currently known from Russia, Primorskij Kraj (Khazan Lake, Vityaz Bay) and Japan (Hokkaido).

Figures

FIGURES 91 – 98. Synergus khazani, new species, 91 – 94, head, female: 91, frontal view, 92, dorsal view, 93, posterior view, 94, lateral view. 95 – 96, head, male: 95, frontal view, 96, dorsal view. 97 – 98, antenna: 97, female, 98, male.

FIGURES 99 – 106. Synergus khazani, new species, female: 99, pronotum and propleuron, frontal view, 100, mesosoma, lateral view, 101, mesoscutum, dorsal view, 102, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 103, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view, 104, fore wing, part, 105 – 106, metasoma: 105, lateral view, 106, dorsal view.

FIGURES 145 – 157. Host oak galls of newly described Synergus spp.: 145, Andricus kashiwaphilus, asexual gall, 146, A. mukaigawae, asexual gall, 147, A. hakonensis (= A. symbioticus), asexual galls, 148, Trichagalma formosana, asexual galls, 149, Belizinella sp., asexual gall, 150, Ussuraspis sp., asexual gall, 151, undescribed leaf gall (RUl 5), 152, undescribed leaf gall (RUl 1), 153, undescribed acorn gall (JPa 2), 154, undescribed bud gall (JPb 1), 155, undescribed bud gall (JPb 1), 156, undescribed acorn gall (JPa 1) (photos by G. Csóka). 157, undescribed stem swelling-like gall (TWTs 13) (photos by Chang Ti Tang).