Nipponosega yamanei Kurzenko & Lelej, 1994

Mita, Toshiharu, 2021, Taxonomic study of Baeosega and its allies, with description of a new species of Nipponosega (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae, Amiseginae), ZooKeys 1041, pp. 1-25 : 1

Nipponosega yamanei Kurzenko & Lelej, 1994 Figures 2A, B , 8 , 9

Nipponosega yamanei Kurzenko & Lelej, 1994: 83, holotype ♀ by original designation. Type locality: Shishitsuka Ohike, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Pref., Honshu (Japan).

Nipponosega kantoensis Nagase, 1995: 104, holotype ♀ by original designation, new synonymy. Type locality: Tonbo-Park, Sueno, Yoriimachi, Saitama Pref., Honshu (Japan).

Specimens examined.

Holotypes. Nipponosega yamanei : Japan - Honshu ♀, " JAPAN Ibaraki-ken / Shishitsuka Ohike / Tsuchiura City / Lelej 17 viii 1993 ", "NSMT-HYM / 62329", " Holotypus ♀ / Nipponosega / Nipponosega yamanei / Kurzenko et Lelej"(NSMT); Nipponosega kantoensis : Japan ♀, "Tonbo-Park / Sueno, Yorii / Saitama / 11. VIII. 1991 / T. Nambu leg", "NSMT-HYM / 62328", " HOLOTYPE / Nipponosega / Nipponosega kantoensis / H. Nagase 1995 "(NSMT) .

Other materials. Japan - Honshu 1♀ 2♂, Ogawa (600-800 m alt.), Kitaibaraki , Ibaraki Pref., 14-28.VIII.2002 , MsT, H. Goto et al. leg. (ELKU); 1♂, same data, but (FFPRI) ; 3♀, Okami, Satomi-mura, Ibaraki Pref., 9-24.IX.2003 , MsT, S. Makino et al. leg. (FFPRI); 1♀, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa Pref., 24-25.IX.2009 , pit fall trap, T. Shimada leg. (ELKU); 1♂, Yawata (650 m alt.), Asahi , Aichi Pref., 29.VII-11.VIII.1998 , MsT, A. Hanai, K. Yamagishi leg. (ELMU); 1♀, Yawata Shrine (400 m alt.), Asahi , Aichi Pref., 12-21.VIII.1998 , MsT, M. Ozawa leg. (ELMU); 1♀, Kurisu, Inuyama, Aichi Pref., 19-25.VII.1996 , EmT, T. Mabuchi leg.; 1♀, Mt. Sanage , Aichi Pref., 7-13.VIII.1992 , EmT, K. Shima leg. (ELMU); 2♂, Takiwaki, Toyota, Aichi Pref., 8-14.VII.2002 , MsT, Y. Kurahashi Leg. (ELMU) ; 1♀, same data, but 19-25.VIII.2002 ; 1♀, Tougoku, Seto, Aichi Pref., 10-16.VIII.1997 , MsT, M. Kenmotsu leg. (ELMU); 1♀, Kurotani, Y., Hiroshima Pref., 7-13.VIII.1995 , YPT, A. Morimoto leg. (ELMU); - Shikoku 1♀, Mt. Takanawa , Matsuyama, Ehime Pref., 26.VII.2017 , K. Kuroda leg. (ELKU); 1♀, Jikiba-machi, Matsuyama-shi, Ehime Pref., 25.VII.2017 , shifting, Y. Hisasue leg. (ELKU); - Kyushu 1♀, Mt. Kaya , Itoshima-shi, Fukuoka Pref., 2.X.2018 , shifting, S. Inoue leg. (ELKU); 1♀, same locality as above, but Mt. Iwara , 8.IX.2019 , K. Nishiya leg. (ELKU); 1♀, Hikosan Biological Laboratory, Kyushu University, Mt. Hiko (670 m alt.), Fukuoka Pref., 2.X.1968 , MsT, K. Takeno leg.; 1♀, same data but 28-29.IX.1968 ; 1♀, same data but 15.X.1968 ; 1♂, same data but 4.IX.1970 ; 1♀, Mt. Hiko (700 m alt.), Fukuoka Pref., 20-28.VIII.2008 , MsT, T. Mita, S. Sato leg. (ELKU); 1♀, Gokasho Plateau (860 m alt.), Takachiho-cho , Miyazaki Pref., 22.VIII.2015 , Sk. Yamane leg. (ELKU); 2♀, same data but 23.VIII.2015 ; 1♀, Mt. Tatera, Tsushima Isl. , Nagasaki Pref., 25-26. IX. 2015 , YPT, Y. Hisasue leg. (ELKU); 1♀, same as above, but Mt. Shimizu, Izuhara-machi , 19.X.2019 , T. Hashizume leg. (ELKU); - Ryukyus 2♀, Kurio, Yakushima Isl. , 13.VII.1970 , K. Yamagishi leg. (ELMU); 1♂, same island, but Miyanoura, 21.VI-11.VII.1999, MsT, T. Murota (A. Hanai ) leg. (ELMU) .

Diagnosis.

In the genus Nipponosega , N. yamanei Kurzenko & Lelej is the only species known by both female and male. The female is similar to N. kurzenkoi in China. They can be distinguished by the body coloration and the width of frons. The mesopleuron is blackish in N. yamanei (Fig. 2A ), whereas it is fully testaceous in N. kurzenkoi . The frons is narrower, the maximum interocular distance is 1.5-2.0 × longer than the width of frons in full face view (1.2 in N. kurzenkoi ). Other diagnostic characters of the female are as follows: body length 2.5-3.9 mm; head black, smooth with scattered punctures; posterior ocelli well separated from the inner margin of eye; pronotum reddish, smooth with scattered punctures; mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, anterior part of mesepisternum and often propodeum black; legs yellow; metasoma dark brown. The body length of the male is 3.2-3.8 mm. The male of other species of Nipponosega is unknown. Compared to other genera found in Japan, the male of N. yamanei can be distinguished by the head without occipital carina and impunctate welt; the body black, without metallic reflection; and the forewing with R1 thick, not clearly separated from pterostigma.

Description.

Female. Body length 2.5-3.9 mm. Head (Fig. 8A-D ) punctate except scapal basin, 0.65-0.81 × as long as wide in dorsal view, 0.89-1.18 × as wide as deep in frontal view; punctures 0.3-0.5 × diameter of median ocellus, 0.3-1.0 punctures diameter apart on frons, 1.0-3.0 punctures diameter apart on ocellar region and vertex; interspaces among punctures smooth; scapal basin moderately excavated to almost flat, transversely costate by fine grooves, with median unsculptured line; malar sulcus absent; narrowest width of frons 0.24-0.33 × head width; maximum interocular distance 1.5-2.0 × as long as narrowest width of frons; MS 0.24-0.34 × as long as eye height; ocellar triangle variable, OL 0.7-1.6 × as long as POL, OL 0.8-1.2, OPL 2.0-2.5, POL 0.5-1.0, OOL 0.3-0.6, MOD 0.4-0.5; occipital carina present, reaching lower gena (Fig. 8C ), occasionally present only behind ocellar triangle, only upper gena, or rarely almost invisible. Clypeus not thickened, with thin square transparent lobe. Mandible without inner tooth. Antenna stout, F2-F7 wider than long; length (width) of F1-F4 following ratio: 2.7-3.2 (1.0-1.2): 0.7-1.0 (1.0-1.3): 0.9-1.0 (1.1-1.3): 1.0 (1.1-1.4).

Pronotum (Fig. 8E ) punctate with faintly coriaceous interspace; punctures slightly smaller than those on frons, 0.3-0.4 MOD, 3-5 PD apart; medial longitudinal line reaching 2/3 of pronotum, rarely groove fully developed; median length of pronotum 0.72-0.86 × as long as wide, 1.2-1.6 × mesoscutum plus mesoscutellum. Mesoscutum 0.43-0.50 × longer than pronotum, sculptured as vertex; notauli complete, diverging anteriorly. Mesoscutellum 0.5-0.75 × longer than mesoscutum, punctate as mesoscutum with interspaces faintly transversely rugulose. Mesopleuron sculptured as pronotum. Metanotum triangular, median length 0.67-0.87 × mesoscutellum, with shallow punctures. Propodeum with postero-lateral corner forming blunt angle (Fig. 8E ), angle sometimes weak; dorsal surface of propodeum short, medially smooth, laterally rugose, sometimes irregularly reticulate; transverse or arched carina present behind; sometimes lateral carina present; posterior surface transversely costate with median longitudinal carina, sometimes laterally reticulate; lateral surface faintly costate with carinae antero-dorsally effaced; metapleural region polished or faintly transversely rugose. Middle and hind coxae transversely costate.

Metasoma faintly coriaceous, sparsely covered with setae; length of setae 2 MOD.

Color. Head black. Antenna basally testaceous, F2-F10 dark brown, sometimes dorsal half of F2 testaceous. Mandible testaceous with reddish teeth. Mesosoma with prothorax, posterior half of mesopleuron and lateral surface of propodeum reddish to light brownish, remainder of mesothorax, metanotum and dorsal to posterior surface of propodeum brownish to blackish; dorsum of pronotum blackish in the female from Mt. Takanawa (Ehime Pref.); metanotum and propodeum sometimes paler especially in smaller specimens. Tegulae and wings testaceous to brown. Legs testaceous, sometimes femora and tibiae brownish. Metasoma brown to dark brown, rarely blackish, usually anterior surface of T1 and sterna paler.

Male. Body length 3.2-3.8 mm. Head (Fig. 9A-C ) densely punctate except scapal basin, 0.5-0.57 × as long as wide in dorsal view, 1.16-1.46 × as wide as deep in frontal view; punctures 0.2-0.3 MOD, almost contiguous to 0.3 puncture diameter apart each; scapal basin excavated, transversely rugose with median unsculptured line; MS 0.3-0.4 × as long as eye height; narrowest width of frons 0.6-0.7 × head width; ocellar triangle obtuse, OL 0.5-0.6 × as long as POL, OL 0.8, OPL 2.0-2.8, POL 1.5, OOL 0.5-0.6, MOD 0.8-1.0. Clypeus not thickened, with thin transparent lamella. Mandible distally truncate. Antenna cylindrical, flagellum densely covered with setae; length of setae ca. 0.6 × flagellomere diameter; length (width) of F1 to F4 following ratio: 3.3-4.0 (0.8-1.0): 1.8-2.5 (0.8-1.1): 1.8-2.3 (0.8-1.0): 1.8-2.0 (0.8-1.0).

Pronotum (Fig. 9E ) densely punctate as vertex; medial longitudinal groove present on posterior 3/5; median length of pronotum 0.46-0.58 × as long as wide, 0.7-0.9 × mesoscutum. Mesoscutum densely punctate as vertex; on posterior half interspaces faintly granulate; notauli complete, diverging anteriorly. Mesoscutellum punctate as mesoscutum, 0.45-0.63 × longer than mesoscutum. Mesopleuron punctate with polished interspaces; punctures slightly larger than those on pronotum, 0.3-1.5 puncture diameter apart; surface near pleural suture polished, without puncture. Metanotum with sparse punctures, median length 0.52-0.68 × mesoscutellum; punctures 1-3 puncture diameter apart. Propodeum postero-laterally forming dully corner, without teeth or distinct angle; dorsal surface more or less rugose, sometimes only median longitudinal carina present; transverse carina present between dorsal and posterior surface; posterior surface finely reticulate rugose with median longitudinal carina; lateral surface with ventral 2/3 finely reticulate, dorsal 1/3 smooth; metapleural region polished, more or less rugose and longitudinally excavated behind pleural suture. R1 tubular, thick, not clearly distinguished from pterostigma (Fig. 9D ); Rs extended by weakly curved dark streak; medial vein arising at or before cu-a. Legs with surface of coxae smooth; hind coxa with dorsobasal carina; tarsal claws with one small inner tooth.

Dorsal surface of terga and sterna with fine punctures; punctures on T1 and T2 1-2 puncture diameters apart, with interspaces polished.

Color. Head, mesosoma and metasoma black but anterior polished surface of T1 brownish, lateral surface of T1, T2 brown. Antenna with scape testaceous, flagellomere dark brown to brown, distally slightly paler. Mandible testaceous with apex reddish. Maxillary and labial palpus testaceous. Tegula brown. Wings faintly tinged with brown; veins brown. Legs testaceous with hind tibia dark brown.

Distribution.

Japan (Honshu; Shikoku; Kyushu; Tsushima Isl.; Yakushima Isl.).

Hosts.

Diapheromeridae : Micadina phluctainoides (Rehn, 1904).

Remarks.

Although ocelli and head proportions of the female have been considered useful for species classification ( Nagase 1995), they actually show great variation. The holotypes of N. yamanei (Fig. 8B ) and N. kantoensis (Fig. 8D ) are examples of the two extremes and intermediate females are more frequently found. This makes it difficult to distinguish between the two types.

Males of N. yamanei were only obtained by Malaise traps and occasionally they were collected together with Cladobethylus japonicus Kimsey, 1997. The males of both species have been unknown; however, the morphological characters of the trapped males were close to those of Baeosega . As Cladobethylus is a genus showing little sexual dimorphism ( Kimsey 2019), they are considered as Nipponosega . Compared to the abundance of the female, the male of N. yamanei is rarely collected. Some females were found above the ground surface (1 m or more) ( Nagase 1995; Tomura 2020), but in fact they are more likely on the ground floor or in the leaf litter. Multiple females were obtained in Malaise traps, suggesting that females actively walk around the forest floor and climb understory vegetation. Females were observed to carry the host eggs for oviposition (Y. Hisasue, personal communication).

Figures

Figure 2. General habitus of Amiseginae A Nipponosega yamanei Kurzenko & Lelej, holotype ♀ B ditto, ♂ C Okinawasega eguchii Terayama ♀ D ditto, holotype ♂. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figure 8. Nipponosega yamanei Kurzenko & Lelej ♀ A holotype of N. yamanei, head in frontal view B ditto, dorsal view C female from Aichi, gena (arrow indicates occipital carina) D holotype of N. kantoensis Nagase, head in dorsal view E holotype of N. yamanei, mesosoma. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 9. Nipponosega yamanei Kurzenko & Lelej ♂ A Head in frontal view B ditto, lateral view C ditto, dorsal view D forewing, pterostigma and R 1 E mesosoma. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.