Oxyscelio catenae Burks

Burks, Roger A., Masner, Lubomir, Johnson, Norman F. & Austin, Andrew D., 2013, Systematics of the parasitic wasp genus Oxyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s. l.), part II: the Australian and southwest Pacific fauna, ZooKeys 331, pp. 1-266 : 36-39

Oxyscelio catenae Burks sp. n. Figures 27-32; Morphbank32

Description.

Female. Body length 3.5-4.05 mm (n=11).

Radicle color and shade: darker than scape; same as scape, both dark brown. Pedicel color: same as scape. A3: longer than pedicel. A4: longer than broad. A5: broader than long.

Ventral clypeal margin: with slightly convex median lobe. Interantennal process: not elongate. Lower frons at dorsal margin of interantennal process: without transverse carina. Transverse curved rugae extending from frontal depression to eye: absent. Median longitudinal carina in frontal depression: absent. Ventral portion of frontal depression: smooth. Dorsal portion of frontal depression: without transverse carinae. Submedian carina: present only as a weak shift in elevation. Frontal depression dorsally: not hood-like, open dorsally. Upper frons major sculpture: umbilicate foveate; transversely rugose. Upper frons microsculpture: granulate. Hyperoccipital carina: indicated by a set of irregular elevations. Carina connecting occipital carina to hyperoccipital carina: absent. Occipital carina: uniformly rounded dorsally. Occiput sculpture: irregularly sculptured. Extra carina ventral to occipital carina: present, medially incomplete. Gena length: shorter than eye. Major sculpture of gena anteroventrally: umbilicate foveate; rugose. Major sculpture of gena posteroventrally: umbilicate foveate. Microsculpture of gena anteroventrally: absent. Microsculpture of gena posteroventrally: granulate.

Lateral pronotal area sculpture: densely covered with setiferous puncta. Posterior border of central pronotal area: directed posteriorly, epomial carina absent or meeting transverse pronotal carina at arch on lateral surface of pronotum. Mesoscutum anteriorly: very steep and tall, descending at a right angle or protruding anteriorly. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: umbilicate foveate. Mesoscutal midlobe sculpture at midlength: with large smooth areas. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: umbilicate foveate; longitudinally rugose. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: granulate. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: absent. Median mesoscutal carina: present as a vague, occasionally interrupted elevation. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: absent; umbilicate foveate. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: umbilicate foveate. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: absent. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: punctate. Mesoscutellar rim: not expanded. Mesoscutellar rim medially: without notch. Mesofemoral depression: longitudinally striate dorsally, smooth ventrally. Metascutellum shape: slightly emarginate posteriorly, concave but elevated posteriorly. Metascutellar setae: absent. Metascutellum sculpture: with large smooth posterior fovea. Postmarginal vein: present. Fore wing apex at rest: reaching base of T5. Coxae color brightness: darker than femora. Spines along tibiae: absent. Lateral propodeal carinae: broadly separated, but parallel for a short distance anteriorly. Setae in metasomal depression: absent. Anterior sculpture of metasomal depression: with median areole or pair of pits. Median propodeal carina: absent.

T1 horn: absent. Number of longitudinal carinae of T1 midlobe: obscured by other raised sculpture. T1 lateral carina: straight. T2 sculpture: with longitudinal striae or rugae, setiferous puncta present between them. T2 sublateral longitudinal foveae: absent. T3 metasomal flanges: absent. T4 sculpture: longitudinally striate to rugose, setal pits spanning interspaces. T4 metasomal flanges: absent. T5 sculpture: longitudinally striate to rugose, setal pits spanning interspaces. T5 metasomal flanges: absent. T6: broader than long. Major sculpture of T6: umbilicate punctate; longitudinally striate. Microsculpture of T6: absent. T6 medially: flat and tapering to a rounded apex, not separated from apical rim. T6 metasomal flanges: absent. T6 raised peripheral rim: absent. S4 sculpture: longitudinally striate or rugose, setal pits spanning interspaces. S5 sculpture: longitudinally striate to rugose, setal pits spanning interspaces. S5 median carina: absent. S6 peripheral carina: absent. S6 apex in relation to T6: not exposed to dorsal view. S6 apex: truncate.

Male. Body length 3.4-3.55 mm (n=4). A3: longer than pedicel. A5 tyloid shape: narrow, linear. A6: longer than broad. A11: longer than broad. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: umbilicate foveate. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: umbilicate foveate; longitudinally rugose. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: granulate. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: absent. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: umbilicate foveate; absent. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: umbilicate foveate. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: absent. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: absent. Fore wing apex at rest: reaching middle of T5. T1 midlobe longitudinal carinae: 4. T3 metasomal flanges: absent. T4 metasomal flanges: absent. T5 metasomal flanges: absent. T6 metasomal flanges: absent. T7: weakly emarginate.

Diagnosis. Both sexes: Frontal depression shallow, transverse carinae absent; submedian carina weak and rounded. Genal carina expanded, with large foveae between it and gena laterally. Hyperoccipital carina indicated by rugae. Occipital carina complete, convex. Epomial corner sharp, protruding. Mesoscutum with raised longitudinal smooth area postero-medially. Metascutellum broad, deeply concave, emarginate apically. Postmarginal vein present. Coxa darker than rest of leg. Metasomal depression with irregular sculpture. T1 lateral carina not expanded laterally. Metasomal flanges absent. Female: A3 longer than pedicel. A4 longer than broad, A5 nearly as long as broad. Mesoscutellum without granulate sculpture. T1 midlobe carinae obscured by raised area. Fore wing long enough to reach middle of T5. Male: A4, A11 longer than broad. T1 midlobe with 4 longitudinal carinae. Fore wing long enough to reach middle of T6. T7 truncate or slightly emarginate apically, without apical protrusions. Oxyscelio catenae is unusual in having sharp epomial corners and a raised smooth strip on the mesoscutal midlobe postero-medially. These features are shared with Oxyscelio valdecatenae , which has a more strongly sculptured mesoscutellum and shorter body and metasoma.

Etymology.

Latin noun, genitive case, meaning “chain.”

Link to distribution map.

[http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=307065]

Material examined.

Holotype, female: AUSTRALIA: WA, Mount Cooke, 28.I-17.II.1991, malaise trap, M. S. Harvey & J. M. Waldock, OSUC 448987 (deposited in WAMP). Paratypes: AUSTRALIA: 10 females, 4 males, OSUC 439567-439569, 448986, 448988-448997 (WINC).