Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) nigrithorax ( Ogloblin, 1953 )

Triapitsyn, Serguei V., Huber, John T., Logarzo, Guillermo A., Berezovskiy, Vladimir V. & Aquino, Daniel A., 2010, Review of Gonatocerus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) in the Neotropical region, with description of eleven new species, Zootaxa 2456, pp. 1-243 : 194-199

Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) nigrithorax ( Ogloblin, 1953)

( Figs 407–416 )

Gonatocerus caudatus Ogloblin 1935: 77 –78 (male only, misidentification) + plate (lámina) VII (illustration).

Lymaenon nigrithorax Ogloblin: Ogloblin 1953 : 2 –3 + plates (láminas) I and II (illustrations). Type locality (of the lectotype, designated here): Monte Carlo (Montecarlo), Misiones, Argentina.

Gonatocerus (Gonatocerus) nigrithorax Ogloblin : De Santis 1967: 104 (catalog).

Gonatocerus nigrithorax (Ogloblin) : Yoshimoto 1990: 41 (list); Triapitsyn 2006b: 112 (= G. sp. 2); de León & Morgan 2007: 83 (molecular data); Luft Albarracin et al. 2009: 10 (list; distribution and host association in Argentina).

Gonatocerus sp. 2: de León et al. 2006a: 41–42 (molecular data); de León et al. 2006d: 54 (molecular data); de León et al. 2006e: 57 (molecular data); de León et al. 2008: 99, 104–105 (molecular data).

Type material examined. The syntype series of Lymaenon nigrithorax consisted of 10 females and 7 males collected in Loreto and Monte Carlo, Misiones, during April, June, October, and December. The female “allotype” of this species was designated by Ogloblin (1953, p. 2) invalidly because he did not specifically designate a holotype; rather, all 17 specimens of the type series are syntypes. None of the 9 females in MLPA was actually marked by him as an “allotype”. All are mounted individually on slides and seem to certainly be the original syntypes because they were numbered by Ogloblin in pencil in the upper corner from 1 to 10, with the slide number 9 missing. Altogether, we found 12 females (11 of them collected in Loreto and 1 in Monte Carlo) and 7 males (all from Loreto) that were collected during April, June, October, and December before 1953 and identified by Ogloblin as Gonatocerus nigrithorax or Lymaenon nigrithorax ; the remaining 3 females without a number are considered as potential paralectotypes because one of them was the likely ninth original syntype that was not numbered by Ogloblin.

Lectotype female [MLPA], here designated to avoid the existing confusion about the status of the type specimens of this species, on slide labeled: “1 [ip] Gonatocerus nigrithorax A. O. ♀ 21.xii.1932 Monte Carlo A. Parana [F. – iR, ip] Misiones [the last letter ip] A O”. The lectotype, although insufficiently cleared, is in good condition, almost complete but with 3 apical tarsomeres of one hind leg missing, well spread out and mounted dorsoventrally. Paralectotypes [all MLPA]: 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “2 [ip] Gonatocerus nigrithorax A. O ♀ Loreto, Misiones 12.vi 1933.”; 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “3 [ip] Gonatocerus nigrithorax A. O. ♀ Loreto, Misiones 12.x.1933. A. A. O.”; 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “4 [ip] Gonatocerus nigrithorax A. O. ♀ 12.x.1933 Loreto, Misiones”; 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “5 [ip] Gonatocerus ? nigrithorax [ip] ♀ A. O. 5.xii.1931. Loreto”; 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “6 [ip] Gonatocerus nigrithorax . A. O. ♀ Loreto, Misiones 8.vi.1933.”; 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “7 [ip] Gonatocerus nigrithorax A. O. ♀ Loreto, Misiones 12.x.1933 A A O”; 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “8 [ip] Gonatocerus nigrithorax A O. ♀ Loreto, Mision 12.vi 1933.”; 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “10 [ip] Gonatocerus nigrithorax A. O. ♀ Loreto, Misiones 19.iv.1933 A. O. [Fig. – iR]”; 1 ♂ on slide labeled: “ Gonatocerus ? nigrithorax [ip] ♂ Loreto, Misiones 4.vi.1934.”; 1 ♂ on slide labeled: “ Lymaenon nigrithorax A. O. [ip] ♂ Loreto, Misiones 12.xii.1947. Selva. A. O.”; 1 ♂ on slide labeled: “2 [ip] Gonatocerus nigrithorax A. O. ♂ Loreto, Misiones 15.x.1933. A. A. O.”; 1 ♂ on slide labeled: “ Gonatocerus nigrithorax A O ♂ Loreto, Misiones 10.vi.1933.”; 1 ♂ on slide labeled: “ Gonatocerus nigrithorax [ip] ♂ [ip] [♀ co ip] Loreto 7.xii.1931 A. O.”; 1 ♂ on slide labeled: “ Gonatocerus nigrithorax A. O. ♂ Loreto, Misiones 15.x.1933.”; 1 ♂ on slide labeled: “ Lymaenon nigrithorax [species name ip] ♂ Loreto, Misiones 15.x.1935. A. A. O.”. Also 3 females [potential paralectotypes – at least one of them is a likely paralectotype, as explained above, or possibly even all of them provided Ogloblin (1953) incorrectly indicated the number of females in the type series of his Lymaenon nigrithorax – all of these have what it looks like some kind of ratios (possibly length of something to length of ovipositor?) marks on the labels in pencil], as follows [all MLPA]: 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “ Gonatocerus nigrithor [species name ip] ♀ Loreto, Misiones 19.iv.1934. [29/29 – ip]”; 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “ Gonatocerus nigrithorax A. O. ♀ Loreto, Misiones 22.x.1933. [28/28 – ip]”; 1 ♀ on slide labeled: “ Gonatocerus nigrithorax [species name ip] A. O. ♀ Loreto, Misiones 15.vi.1933. A. O. [T. O. 29/29 – ip]”.

Material examined. ARGENTINA. BUENOS AIRES: Luján, Universidad Nacional de Luján, 34°35'07"S 59°04'45"W, 32 m, C. Coviella: 20.x.2005 [1 ♀, UCRC]; 1.xii.2006 [2 ♀, UCRC]. Tigre, 34°23’50’’S 58°34’32’’W, 5 m, G.A. Logarzo: 9–16.xi.2005 [1 ♀, UCRC]; 23–28.xi.2005 [1 ♀, UCRC]; 3– 10.i.2006 [1 ♀, UCRC]; 2–11.ii.2006 [2 ♀, UCRC]. CÓRDOBA, near Tanti, 31°20’47.1’’S 64°32’03.4’’W, 727 m, 17.xii.2007 – 10.i.2008, G.A. Logarzo [1 ♀, UCRC]. CORRIENTES, Yapeyú: exposed 4–9.x.2006, emerged 23–25.x.2006, G.A. Logarzo, V. Varni, from sentinel eggs of Tapajosa rubromarginata (Signoret) [3 ♀, UCRC]; xi.2006, G.A. Logarzo (reared on eggs of T. rubromarginata ) [3 ♀, 1 ♂, UCRC]; 29°28’27.6’’S 56°48’52.3’’W, 47-53 m, park at Río Uruguay bank, 20.ii.2009, D.A. Aquino, A.V. Ossipov, S.V. Triapitsyn [1 ♀, UCRC]. ENTRE RÍOS, Parque Nacional El Palmar: Arroyo El Palmar, 31°53’40.9’’S, 58°14’13.9’’W, 6-10 m, 14-15.ii.2009, S.V. Triapitsyn, D.A. Aquino, A.V. Ossipov [1 ♂, UCRC]; Arroyo Los Loros, 31°51’46.5’’S 58°13’45.9’’W, 15 m, 14-15.ii.2009, S.V. Triapitsyn, D.A. Aquino, A.V. Ossipov [1 ♂, UCRC]. JUJUY: Bella Vista, Piquete, 3–4.v.1951, [A.A. Ogloblin] [1 ♀, MLPA]. Caimancito, 25.v.1948, A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♀, MLPA]. LA RIOJA. Anillaco, 1–28.ii.2001, P. Fidalgo, J. Torréns, G. Fidalgo [1 ♂, UCRC]. Chuquis, 28°53’40’’S 67°00’31’’W, 1575 m, 17.iii.2003, J. Munro [1 ♀, 1 ♂, UCRC]. El Duraznillo (near La Rioja), 26.xi.2001, P. Fidalgo [3 ♂, IMLA (2), UCRC (1)]. Santa Vera Cruz, 28°40’42.7’’S 66°57’50.4’’W, 1660 m, 28.viii–5.x.2001, P. Fidalgo [1 ♂, UCRC]. MENDOZA, La Consulta, 33°42’30’’S 69°04’21’’W, INTA – Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Consulta: xi.2005, G.A. Logarzo, E.G. Virla, J. Jara (from sentinel eggs of Balacha melanocephala (Signoret) during the course of field host range studies) [1 ♂, UCRC]; 18–22.xii.2006, S. Lanati [2 ♀, UCRC]; 15–19.i.2007, S. Lanati [1 ♀, UCRC]; 22–26.i.2007, S. Lanati [1 ♀, UCRC]. MISIONES: Loreto: 26.viii.1932, A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♀, MLPA]; 27.v.1934, A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♂, MLPA] (this specimen was misidentified as G. “prope caudatus ” by Ogloblin); 20.vii.1934, A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♂, MLPA] (this specimen, a paralectotype of G. (Cosmocomoidea) caudatus Ogloblin , is not considered as part of the syntype series of Lymaenon nigrithorax because it was collected in July); 7.xi.1934, A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♂, MLPA]; 21.iii.1935, A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♂, MLPA] (initially misidentified by Ogloblin as G. caudatus , it is not considered as part of the syntype series of Lymaenon nigrithorax because it was collected in March; as discussed here under G. (Cosmocomoidea) caudatus , it has no type status for the latter species either); 26.viii.1935, A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♀, MLPA]; 12.ii.1949, A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♀, MLPA]; 19.ii.1949, A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♀, MLPA]; [no dates], A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♀, 1 ♂, MLPA]; Ruinas Jesuíticas, 27°20’S 55°31’W, 24–25.viii.2000, P. Fidalgo [2 ♀, UCRC]; 19.iii.2001, P. Fidalgo [2 ♀, IMLA, UCRC]. Obraje Giralt, 24.iii.1949, [A.A. Ogloblin] [1 ♀, MLPA]. Parque Nacional Iguazú: Cantera, 8.xii.1990 – 6.i. 1991, 200 m, S. & J. Peck [3 ♀, CNCI]; Centro Ecológico, 24.xii.1990 – 6.i. 1991, 180 m, S. & J. Peck [1 ♀, CNCI]; 25.68°S 54.45°W, 200 m, B.V. Brown, G. Kung: 30.xi–2.xii.2003 [2 ♀, UCRC]; 2–7.xii.2003 [1 ♀, UCRC]; 25°42’43.2’’S 54°26’30.1’’W, 229 m, 18.ii.2009, D.A. Aquino, A.V. Ossipov, S.V. Triapitsyn [2 ♀, UCRC]. 15 km SE of Puerto Iguazú, 27.xii.1990 – 6.i.1991, S. & J. Peck [3 ♀, 1 ♂, CNCI]. Reserva de Vida Silvestre Urugua-í, 25°58.471’S 54°06.986’W, 400 m, B.V. Brown, G. Kung: 7–9.xii.2003 [3 ♀, UCRC]; 10– 12.xii.2003 [4 ♀, 3 ♂, UCRC]. San Ignacio, Chacra Yabebirí (Yabebiry), ii.1950, A.A. Ogloblin [1 ♀, MLPA]. Santa Ana, 27.34°S 55.53°W, 77 m, 27.iii.2003, J. Munro [3 ♀, UCRC]. S of Santa Ana, 27.46°S 55.49°W, 196 m, 28.iii.2003, J. Munro [2 ♀, UCRC]. 28.65°S 55.56°W, 200 m, 28.iii.2003, J. Munro [3 ♀, UCRC]. SALTA: Aguas Blancas, 22.72°S 64.40°W, 447 m, 23.iii.2003, J. Munro [3 ♀, 2 ♂, UCRC]. Parque Nacional [Finca] El Rey, A.A. Ogloblin: 20.xi.1952 [1 ♀, 1 ♂, MLPA]; 30.xi.1952 [2 ♀, MLPA]. Rosario de la Frontera, Lumbrera, at Río Juramento, 25.21°S 64.92°W, 681 m, 21.iii.2003, J. Munro [1 ♀, UCRC]. San Ramón de la Nueva Orán, J. Munro: 23.09°S 64.37°W, 399 m, 22.iii.2003 [1 ♀, UCRC]; 23.11°S 64.52°W, 535 m, 23.iii.2003 [1 ♀, UCRC]; 23.13°S 64.43°W, 444 m, 23.iii.2003 [1 ♀, UCRC]. SAN JUAN, Caucete, 12–21.ii.2002, G.A. Logarzo (from eggs of T. rubromarginata , died in route to USDA-APHIS Mission quarantine, Edinburg, Texas, USA) [3 ♀, UCRC]. TUCUMÁN: Cochuna, 11.xii.2002, P. Fidalgo [2 ♂, IMLA, UCRC]. El Cadillal: 23.i.1995, E.G. Virla (from eggs of T. rubromarginata on maize) [4 ♀, 1 ♂, CNCI]; 19.i.1996, M.J. Sharkey [1 ♂, CNCI]. Horco Molle (near San Miguel de Tucumán), 16–19.i.1996, M.J. Sharkey [1 ♀, CNCI]. San Miguel de Tucumán, soccer field near PROIMI, 26°48’35.6’’S 65°14’24.6’’W, 500 m, 20.i.2003, S.V. Triapitsyn, E.G. Virla [1 ♀, UCRC]. Tafí Viejo, E.G. Virla: 18–21.xii.2000 [2 ♀, 1 ♂, UCRC]; 21–22.xii.2000 (second generation on eggs of T. rubromarginata ) [1 ♀, UCRC]. Tapia, 14.i.1995, E.G. Virla (from eggs of T. rubromarginata on maize) [2 ♀, CNCI]. BOLIVIA. LA PAZ, near Chulumani, Reserva Ecológica Privada Apa Apa, 16.37°S 67.51°W, 2000 m, 1–3.iv.2001, B.V. Brown [1 ♀, UCRC]. BRAZIL. GOIÁS. Campinaçu, Serra da Mesa Survey: 13°51.6’S 48°23.5’W, 20.ii.1996 [2 ♀, UCRC]; 13°52.0’S 48°23.2’W, 19–20.ii.1996 [1 ♀, UCRC]; 13°52.0’S 48°23.3’W, 21–22.ii.1996 [1 ♀, UCRC]. Uruaçu, 14°17.0’S 48°54.8’W, 27.v.1996, Serra da Mesa Survey [1 ♀, UCRC]. RIO DE JANEIRO, near Desengano State Park, 21.87°S 41.80°W, 200 m, 9.v.1999, B.V. Brown [1 ♀, UCRC]. URUGUAY. RÍO NEGRO, 10 km E of Fray Bentos, Estancia M’Bopicuá, 33°06’S 58°12’W, 3 m, 15–30.xii.2002, S. Peck [1 ♂, CNCI].

Redescription. FEMALE (lectotype, paralectotypes, and non-type specimens). Body length 800–1150 µm. Head and mesosoma dark brown to black, leg segments mostly light brown except metacoxa and metatibia brown, metafemur sometimes brownish but at least slightly lighter than metatibia; gaster whitish, yellowish, or light brown with brown bands on terga; scape and pedicel light brown, flagellum brown to dark brown.

Antenna ( Figs 407 , 410 ) with radicle about 0.3x total length of scape, rest of scape 3.0–3.2x as long as wide; pedicel longer than F1; F1 the shortest funicle segment, F2–F4 and F8 subequal in length and little shorter than F5, F6, and F7; mps on F4 (usually 0, occasionally 1 or 2), F5 (1 or 2), F6 (2), F7 (2), and F8 (2); clava with 8 mps, 3.4–3.9x as long as wide, about as long as combined length of F6–F8.

Mesosoma shorter than gaster ( Figs 408 , 412 ). Mesonotum smooth, shining. Dorsellum at least 0.33x as long as wide. Propodeum ( Fig. 411 ) with very short submedian carinae at posterior margin only. Forewing ( Figs 409 , 413 ) 3.3–3.7x as long as wide; longest marginal seta 0.25–0.3x maximum wing width; disc infumate and with a narrow, slightly curved, brown band behind stigmal vein, with cubital row of setae complete, and a narrow bare area just behind marginal vein, remainder of the area between marginal vein and cubital row of setae setose. Hind wing ( Fig. 409 ) 15–19x as long as wide; disc mostly bare except for rows of setae along margins and a few setae basally and apically, slightly infumate; longest marginal seta 1.9–2.1x maximum wing width.

Gaster (and ovipositor) not projecting forward under propodeum. Petiole at most 1.6x as wide as long. Ovipositor 0.6–0.8x length of gaster, usually barely exserted beyond gastral apex but sometimes more notably exserted by at most 0.14x its own length; ovipositor length: mesotibia length ratio 1.0–1.5:1.

Measurements (µm) of the lectotype. Body: total body length: 843; head 154; mesosoma 314; petiole 30; gaster 351; ovipositor 304. Antenna: scape (without radicle) 106; pedicel 48; F1 34; F2 47; F3 46; F4 49; F5 57; F6 55; F7 53; F8 50; clava 184. Forewing 966:283; longest marginal seta 88. Hind wing 720:48; longest marginal seta 91.

MALE (paralectotypes and non-type specimens). Body length 890–1220 µm. Similar to female except for normal sexually dimorphic features and the following. Body, particularly gaster and legs a little darker. Antenna ( Fig. 414 ) with all flagellomeres longer than wide and longer than pedicel. Forewing ( Fig. 415 ) 3.1– 3.6x as long as wide. Genitalia as in Fig. 416 .

Diagnosis. Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) nigrithorax is a member of the ater subgroup of the ater species group. Among the Neotropical species of the subgenus, it is similar to the usually larger G. (Cosmocomoidea) caudatus Ogloblin , of which females have a relatively longer ovipositor ( Figs 254 , 258 ) and males have relatively longer antennal flagellomeres ( Fig. 260 ) and a different coloration of the leg segments. Gonatocerus nigrithorax is most similar and, in fact, almost identical morphologically to the North American species G. (Cosmocomoidea) fasciatus Girault , which has a similar coloration, the forewing disc with a complete cubital row of setae and a narrow, slightly curved, brown band behind the stigmal vein, and a relatively shorter ovipositor. Gonatocerus nigrithorax differs from G. fasciatus mainly in having shorter submedian carinae on the propodeum ( Fig. 411 ). In the latter species these are distinct, parallel, often of unequal length, and extend toward the dorsellum for about one-half to three-quarters distance between the propodeal foramen and dorsellum ( Huber 1988) rather than present only near the propodeal posterior margin. Also, G. nigrithorax is a solitary parasitoid unlike G. fasciatus , which is a gregarious parasitoid ( Triapitsyn et al. 2003). It is also very similar to the northern Neotropical species G. (Cosmocomoidea) portoricensis Dozier , which has a much narrower dorsellum, as indicated in the key.

Distribution. NEOTROPICAL: Argentina, Bolivia *, Brazil *, and Uruguay *.

Hosts. Balacha melanocephala (Signoret) (Cicadellini) [new record], and Tapajosa rubromarginata (Signoret) (Proconiini) ( Cicadellidae ).

Figures

FIGURES 407 – 409. Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) nigrithorax ♀ (potential paralectotype): 407, antenna; 408, body; 409, wings.

FIGURES 410 – 413. Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) nigrithorax ♀ (Tafí Viejo, Tucumán, Argentina): 410, antenna; 411, dorsellum and propodeum; 412, mesosoma and metasoma; 413, forewing.

FIGURES 414 – 416. Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) nigrithorax ♂ (Tafí Viejo, Tucumán, Argentina): 414, antenna; 415, forewing; 416, genitalia.

FIGURES 253 – 255. Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) caudatus ♀ (lectotype): 253, antenna; 254, body; 255, wings.

FIGURES 256 – 259. Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) caudatus ♀ (Loreto, Misiones, Argentina): 256, antenna; 257, dorsellum and propodeum; 258, body; 259, forewing.

FIGURES 260 – 262. Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) caudatus ♂ (Chacra Yabebirí (Yabebiry), San Ignacio, Misiones, Argentina): 260, antenna; 261, wings; 262, genitalia.