Australcephus storeyi Smith and Schmidt

Smith, David R. & Schmidt, Stefan, 2009, A new subfamily, genus, and species of Cephidae (Hymenoptera) from Australia, Zootaxa 2034, pp. 56-60 : 58

Australcephus storeyi Smith and Schmidt , new species

( Figs 1–12 )

Description. Female. Length, 5.0– 5.5 mm. Black; mandible dark yellow; palpi yellow; scape, pedicel and flagellomeres 1–4(-5) yellowish, gradually darkening toward apex; legs orange yellow, only base of coxae black; wings hyaline, costa and stigma of forewing dark brown, other veins light brown. Head shining with fine punctures on frons through interantennal area; thorax and abdomen shining, without punctures or sculpture.

Antennal length 3.5X head width, scape slightly longer than broad, pedicel slightly longer than broad, 22–25 flagellomeres equal in width throughout; flagellomeres 1 and 2 subequal in length, from 3 to apex gradually decreasing in length ( Fig. 5 ). Postocellar area nearly 2X broader than long. Malar space subequal to diameter of front ocellus. Distances between antennae, between antenna and eye, and between antenna and tentorium as 1.0:0.6:0.6 ( Fig. 4 ). Tibiae without preapical spines; hind basitarsus equal in length to rest of tarsomeres combined. Cerci extending less than half way to apex of sheath; sheath rounded at apex ( Fig. 3 ), from above slender and of uniform width. Valvifers 2 and 3 almost in a straight line, subequal in length. Lancet long, slender, serrulae rounded and distinct only on apical third ( Figs 7, 8 ).

Male. Length, 5.0 mm. Similar in structure to female. Hypopygium rounded at apex. Male genitalia ( Figs 10, 11 ) with sagittae nearly as long as harpes, sagittae with low protuberances at apex, harpes apically with several setae. Gonostipes dorsomedially extended and with deep incision between lateral and medial portion. Penis valve ( Fig. 12 ) with valviceps oval, turned ventrally at apex, with a patch of about 8 pegs near basal ventral margin.

Types. Holotype: Female, “ Australia: QLD, 26 km up Tinaroo Creek Road from Mareeba, 9.VI–19.VII. 1983, 17.097 S, 145.580 E, 1090 m, Storey/Brown, Malaise trap” (deposited in the Queensland Museum, Brisbane (QMB), at the request of QDPI). Paratypes: Same data as holotype (6 Ƥ, 1 3; 4 Ƥ, 1 3 in QMB; 1 Ƥ each in the ZSM and USNM); Atherton, Qld., II.13.75, Australia, H. & A. Howden (1 3, AEIC); same data except II-17-75 (2 3, AEIC).

Etymology. The species is named after the late Ross Storey in honor of his contributions to Australian entomology. In addition, he was one of the collectors of the species.

Host. Unknown. Other species of Cephidae are known to be grass-stem borers or twig borers in various shrubs and trees.

Remarks. One specimen has cell Rs closed in the hind wing; all others lack this cell. The male genitalia are typical of Cephidae in that they are orthandrous, the gonostipes and harpes are fused with no articulation between the two and the volsellae and sagittae are knoblike and provided with minute peglike elevations. This species has two characters that are unlike any other Cephidae we have examined. The sagittae are long, nearly as long as the harpes, and the gonostipes are extended dorsomedially with a deep incision between lateral and medial portions. In other genera we examined ( Janus , Hartigia , Cephus , Calameuta , and Syrista ) the sagittae are shorter than the harpes, and the gonostipes are narrow, the apical and basal margins nearly parallel, and the lateral and medial portions are not separated by an incision. These might be considered good subfamily characters, but more information is needed about the male genitalia of other genera.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. Australcephus storeyi. 1, Forewing; 2, hind wing; 3, lateral view of apex of abdomen and sawsheath; 4, front view of head; 5, antenna; 6, dorsal view of head and thorax; 7, apex of female lancet; 8, entire female lancet; 9, lateral view of head and anterior thorax; 10, dorsal view of male genitalia; 11, ventral view of male genitalia; 12, lateral view of penis valve.