Xyela altenhoferi Blank, 2013

Blank, Stephan M., Shinohara, Akihiko & Altenhofer, Ewald, 2013, <strong> The Eurasian species of <em> Xyela </ em> (Hymenoptera, Xyelidae): taxonomy, host plants and distribution </ strong>, Zootaxa 3629 (1), pp. 1-106 : 34-35

Xyela altenhoferi Blank , sp. nov.

Type locality: Croatia, Premantura N 1 km.

Description. Female. Color. Head yellow with black and brown pattern: face medially diffuse pale brown laterally up to eye margins, along frontal furrows slightly darker brown without clearly defined stripes, dark brown medial spot of frons present and weakly contrasting, kidney-shaped spots, ocellar and postocellar spot black and embedded in diffuse brown pattern, yellow stripe between kidney-shaped spot and upper eye margin ( Fig. 50 ). Antennae brown, ventrally a little paler. Thorax dorsally black with indistinct brown spots on pronotum, mesoscutum and mesoscutellum. Mesepisternum largely pale brown. Abdomen dark brown, lateral parts of terga 8 and 9+10, partly the distal sterna, and valvifer 2 pale brown, membranous base of valvula 3 white, valvula 3 dark brown ( Fig. 105 ). Legs brown, femora unicolorous, posterior coxae dark brown except for the ventral distal portion. Fore wing membrane, veins and pterostigma slightly infuscate, hind wing membrane hyaline.

Morphology. Fore wing 3.7–4.0 mm long, 2.00–2.15 times longer than ovipositor sheath, vein Rs+M 210–290 µm long, 2r-m meeting Rs 210–330 µm proximal to furcation of Rs1 and Rs2. Synantennomere 3 570–680 µm long, antennomere 4 130–160 µm long and 4.5–5.5 times longer than wide distally. Article 3 of the maxillary palps 380–460 µm long, 1.35–1.55 times longer than the scape and wider than synantennomere 3. OOL: POL = (1.35–)1.50–1.65: 1. Ovipositor sheath 1.80–1.95 mm long, valvula 3 1.50–1.65 times longer than valvifer 2 and 5.5–6.0 times longer than wide at its base ( Fig. 105 ). Valvula 3 of ovipositor compressed, pale membranous area about as long as basal width of valvula 3, dorsal edge of valvula 3 sloping down to a round tip, distally with sensilla field exposed and directed caudally, bearing 3 hairs. Ovipositor almost straight and compressed. Valvula 1 with aulax terminating distally, ventral edge to tip, with ca 15 oblique closely spaced annuli in distal quarter, without serrulae, olistether with 3–4 setae. Left and right valvula 2 fused along dorsal edge in basal half. Valvula 2 with smooth dorsal margin, tapering in distal half, pale and evenly sclerotized, in distal 0.4 with single scattered sensilla campaniformia, in distal 0.1 with 5 oblique annuli. Posterior tibia 0.80–0.95 mm long, claws without subapical tooth.

Male. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype ♀: “ Croatia: Premantura N 1 km, 0 m NN [altitude], 44°49’N 13°54’E [leg.] S.M. Blank & E. Altenhofer c[ollected on] 7.4.1999 em[erged on] 24.4.2001 Z 20/99 Pinus halepensis ”; [red:] “Holotype ♀ Xyela altenhoferi det. S. M. Blank 2005 ”. DEI . Paratypes: 11♀, EAC, DEI .

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Dr. Ewald Altenhofer, whose support of this study by rearing a large number of Xyela specimens was invaluable.

Host plant. ● Pinus halepensis Mill. (12♀ from 1 reared sample).

Biology. Apparently the flight period of X. altenhoferi commences comparatively early. Cones with larvae were collected in Croatia while X. graeca and X. menelaus imagines were found to be active at a nearby place. The imagines emerged in the second year after the larvae were collected.

Geographic distribution. Croatia ( Fig. 13 ).

Remarks. Xyela altenhoferi differs from other members of the X. julii group in the combination of short ovipositor, valvula 3 darker than valvifer 2, infuscate wings, diffuse brown frons with brown pattern touching eyes and stripes along frontal furrows weak or missing. The similar X. graeca and X. menelaus differ in the more extensively yellow face, the yellow or pale brown posterior coxae and the almost hyaline wings. The East Palearctic X. pumilae , in which the wings are also infuscate, has a yellow face with strongly contrasting black stripes, and its valvula 3 is 1.65–1.85 times longer than valvifer 2.

The male of X. altenhoferi is unknown. So far Pleroneura coniferarum ( Hartig, 1837) was supposed to be the only parthenogenetic species among xyelid sawflies ( Pesarini 2000, Blank 2002).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Records of Xyela altenhoferi (12 specimens from 1 collection site) and natural distribution of the host plant, Pinus halepensis (solid line, according to Barbéro et al. 1998). “B?” and “H?” denote additional collection sites of similar, unidentified Xyela specimens collected close to or reared from P. brutia or P. halepensis (see text).

FIGURES 42–65. Color pattern of head of Xyela species: X. curva group, X. rasnitsyni group, X. julii group (part). Legend: HT—holotype; NT—neotype; PT—paratype.

FIGURES 105–120. Ovipositor sheaths of Xyela species. All figures at same scale. Legend: HT—holotype; NT—neotype; PT—paratype.