Orasema peraltai, Baker & Heraty, 2020

Baker, Austin J. & Heraty, John M., 2020, The New World ant parasitoid genus Orasema (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae), Zootaxa 4888 (1), pp. 1-84 : 56

Orasema peraltai species group

( Figs 29–31 )

Diagnosis. Recognized by the following combination of characters: antenna with 7 funiculars ( Figs 30D, E , 31F ), occiput strongly curved such that in dorsal view the head is crescent shaped ( Fig. 31C ), face appearing thinner and more elongate than most Orasema , which is indicated by the IOD:HH (generally <0.7 compared to most other species groups tending to be>0.7), postgena converging ( Fig. 31D ), mesoscutal midlobe costate to costate-reticulate, and mesosoma relatively elongate, which is indicated by the MSL:MSH (generally>1.6 compared to most other species groups tending to be <1.6).

Description. Female. Length 2.3–4.2 mm. Color. Scape yellow; flagellum brown. Mandible pale brown; maxilla and labium pale brown to yellow. Tibiae yellow. Wing venation pale brown. Gaster brown with iridescence.

Head. Head in frontal view elongate. Face costate; scrobal depression deep, laterally rounded, with transverse striae; longitudinal groove between eye and torulus absent; eyes sparsely setose; supraclypeal area about as long as broad, shorter than clypeus; clypeus smooth; epistomal sulcus distinct; anterior tentorial pit strongly impressed; anteclypeus distinct, broadly rounded. Labrum with 4 digits. Mandibular formula 3:2. Occiput imbricate, deeply emarginate in dorsal view, dorsal margin abrupt. Scape not reaching median ocellus. Pedicel small and globose. Flagellum with 7 funiculars; anellus disc-shaped; following funiculars subequal in length, equal in width. Mesosoma. Mesoscutal lateral lobe smooth and shining; notauli deep. Axilla dorsally flat, on same plane as mesoscutellum; scutoscutellar sulcus narrowly separated from transscutal articulation; axillula areolate. Propodeal disc flat, areolate, occasionally with irregular median carina; callus with several long setae. Propleuron convex, coriaceous. Prepectus areolate-reticulate. Mesepisternum reticulate laterally, smooth ventrally, straight anterior to mid coxa; postpectal carina weak. Upper mesepimeron smooth; lower mesepimeron weakly reticulate; transepimeral sulcus distinct. Metepisternum weakly reticulate. Hind coxa reticulate. Fore wing basal area and speculum bare, costal cell and wing disc densely setose; marginal fringe relatively long; submarginal vein with several long setae; marginal vein pilose; stigmal vein slightly longer than broad, slightly angled toward wing apex. Metasoma. Petiole cylindrical, linear in profile, lateral margin rounded, ventral sulcus present with margins broadly separated. Antecostal sulcus foveate; acrosternite posteriorly rounded; apical setae of hypopygium present, minute.

Male. Length 2.1–2.7 mm. (Known only for O. chrysozona ).

Phylogenetics. The peraltai group is placed sister to the clade containing the coloradensis -, sixaolae -, and monstrosa groups ( Baker et al. 2020). Specimens sampled include one O. peraltai (designated “ Orasema _DF1_ ARG_AE_D4205”), and two O. chrysozona (designated “ Orasema _DF2_ARG_AE_D4885” and “ Orasema _DF3_ ARG_AE_D4884”). The decision to include “DF2” (UCRCENT00436599) and “DF3” (UCRCENT00169577) into the same species was partially the result of a small molecular distance between the two specimens when compared to other well-sampled species (e.g. O. coloradensis and O. sixaolae ), despite these specimens having a large difference in body size.

Key to species of the Orasema peraltai species group

1) Head and mesosoma generally bright iridescent green ( Fig. 31A ); femora all pale yellow ( Fig. 31A ); notauli and scutoscutellar sulcus with small, shallow punctures ( Fig. 31G ) (widespread Neotropical)...................... Orasema peraltai n. sp.

- Head and mesosoma generally darker iridescent green ( Fig. 30A ); femora with a medial dark patch ( Fig. 30A ); notauli and scutoscutellar sulcus with larger, more irregular, deep punctures ( Fig. 30F ) (widespread Neotropical).................................................................................................. Orasema chrysozona n. sp.

Figures

FIGURE 29. Distribution map of species in the Orasema peraltai species group.

FIGURE 30. Orasema chrysozona. Holotype female (UCRCENT00436599): A, habitus, lateral; B, head, anterior; C, mesosoma, lateral; F, mesosoma, dorsal; G, propodeum, posterior. Paratype female (UCRCENT00169639): D, antenna. Paratype male (UCRCENT00320986): E, antenna.

FIGURE 31. Orasema peraltai. Holotype female (UCRCENT00434580): A, habitus, lateral; B, head, anterior; E, mesosoma, lateral; F, antenna; G, mesosoma, dorsal; H, propodeum, posterior. Paratype female (UCRCENT00161481): C, head, dorsal. Paratype female (UCRCENT00436704): D, head, posterior.