Goniozus inauditus Santhosh

Santhosh, Shreevihar & Ranjith, Avinjikkattu Parambil, 2015, Descriptions of two new Species of Goniozus Förster, 1856 (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) associated with insect induced plant galls from India, Zootaxa 4039 (1), pp. 192-200 : 193-196

Goniozus inauditus Santhosh sp. nov.

( Fig 2 )

Material examined. Holotype ♀,. ‘ INDIA: Karnataka, Sringeri, Souwpnabitta, 13°23.59'N 75°47.30'E, 689 msl, 227. iv.2007, rearing, ex. Crotonothrips sp. induced leaf galls on Memecylon umbellatum, Moist Deciduous Forest, Community Managed Forests, M. Nasser , leg., VRN 160 ( ZSIK)’. Paratypes. 1♀, ‘ INDIA: Kerala, Areyadatupalam, 1 km E Kozhikode, 11°16.16'N 75°47.30'E, 8 msl, 22.iv.2006, K. Bindu leg., VRN 131’; 1♀, Malappuram, Thenjipalam, 11°07.44'N 75°53.44'E, 67 msl, 6.viii.1988, T.C. Narendran leg., VRN 114’ ( ZSIK); 1♀, ‘ INDIA: Kerala, collection locality unknown, 2–6.i.1993, unknown leg., VRN 16’ ( ZSIK).

Diagnosis. Head distinctly longer than wide ( Fig. 2 C), WH 0.83–0.85 × LH; compressed in lateral aspect ( Fig. 2 B), 1.72 × as long as wide; frons and vertex strongly coriaceous, with scattered shallow punctures ( Fig. 2 C); gena smooth and polished; malar space distinct ( Fig. 2 B); malar groove present; eye sparsely setose, setae as long as diameter of single facet; posterior ocelli contiguous with vertex margin; ocelli in obtuse triangle; OOL 1.09–1.1 × WOT; WF = HE; EV 0.47–0.55 × HE; antero-median smooth propodeal triangle absent; median smooth longitudinal stripe not elevated, extending to posterior margin of propodeal disc, wider in posterior half ( Fig. 2 D); forewing with subtriangular areolet ( Fig. 2 F), vein M, SM profusely setose; profemur 1.92 × as long as wide.

Description. Female (holotype) Length 3.08 mm; FWL 1.66 mm.

Colour. Body brown to black, abdomen brown at apex; mandible, teeth dark brown; antenna yellow, terminal final segments light brown; coxae, femora light brown, other segments yellow, wing hyaline; prostigma, pterostigma, costa, subcosta light brown, other veins straw coloured.

Head. Head distinctly longer than wide, WH 0.85 × LH; 1.72 × as long as wide in lateral aspect; frons and vertex strongly coriaceous, with scattered shallow punctures ( Fig. 2 C); gena smooth and polished; vestiture moderately long, 0.06 mm; profuse, decumbent; setae on vertex distinctly longer than setae on head, longest being 0.15 mm; anterior clypeal margin strongly produced, bluntly angulated, acute; clypeal carina 0.73 × HE, strong, arcuate in profile, extending onto front as low carina slightly beyond posterior scrobal margin; scrobe carinate; mandible stout with four short, blunt teeth, ventral most straight and longest; WF 0.48x LH; WF = HE; EV 0.5 × HE; LH 1.74 × HE; malar space distinct; malar groove present; eye sparsely setose, setae minute, as long as diameter of single facet; ocelli in obtuse triangle; posterior ocelli contiguous with vertex margin; OOL 1.09 × WOT; POL: AOL: DAO = 4:2:2; vertex straight in full dorsal view, acutely, smoothly curving to occiput, ecarinate; relative lengths of first five antennal segments in ratio of about 7:3.5:2.5:3:3; scape 1.4 × as long as wide, 2 × as long as pedicel; pedicel longer than F1; F1 segment as long as wide; F2–F7 wider than long; F8–F9 as long wide; F10–F11 longer than wide; antenna slightly shorter than head in full dorsal view (25:27) ( Fig. 2 C).

Mesosoma. Pronotum, mesonotum, and scutellum strongly coriaceous uniformly ( Fig. 2 D); vestiture long, profuse, decumbent; sparse on scutellum, mesonotum; pronotal disc 0.55 × as long as wide; mesonotum with complete parapsidal furrow ( Fig. 2 D); notauli absent; scutellum with a pair of slits at base connected by one weak narrow groove; propodeal disc 0.55 × as long as wide, smoothly inclined to lateral margin; basal median smooth triangle absent; median smooth longitudinal band not elevated, extending to posterior margin of propodeal disc, wider in posterior half; rest of propodeal disc and declivity strongly coriaceous; transverse propodeal carina medially interrupted broadly ( Fig. 2 D); forewing 2.8 × as long as wide; areolet present, subtriangular in shape ( Fig. 2 F); vein M, SM profusely setose, areolet sparsely setose; speculum profusely setose; profemur 1.92 × as long as wide; SI 10.74.

Metasoma. Tergites completely smooth and polished ( Fig. 2 E); T1–T3 with few setae restricted to lateral margin; other tergites sparsely setose all across dorsal side; metasoma distinctly longer than mesosoma, shorter than head plus mesosoma ( Fig. 2 A).

Male. Unknown.

Ecology and Biology. Ex. leaf galls on Memecylon umbellatum Burm. f. (Melastomaceae) induced by Crotonothrips sp. ( Fig. 3 A) ( Raman & Ananthakrishnan 1985); associate host: Carpelimus sp. ( Staphylinidae ) ( Fig. 3 B).

Etymology. The species epithet is after the Latin word inauditus meaning new.

Variation. See table 1 for the morphometric ratios of the type materials examined.

Distribution. India (Karnataka; Kerala).

Discussion. Goniozus inauditus Santhosh sp. nov. comes close to G. nephantidis (Muesebeck) , but differ in having ocular setae as long as diameter of single facet, scape 2 × pedicel, WF = HE, EV 0.62 × HE, mandible black brown and antenna shorter than head in full dorsal view ( Fig. 2 C), whereas in G. nephantidis ocular setae 2 × as long as diameter of single facet, scape longer than 2 × pedicel, WF 1.15–1.20 × HE, EV 0.36–0.47 × HE, mandible black and antenna longer than head in full dorsal view.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Goniozus inauditus Santhosh sp. nov., ♀, holotype A) Habitus, lateral view; B) Head & mesosoma, lateral view; C) Head, anterior view; D) Mesosoma, dorsal view; E) Metasoma, dorsal view; F) Forewing & hindwing.

FIGURE 3. Gall inhabitants of Memecylon umbellatum A) Crotonothrips sp. B) Carpelimus sp.