Feron tibiale Kinsey, 1937

Cuesta-Porta, Victor, Melika, George, Nicholls, James A., Stone, Graham N. & Pujade-Villar, Juli, 2023, Re-establishment of the Nearctic oak cynipid gall wasp genus Feron Kinsey, 1937 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), including the description of six new species, Zootaxa 5366 (1), pp. 1-174 : 144-152

Feron tibiale Kinsey, 1937 comb. rev.

Figs 429–463

Feron tibiale Kinsey, 1937: 70 , female, gall.

Feron tostum Kinsey, 1937: 71 , female, gall; syn. nov.

Feron uterinum Kinsey, 1937: 72 , female, gall; syn. nov. Figs 453–463 .

Andricus tibialis (Kinsey) Weld, 1952a: 310 .

Andricus tostus (Kinsey) Weld, 1952a: 310 .

Andricus uterinus (Kinsey) Weld, 1952a: 310 .

Types examined. Holotypes and paratypes of F. tibiale , F. uterinum , and F. tostum deposited at the AMNH, NYC were examined. Feron tibiale , HOLOTYPE asexual female “Mex (City) 25E D.F. 7000’, Mex. Gall 1-2-32, 138 fms. 3-2-32”, “ Q. texcocana, Kinsey coll.”, red “ Xystoteras tibialum ; PARATYPES (10 asexual females) “Mex (City) 25E, D.F. 7000’ Mex. Gall 1.2.32, 48 females 3.15.32.”, “ Q. texcocana Kinsey Coll. ”, red Kinsey’s handwriting label “ Xyst. tibialum Paratype ”. Holo- Paratype ”. Feron tostum , HOLOTYPE asexual female “Namiquipa 30W Chi. 5200’, Mex. Gall 10-18-31, very many fms. 3-10-32”, “ Q. chihuahuens, Kinsey coll.”, red “ Xyst. tostum , Holo- Paratype ”. Feron uterinum , HOLOTYPE asexual female “ Queretaro 28N Qro 7300’, Mex. Gall 1-17-32, 6 fms. 3-26-32”, “ Q. chihuahuens, Kinsey coll.”, red “ Xyst. uterium, Holo- Paratype ”; PARATYPES (9 asexual females on 5 pins and one gall) “ Queretaro 28N, Qro 7300’ Mex. Galls 1.17.32, 119 females 3.10.32”, “ Q. chihuahuens Kinsey coll.”, red handwriting label “ Xyst. uterinum Paratype ”. The general collection of the AMNH in NYC holds a large number of deposited paratypes.

Additional material. 56 asexual females: “MEX-101, Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, Santa Fe, ex Q. rugosa , (16. i.2018) 17-31.i.2018: 10 females, leg. O.Cabral, R.Treto, L.G.Landa & C.Carrillo ”; “MEX-195, Mexico, Mexico, San Felipe del Progreso, Tunal Salto , ex Q. glaucoides , (15.ii.2014) 21.ii.2014: 4 females, leg. R. D. García-Martiñón ”; “MEX-205, Mexico, Mexico, San Felipe del Progreso , Tunal Salto , ex Q. glaucoides , (26.xii.2013) 14- 16.ii.2014: 23 females (plus one specimen for DNA extraction), leg. R. D. García-Martiñón ”; “MEX-208, Mexico, Mexico, San Felipe del Progreso , Tunal Salto , ex Q. glabrescens , (26.xii.2013) 21-23.i.2014: 11 females (plus one specimen for DNA extraction), leg. R. D. García-Martiñón ”; “MEX-500, Mexico, Mexico, Tepoztlán , Arcos del Sitio (19º45’36.9” N, 99º20’40.4” W), ex Q. obtusata , (09.ix.2007) 08.x.2007: 9 females, leg. Chagoyán-García. ” .

Diagnosis. Asexual females belong to the group of Feron species characterised by never having a black body; head rounded or trapezoid to triangular in frontal view, ocelli are not elevated above the frons; inner margins of eyes parallel or very slightly converging ventrally, the transfacial distance is equal to or longer than the height of eye; toruli are located above the mid-height of eyes; the eye is less than 3.0× as high as length of the malar space; lateral ocelli are smaller, OOL at least 2.5× as long as the diameter of the ocellus, if shorter then the head and mesosoma are not yellowish or light brown; the pronotum laterally with longitudinal carinae; the mesoscutum is alutaceous to coriaceous, rugose-reticulate or reticulate, without piliferous points.

Specimens of F. tibiale can be divided into two different morphological groups with respect to sculpturing of their mesopleuron, either smooth or with a transverse reticulated-carinated band. The morphotype with a transverse band at mid-height of mesopleuron is similar to F. gigas (asex), F. parmula (asex), F. stellulum (asex) and F. syndicorum (asex). Feron tibiale differs from F. gigas , F. parmula and F. stellulum in having the gena broadened behind the eye in frontal view (while the gena is not broadened behind the eye in frontal view in F. gigas , F. parmula and F. stellulum ). The most similar species is the asexual form of F. syndicorum but that species differs from the asexual form of F. tibiale (part) in that the mesoscutum is finely alutaceous; the notaulus is complete but shallow and alutaceous at least on anterior 3/4 of its length; the mesoscutellar disk is strongly curved in lateral view, which makes the mesoscutum and mesoscutellum form two independent lobes in lateral view; and the subaxillular bar reaches 1/3 of the height of mesoscutellum. Feron tibiale (part) is coarsely reticulated on the mesoscutum, has a complete notaulus which is inconspicuous on anterior 1/4 of its length; the mesoscutellum is flat in lateral view and forms a single curve with the mesoscutum in lateral view; and the subaxillular bar reaches half the height of metascutellum.

The specimens with smooth mesopleura belong to the group of Feron species characterised by having antennae with 12 flagellomeres; head transversely ovate in frontal view, lateral sides of the pronotum longitudinally striated at least on the posterior half, remainder of the pronotum alutaceous, matte; as in F. serranoae (asex), F. tecturnarum (asex) and F. tetyanae (asex). This morphotype of F. tibiale differs from F. serranoae in having the mesoscutellum slightly longer than broad and circumscutellar carina absent, while the mesoscutellum is 1.3× as long as broad and with a strong circumscutellar carina in F. serranoae . Feron tibiale differs from F. tecturnarum and F. tetyanae in the yellowish to light brown body colour, the frons bulging in frontal view, POL subequal to OOL, the mesoscutum is uniformly reticulate-coriaceous, the center of the mesoscutellar disk coriaceous; radial cell around 4.8× as long as broad, while the other two species are reddish brown to dark brown, the frons is not bulging, POL at least 1.4× as long as OOL, the mesoscutum alutaceous to reticulate, the center of the mesoscutellar disk is smooth or finely rugose, and the radial cell measures around 3.7× as long as broad.

Re-description. Asexual female ( Figs 429–439 , 441–452 , 453–463 ). Body, including mouthparts, legs uniformly light brown; antennae light brown, darker from F7 or F8.

Head transverse, 1.2× as broad as high in frontal view, with sparse setae, denser on lower face; 2.1× as broad as long in dorsal view; head narrower than mesosoma in frontal view. Gena alutaceous, broadened behind eye in frontal view, as broad as transverse diameter of eye in lateral view. Malar space alutaceous, with a few delicate striae radiating from clypeus and not reaching eye; eye 2.0× as high as length of malar space. Inner margins of eyes parallel. POL 1.9× as long as OOL, OOL 1.9× as long as diameter of lateral ocellus and 2.0× as long as LOL, all ocelli black, ovate, of same size. Transfacial distance 1.3× as long as height of eye; torulus located slightly above mid height of eye, frons shorter than height of lower face, diameter of antennal torulus 1.2× as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye 1.2× as long as diameter of torulus; lower face delicately coriaceous, with dense white setae; slightly elevated median area delicately coriaceous, with a few setae. Clypeus slightly broader than high, alutaceous, with sparse long setae, especially along ventral edge; ventrally rounded, not emarginate and without median incision; anterior tentorial pit rounded, distinct, epistomal sulcus distinct, clypeo-pleurostomal line well impressed. Frons delicately coriaceous to reticulate, without striae and with a few setae, small triangular area under central ocellus smooth, glabrous; areas between toruli and between torulus and eye delicately coriaceous; interocellar area delicately coriaceous to reticulate. Vertex, occiput, postgena delicately coriaceous to reticulate, with white long setae; postocciput delicately coriaceous to reticulate, with delicate indistinct concentric lines around occipital foramen and postgenal bridge; posterior tentorial pit large, elongate, area below impressed, glabrous; occipital foramen slightly shorter than height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina emarginate, continuing into postgenal sulcus; postgenal sulcus bent strongly outwards, reaching posterior tentorial pit and postgenal bridge unusually broad. Antenna slightly longer than head+mesosoma, with 12 flagellomeres, pedicel slightly longer than broad; F1 2.1× as long as pedicel and 1.2× as long as F2; F2 slightly longer than F3, F4=F5, F6 slightly longer than F7, F8=F9=F10=F11, F12 slightly longer than F11; placodeal sensilla indistinct, visible on F5–F12.

Mesosoma slightly longer than high, with sparse white setae, denser on lateral propodeal area. Pronotum smooth, with sparse setae, with delicate parallel concentric striae laterally; propleuron smooth, with sparse setae. Mesoscutum uniformly reticulato-coriaceous, with sparse white setae between notauli anteriorly and along notauli, slightly longer than broad (greatest width measured across mesoscutum level with base of tegulae). Notaulus complete, distinctly impressed on all length, with smooth, glabrous bottom; anterior parallel line indistinct, in the form of a bare, smooth stripe, extending to 1/3 length of mesoscutum; parapsidal line distinct, marked with broad impressed smooth glabrous stripes; median mesoscutal line absent; parascutal carina narrow, reaching notaulus. Mesoscutellum trapezoid, slightly longer than broad; center of disk of mesoscutellum coriaceous, dull rugose laterally and posteriorly, overhanging metanotum, with a few setae. Mesoscutellar foveae semiquandrangular, broader than high, with smooth, glabrous bottom, usually divided by an incomplete triangular coriaceous elevated area (in some specimens hardly traceable), rarely complete. Mesopleuron mainly smooth, glabrous, sometimes with delicate parallel longitudinal striae in anterodorsal part, with setae along ventral edge; mesopleural triangle smooth, with short white setae; dorsal and lateral axillar areas smooth, with dense white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, glabrous, triangular, as high as height of metanotal trough; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron at half of its height, upper part of sulcus distinct, lower part of sulcus separating a smooth glabrous densely pubescent area. Metascutellum smooth, slightly higher than height of smooth, glabrous ventral impressed area; metanotal trough smooth, with dense setae; central propodeal area lyre-shaped, smooth, glabrous, with irregular interrupted rugae at the base; lateral propodeal carinae strong, bent outwards in posterior 1/3; lateral propodeal area smooth, with long dense white setae on piliferous points. Nucha with net of irregular rugae, with few distinct parallel longitudinal sulci laterally. Tarsal claws with basal lobe.

Fore wing longer than body, hyaline, with short dense cilia on margin, veins light brown, radial cell open, 4.8× as long as broad; R1 and Rs not reaching wing margin; areolet small, triangular, closed, delimited with indistinct veins, Rs+M visible on 3/4 of distance between areolet and basalis, its projection reaching basalis at its half height.

Metasoma slightly longer than head+mesosoma, higher than long in lateral view; 2nd metasomal tergum extending to more than half of metasoma length in dorsal view, with short white setae anterolaterally, without micropunctures; subsequent terga and hypopygium smooth, glabrous, with indistinct micropunctures; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium 5.7× as long as broad in ventral view, with a few short setae ventrally.

Body length 0.9–2.6 mm (n = 12).

Gall ( Fig. 440 ). Individual galls swollen, cylindrical, flaring at the broadened tip, covered with more or less crystalline processes, with a few broad filaments (chiefly at the base of each gall), with almost all of the fibers fine, hair-like. Galls clustered, forming a more or less solid and tangled mass up to 27 mm in diameter and 13 mm high. Purple rose and light brown when young, becoming light straw brown to russet, rosy brown, or dark brown with age ( Kinsey 1937).

Biology. Only the asexual generation is known, which induces galls on section Quercus , subsection Leucomexicana oaks: Q. arizonica , Q. chihuahuensis , Q. deserticola (= Q. texcocana ) according to Kinsey (1937); adults emerge mainly during January-February ( Kinsey 1937). Quercus glabrescens , Q. glaucoides , Q. obtusata , and Q. rugosa are new host records for this study.

Two species described by Kinsey (1937), F. tostum and F. uterinum , are morphologically consistent with the series of specimens that Kinsey called F. tibiale . They simply represent geographical variants of that species and hence we synonymise the names in this study.

The conspecific status of the two morphological variants within this species (one with a smooth mesopleuron, the other having a mesopleuron with a transverse reticulated-carinated band) was confirmed using DNA sequence data. One individual from each of the two morphotypes was sequenced for cytb and ITS2; both individuals had identical sequences for both genes (GenBank accessions OQ446186, OQ446241, OQ448247–OQ448248).

Distribution. Mexico: Mexico City, Chihuahua, Durango, Querétaro ( Kinsey 1937); also from the State of Mexico in this study.

Figures

FIGURES 429–434. Feron tibiale, comb. rev., asexual female, smooth mesopleuron variant. 429–432, head: 429, frontal view, 430, dorsal view, 431, lateral view, 432, posterior view; 433, antenna. 434, mesosoma and propleura, frontal view.

FIGURES 435–438. Feron tibiale, comb. rev., asexual female, smooth mesopleuron variant. 435, mesosoma, lateral view, 436, mesoscutum, dorsal view, 437, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 438, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view.

FIGURES 439–440. Feron tibiale, comb. rev., asexual female, smooth mesopleuron variant. 439, metasoma, lateral view. 440, gall.

FIGURES 441–446. Feron tibiale, comb. rev., asexual female, carinated mesopleuron variant. 441–444, head: 441, frontal view, 442, dorsal view, 443, posterior view, 444, lateral view; 445, antenna. 446, mesosoma and propleura, frontal view.

FIGURES 447–450. Feron tibiale, comb. rev., asexual female, carinated mesopleuron variant. 447, mesosoma, lateral view, 448, mesoscutum, dorsal view, 449, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 450, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view.

FIGURES 451–452. Feron tibiale, comb. rev., asexual female, carinated mesopleuron variant. 451, fore wing, 452, metasoma, lateral view.

FIGURES 453–457. Feron uterinum, syn. of Feron tibiale, comb. rev., asexual female. 453–456, head: 453, frontal view, 454, dorsal view, 455, posterior view, 456, lateral view. 457, mesosoma and propleura, frontal view.

FIGURES 458–461. Feron uterinum, syn. of Feron tibiale, comb. rev., asexual female. 458, mesosoma, lateral view, 459, mesoscutum, dorsal view, 460, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 461, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view.

FIGURES 462–463. Feron uterinum, syn. of Feron tibiale, comb. rev., asexual female. 462, fore wing, 463, metasoma, lateral view.