Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) rufescens ( Ashmead, 1904 )

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 : 213-215

Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) rufescens ( Ashmead, 1904)

(Not included in the key)

( Figs 453–456 )

Polynema rufescens Ashmead 1904: 521 . Type locality:? Bonito , Pernambuco, Brazil.

Polynema rufescens Ashmead : Girault 1911: 322 –323 (redescription).

Lymaenon rufescens (Ashmead) : Ogloblin 1946: 286; De Santis 1980: 148 (catalog).

Gonatocerus rufescens (Ashmead) : Yoshimoto 1990: 41 (list).

Acmopolynema rufescens (Ashmead) : Yoshimoto 1990: 78 (mistakenly listed in Acmopolynema Ogloblin ); Noyes 2003 (incorrectly listed in Acmopolynema ).

Type material examined. Holotype male [USNM] on point labeled: 1. “Bnito Prov. Pernmbuco Brazl Feb. 83 ”; 2. “Hym. slide 118”; 3. [red] “♂ Type No. 6595 U.S.N.M.”; 4. [blue] “wing mounted”; 5. “ Polynema rufescens Ashm ♂ Type”; 7. “ Gonatocerus Det. C. M. Yoshimoto ”; 8. “ Gonatocerus ♂ ater group Det. S. V. Triapitsyn 2000 ”. The specimen ( Fig. 453 ) is in poor condition, shriveled, and lacks the four apical flagellomeres of both antennae and one pair of wings; the latter, except for their bases that remain attached to the body, are mounted separately on a slide [USNM] labeled: 1. “Fore and hind wing of Polynema rufescens Ashm. ♂ type.”; 2. “118”.

Redescription. We do not provide a detailed redescription because only the poorly preserved holotype is available.

Diagnosis. Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) rufescens is a member of the ater subgroup of the ater species group. The main distinguishing features of the male holotype are as follows. Body length 1156 µm. Body and appendages ( Fig. 453 ) mostly dark yellow except flagellum dark brown, gaster mostly brown, and metatibia brown. Mesonotum smooth and shining. Propodeum ( Fig. 454 ) with subparallel submedian carinae and lateral carinae, otherwise smooth. Forewing ( Fig. 455 ) without setae behind submarginal and marginal veins, remainder of disc densely setose and with a conspicuous brown band behind and just beyond stigmal vein, slightly infumate elsewhere except for a narrow hyaline band just beyond the brown band, so that the entire apical half of disc or so appears as an inconspicuous, large, brownish band. Hind wing ( Fig. 456 ) disc with a slight brownish tinge, more so at apex.

This appears to be a good species, even though its female is unknown. Its forewing ( Fig. 455 ) is somewhat similar to that of G. (Cosmocomoidea) tuberculifemur (Ogloblin) , G. (Cosmocomoidea) deleoni Triapitsyn, Logarzo & Virla , and the related forms from Argentina (Triapitsyn et al. 2008), but all these have dark brown bodies whereas the body of G. rufescens is mostly light brown ( Fig. 453 ). There are also differences in the shape of the submedian carinae on the propodeum, which have more or less straight margins ( Fig. 454 ). Distribution. NEOTROPICAL: Brazil.

Hosts. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 453, 454. Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) rufescens ♂ (holotype): 453, habitus; 454, dorsellum and propodeum.

FIGURES 455, 456. Gonatocerus (Cosmocomoidea) rufescens ♂ (holotype): 455, forewing; 456, hind wing.