Diolcogaster ichiroi Fernandez-Triana

Fernandez-Triana, Jose, 2018, Ten unique and charismatic new species of Microgastrinae wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from North America, ZooKeys 730, pp. 123-150 : 125-126

Diolcogaster ichiroi Fernandez-Triana sp. n. Fig. 1

Holotype.

Female, CNC, UNITED STATES. Holotype locality: Archbold Biological Station, Highlands County, Florida, USA.

Holotype labels.

First label: USA: FL, Highlands Co./Archbold Biol. Sta./1-8.vi.1987/Dr.X.Wahl. Second label: CNC483614.

Paratypes.

2♀, 5 ♂ (CNC) from the same locality than holotype. Voucher codes: CNC483650-CNC483652, CNC489768, CNC489820, CNC489849, CNC526748. Collecting dates: 1-22.vii.1987 and 18.iii-4.iv.1988, some specimens collected with a Malaise trap.

Diagnosis.

Diolcogaster ichiroi and D. miamensis (see next species below) are very distinct and unique among all known species of Diolcogaster from North America, based on its tergites 1-3 forming a carapace that covers most of the metasoma. That is the main distinguishing feature of the basimacula group, which is very speciose in the Old World tropics but until now had never been reported from the New World (although numerous undescribed species from the Neotropics are found in collections). Diolcogaster ichiroi (body mostly yellow, with some small brown areas; fore wing centrally with some veins transparent) has different coloration than D. miamensis (head yellow frontally, orange in the back; meso- and metasoma mostly black; fore wing centrally with veins brown); the two species also differ in the shape and sculpture of T2 (anterior and posterior margin of T2 more or less straight in ichiroi , curved in miamensis , compare Figs 1D, 2F), as well as setae thickness near apex of ovipositor sheaths (all setae of same thickness in miamensis , a couple of setae thicker than the rest in ichiroi ).

Description.

Female. Body color mostly yellow (with some brown spots on metasoma; T4+ dark brown; anterior laterotergies and sternites, pro- and mesocoxae, all trochanters and trochantellus, anterior 0.2-0.3 of tibiae, and metatibial spurs white; antenna flagellomeres mostly yellow, but with tip brown. Wings mostly hyaline but with a couple of infumate spots, some veins brown and some transparent, pterostigma brown. Body mostly coarsely sculptured. Scutoscutellar sulcus with 9-10 costulae. Hind wing with vannal lobe straight to slightly concave and centrally without setae. Tarsal claws simple. T1-3 forming a carapace that covers most of metasoma, T4+ scarsely visible. Ovipositor sheaths relatively short, with long setae, including a couple of thicker setae near apex of sheaths. Body measurements (mm). Body L: 2.3 (2.0-2.1); fore wing L: 2.1 (1.8-2.0); ovipositor sheaths L (approximate measurement): 0.12 (0.11); metafemur L/W: 0.65/0.18 (0.65/0.18); metatibia L: 0.81 (0.81); metatibia inner/outer spurs L: 0.21/0.16 (0.21/0.15); first segment of metatarsus L: 0.38 (0.37); F2/3/14/15/16: 0.19/0.17/0.09/0.09/0.11 (0.20/0.17/0.09/0.09/0.11); ocular–ocellar line: 0.10 (0.10); interocellar distance: 0.10 (0.11); posterior ocellus diameter: 0.06 (0.07).

Male. As female, but darker (more extensive brown areas on anteromesoscutum, mesoscutellar-axillar complex, metascutellum and metasomal terga).

Distribution.

United States: FL. Only known from the type locality (Archbold Biological Station).

Etymology.

This unique and remarkable species is named to honor the truly unique and remarkable Ichiro Suzuki, my favorite baseball player and one the best ever to play the game. At the time the research for this paper was being conducted, Ichiro was still playing for a Florida team and thus naming a species endemic from Florida after him made complete sense. Unfortunately, the new owners of the Miami Marlins did not keep Ichiro, an unpopular decision not liked by many Marlins fans. Hopefully soon another Major League team gives the Universal Hit King the chance to continue his extraordinary career in baseball.

Notes.

Both this species and the next one are examples of mostly tropical groups that in North America are only found in south Florida (e.g., Snyder et al. 1990). Altogether with other microgastrine wasps recently described from that area (see Fernandez-Triana and Boudreault 2016, as well as the two new Microgaster species being described below in this paper), all of these taxa highlight the importance of biodiversity studies in south Florida and the need to increase conservation efforts there.