Horismenus abnormicaulis Pikart

Pikart, Tiago G., Costa, Valmir A., Hansson, Christer, Zanuncio, José C. & Serrão, José E., 2015, Three new species of Horismenus Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) associated with seed pods of Pithecellobium dulce (Fabaceae), Zootaxa 3994 (4), pp. 565-578 : 566-570

Horismenus abnormicaulis Pikart , Costa & Hansson, sp. nov.

Figs 1–17

Type material. Holotype female ( MZSP) point mounted, with label “BRASIL-PB-Patos, [07º03’31”S, 37º16’34”W], Ex frutos de Pithecellobium dulce (Fabaceae) , col. TG Pikart, 10.xi.2011 ”. Paratypes. 11♀ 6♂ ( MZSP) with same label data as holotype.

Male paratypes with telescoped or expanded gaster. Some of the female paratypes with expanded gasters and/ or damaged antennae and wings. One female paratype with head detached and glued separately on the point.

Diagnosis. Pedicel and flagellum dark brown with metallic tinges; frontal suture not reaching the eyes for a distance greater than DO ( Figs 8 , 14 ); antennal scrobes incomplete, not reaching antennal toruli ( Figs 8 , 14 ); scutellum metallic dark blue with golden green (female, Fig. 4 ) or bluish green (male, Fig. 5 ) tinges and weakly reticulate ( Fig. 11 ); femora brown with paler apex ( Fig. 1 ); propodeum with a triangular median carina ( Figs 12 , 17 ); anterolateral foveae small ( Figs 12 , 17 ); female petiole transverse, LP/WP = 0.6, and dorsomedially with a protuberance ( Fig. 7 ); female gaster elongated ( Fig. 13 ), MM/LG = 0.6.

Similar to Horismenus distinguendus Blanchard , but with scape yellowish brown ( Fig. 1 ), mesoscutum with engraved and strong reticulation ( Fig. 4 ), median carina narrower and with posterior part smooth and shiny, anterolateral foveae smaller, femora dark brown ( Fig. 1 ) and petiole dorsomedially with a protuberance ( Fig. 7 ).

Description. Female. Length 1.6–2.1 mm.

Color. Scape yellowish brown ( Fig. 1 ), pedicel pale to dark brown with metallic tinges, flagellum brown with metallic tinges. Frons metallic green with golden tinges, temples metallic bluish green ( Fig. 2 ). Vertex metallic blue with patches of golden green tinges near the ocelli. Mesoscutum and scutellum metallic dark blue with golden green tinges ( Fig. 4 ). Propodeum metallic bluish green with golden tinges, reticulate parts metallic dark blue to metallic black ( Fig. 4 ). Coxae metallic blue to metallic dark blue; femora brown with yellowish white apex, mid and hind tibiae and tarsi yellowish white with 4th tarsomeres brown; fore tibia yellowish white to pale brown, fore tarsus pale brown ( Fig. 1 ). Wings hyaline. Petiole shiny black. Gaster with first tergite shiny black, anterior onethird and posterior margin with bluish green tinges; tergites 2–4 shiny black with posterior margin with bluish green tinges; tergites 5–7 shiny black with anterior and posterior margins with bluish green tinges.

Head. Antenna as in Fig. 10 . Frons with interscrobal area smooth and shiny, area between eyes and antennal scrobes with raised and strong reticulation, clypeal area smooth and shiny to reticulate, area below antennal toruli with raised reticulation, area just above frontal suture with engraved reticulation; frontal suture V-shaped, incomplete and separated from eyes by a distance greater than the DO ( Fig. 8 ); antennal scrobes not reaching the torulus ( Fig 8 ). Malar sulcus absent. Vertex with engraved and strong reticulation, smooth and shiny to weakly reticulate in front of anterior ocellus; median groove present ( Fig. 9 ). Occipital margin rounded.

Mesosoma. Mesoscutum with engraved and strong reticulation ( Fig. 4 ), midlobe with raised and strong reticulation along anterior margin ( Fig. 11 ); notauli complete and narrow as distinct grooves. Scutellum very weakly reticulate, posterior margin smooth and shiny ( Fig. 11 ). Dorsellum ( Fig. 12 ) convex, smooth and shiny, with two foveae along anterior margin, the foveae sometimes joined. Propodeum ( Fig. 12 ) smooth and shiny, with submedian grooves, nucha, part of plica and supracoxal flange raised reticulated; anterolateral foveae small; propodeal callus with 3 or 4 setae. Coxae with very weak reticulation. Fore wing with speculum closed below ( Fig. 6 ); with 13 or 14 admarginal setae; costal cell bare.

Metasoma. Petiole dorsomedially with a protuberance ( Fig. 7 ). Gaster elongated; with first tergite smooth and shiny, with a reticulate band close to posterior margin ( Fig. 13 ).

Ratios. DE /DO 5.9; WH/ DE 1.9; HE/MS/WM 2.4/1.0/1.6; POL/OOL/POO 5.1/1.8/1.0; WH/WT 1.1; LW/LM/ HW 1.8/1.0/1.0; PM/ST 1.0; LC/WC 3.6; WG/WC 0.6; LS/LT 0.1; LP/WP 0.6; MM/LG 0.6.

Male. Length 1.4–1.6 mm.

Similar to female, except as follows.

Color. Scape brown with metallic tinges. Frons metallic bluish green ( Fig. 3 ). Vertex metallic blue to metallic bluish green. Mesoscutum and scutellum metallic dark blue with bluish green tinges ( Fig. 5 ). Propodeum metallic blue with bluish green tinges ( Fig. 5 ).

Head. Antenna as in Fig. 15 . Frons with area just above frontal suture smooth ( Fig. 14 ) to strong reticulate.

Metasoma. Petiole dorsomedially without a protuberance.

Ratios. HE/MS/WM 2.3/1.0/1.6; LP/WP 1.1; MM/LG 0.9.

Etymology. From the Latin abnormis = irregular, and caulis = petiole, in reference to the presence of a protuberance on the female petiole.

Distribution. Brazil (Patos, PB).

Hosts. Specimens obtained from seed pods of Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. (Fabaceae) .

Species identification. Individuals can be identified using the key of Hansson (2009) as modified below. Females run to subkey F, couplet 25, through the second alternative to couplet 42, which is modified as:

42a Notauli as narrow and distinct grooves at least in posterior one-half ( Fig. 11 ), and scape yellowish brown........................................................................................ Horismenus abnormicaulis sp. nov. - Notauli not as narrow distinct grooves (usually as indistinct impressions) or scape dark brown to metallic..............42

Males run to couplet 61, through the second alternative to couplet 62, which is modified as:

62a Propodeum with small anterolateral foveae ( Fig. 17 ); midlobe of mesoscutum with raised reticulation restricted to anterior margin ( Fig. 16 ).......................................................... Horismenus abnormicaulis sp. nov. - Propodeum with large anterolateral foveae (as in Fig. 27 ); midlobe of mesoscutum usually entirely with raised reticulation.62

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Horismenus abnormicaulis: 1, lateral habitus, female, paratype; 2, head, frontal, female, paratype; 3, head, frontal, male, paratype; 4, mesosoma, dorsal, female, paratype; 5, mesosoma, dorsal, male, paratype; 6, fore wing base with closed speculum (black arrows), female, paratype; 7, petiole, lateral, indicating dorsal protuberance, female, paratype. Scale bars: 1 = 500 µm; 2 – 6 = 100 µm; 7 = 50 µm.

FIGURES 8 – 13. Horismenus abnormicaulis, female, paratypes: 8, head, frontal, with detail of frontal sutures not reaching eyes (black arrow) and antennal scrobes not reaching antennal toruli (white arrow); 9, vertex, showing median groove (black arrow); 10, antenna, lateral; 11, mesosoma, dorsal; 12, propodeum, with reduced anterolateral foveae (black arrow); 13, gaster, dorsal. Scale bars = 100 µm.

FIGURES 14 – 17. Horismenus abnormicaulis, male, paratypes: 14, head, frontal; 15, antenna, lateral; 16, mesosoma, dorsal; 17, propodeum, with reduced anterolateral foveae (black arrow). Scale bars: 14, 16 = 100 µm; 15, 17 = 50 µm.

FIGURES 23 – 28. Horismenus patensis, female, paratypes: 23, head, frontal; 24, vertex, indicating median groove (black arrow); 25, antenna, lateral; 26, mesosoma, dorsal; 27, propodeum, showing anterolateral foveae with rounded sides almost reaching plicae (black arrow) and petiole with a median carina (white arrow); 28, gaster, dorsal, showing first tergite with punctuations in posterior one-half (black arrows). Scale bars: 23 – 24, 26, 28 = 200 µm; 25, 27 = 100 µm.