Leptofoenus pittfieldae Engel, 2009

Engel, Michael, 2009, The first fossil leptofoenine wasp (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae): A new species of Leptofoenus in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic, ZooKeys 13 (13), pp. 57-66 : 61-64

Leptofoenus pittfieldae Engel , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EA9AF9B8-EBBA-4F75-A447-99D0B2F3A3A5

Figs 3-5

Holotype. Male, KU-NHM-Ent DR-019; Early Miocene amber, Dominican Republic, La Toca group of mines northeast of Santiago, excavated in late Autumn 2008, Keith Luzzi coll.; deposited in the Insect Fossil Collection, Division of Entomology, University of Kansas Natural History Museum.

Diagnosis. The new species can be readily recognized from its modern and mainland congeners by the combination of a thinly sclerotized band posterior to M+Cu in the forewing ( Fig. 5 ), the presence of a sclerotized spot in the forewing at the junction of M+Cu and the basal vein ( Fig. 5 ), M+Cu being comprised of a series of 14 setae, the basal cell containing 22 setae, the anterior margin of the costal cell sclerotized with a dense fringe of short fuscous setae, the hind wing with only three hamuli, the apicalmost antennal article apparently composite and resulting in an overall 11-segmented antenna, and the absence of a rasp-like structure on the inner surface of the metatibia.

Description. Male: Total length 8.8 mm; forewing length 4.7 mm; head 1.0 mm in length; mesosoma 3.3 mm in length, petiole 1.2 mm in length; gaster 3.3 mm in length. Integument dark brown throughout ( Fig. 3 ). Head with scrobal cavity carinate laterally; maxillary palpus 4-segmented, apical palpomere elongate, with numerous elongate black setae dorsally; clypeus bare except for two erect setae laterally near oral fossa (visible in left, oblique view); antenna apparently 11-segmented, apical flagellar article elongate and apparently with lines indicating possible fusion of two very minute apical articles (resulting in an otherwise 13-segmented antenna); parascrobal crests and vertex strongly tranversely striate, forming rasp-like structure dorsally. Mesosoma with pronotum and mesoscutum strongly, transversely strigate ( Fig. 4 ), strigae increasingly bearing spicules posteriorly on mesoscutum; pronotum elongate, anterior margin rounded, posterolateral surface with striolate area ( Fig. 4 ), striolate area ovoid (distinctly longer than wide; more rounded in L. rufus LaSalle and Stage ), striations in striolate area finer and more evenly spaced anteriorly; mesoscutellum strongly transversely strigate, with numerous spicules; mesopleuron coarsely and irregularly punctate except in impressed region largely glabrous; propodeum laterally densely and contiguously punctate, with sparsely scattered setae. Procoxa with strong carina along dorsolateral margin; metacoxa sculptured as on lateral surface of propodeum; metafemur longitudinally striate ventrally except reticulate basally; metatibia without longitudinal rasp-like structure on inner surface; metabasitarsus twice as long as second tarsomere (tarsi pentamerous). Forewing with anterior margin of costal cell sclerotized ( Fig. 5 ), with dense fringe of short fuscous setae; basal cell with 22 setae; sclerotized spot at junction of M+Cu and basal vein ( Fig. 5 ); M+Cu composed of series of 14 setae and posteriorly by thinly sclerotized band leading to sclerotized spot ( Fig. 5 ); hind wing with three hamuli. Metasoma with petiole approximately 7 times longer than wide (direct dorsal view not possible so this is estimated); petiole weakly transversely strigate dorsally; gaster imbricate.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a matronym honoring Ms. Morgan Pittfield, enthusiast of all things adventurous when it comes to amber and niece of Keith Luzzi, who generously donated the holotype and permitted its study.

Figures

Figure 3. Leptofoenus pittfieldae Engel sp. n. (KU DR-019), photomicrograph of male holotype (length of specimen 8.8 mm).

Figures 4-5. Photomicrographs of holotype male of Leptofoenus pittfieldae Engel sp. n. (KU DR-019). 4 Detail of lateral surface of pronotum showing posterior striolate region. 5 Basal third of forewing showing sclerotized spot and distribution of setae along M+Cu and within basal cell.