Uscanoidea ricoi Viggiani, Gamboa & Perez-Benavides, 2024

Gamboa, Jean, Perez-Benavides, Lucia, Ospina-Penuela, Esau, Serna, Francisco & Viggiani, Gennaro, 2024, A new species of Uscanoidea Girault (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae), an egg parasitoid of Monalonion dissimulatum Distant (Hemiptera, Miridae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 97, pp. 191-206 : 191

Uscanoidea ricoi Viggiani, Gamboa & Perez-Benavides sp. nov.

Figs 1-12 , 13-20 , 21-23 , 24, 25 , 26-30

Description.

Female (Figs 1-12 ). Colour: Eyes red, vertex and face mostly yellow, occipital area black. Antenna dark brown, with scape, ventral aspect of the pedicel, and apical club segment lighter. Mesosoma. Pronotum black and yellow, mid lobe of mesoscutum, axillae, scutellum, metanotum and propodeum yellow. Pleural and ventral areas of mesosoma black or dark brown. Fore wing hyaline with dark brown venation. Legs mostly brown or dark brown, but with lighter parts on femur, tibia and tarsus. Metasoma (gaster) black. Body length: 0.7 mm. Head. As wide as mesosoma; mandible tridentate, maxillary palpus 1-segmented. Antenna (Fig. 2 ) with scape 4 × as long as wide; pedicel slightly longer than half length of scape; 2 anelli; club conical, 3.5-4 × as long as wide, asymmetrical 5-segmented; C1 (Fig. 2 , c1) very short, somewhat longer than second anellus, ring-like and closely appressed to base of C2, without setae but with one lateral basiconic peg sensillum; C2 (Fig. 2 , c2) asymmetrical, dorsal length 4 × as long as ventral length, slightly wider than C3, with long setae (Fig. 3 ), distal margin with basiconic peg sensilla and one placoid sensillum; C3 asymmetrical, 0.8 × as long as C2 and with setae and sensilla as for C2, but with a slightly curved placoid sensillum; C4 1.8 × as long as C3 and with one distal basiconic peg sensillum; C5 tapered, narrow, 4-5 × as long as wide, with 2 or 3 placoid sensilla, one prominent and as long as C5; terminal basiconic peg sensillum, and a short terminal seta. Mesosoma. 0.8 × as long as metasoma; pronotum very short, with a few setae; mid lobe of mesoscutum subtrapezoidal (Fig. 4 ), 1.7 × as long as scutellum, with faint reticulate sculpture and two pairs of rather short setae; scutellum with setae and sculpture as for mid lobe of mesoscutum; metanotum (Fig. 5 , md) with disc slightly shorter (0.7 ×) than that of propodeum (Fig. 5 , pd). Mesophragma apically concave. Wings. Fore wing (Fig. 8 ) 1.6 × as long as wide; venation 0.58 wing length; Subcostal vein 1.3 × marginal vein length, premarginal vein 0.6 × Marginal vein length, Stigmal vein shorter than premarginal vein, with a short neck; costal cell 1.5 × Marginal vein length and with a group of 6-8 setae, distally near the premarginal vein; 1 seta on the Subcostal vein, 2 setae on the premarginal vein and 3 main setae on the Marginal vein; disc with 17-20 regular and distinct rows of setae; radial sector 1 curved from stigma toward the wing base and with 7 or 8 setae; fringe with longest setae half the length of stigmal vein. Hind wing (Fig. 9 ) with 3 rows of setae on the disc. Legs. Fore leg: trochanter almost parallel-sided; femur narrow, 4-6 × as long as wide with a rather long seta on the distal ventral; tibia front margin with 3 spines, the middle one prominent (Fig. 10 ). Mid leg: fragile; tibia with a row of rather long setae on the external margin, somewhat shorter than the corresponding basitarsomere, one long seta on the distal ventral end, spur as long as basitarsomere (Fig. 11 ). Hind leg: robust; trochanter having a dorsal globular prominence; femur 2 × as long as wide; tibia robust with spur as long as half basitarsus; tarsomeres subequal (Fig. 12 ). Metasoma. Subconical (Fig. 6 ), ovipositor internally inserted at level of terga III-IV, not extruded; ovipositor length/hind tibia length ratio 1.76; hypopygium (Fig. 7 ) reaching the basal half of ovipositor, with two median converging ridges and two long, subapical setae.

Male (Fig. 13 ). Body coloration as the female. Antenna (Fig. 14 ) slightly shorter (3.0 ×) and with fewer asymmetrical segments than in female, C5 shorter, 2.5 × as long as wide and with several long setae (Fig. 15 ), as on the preceding segments. Mesoscutum as female (Fig. 16 ). Fore wing fringe (Fig. 17 ) as long as stigmal vein length. Hind wing as the female (Fig. 18 ). Metasoma 1.3 × as long as wide, with posterior apex less pointed than in female (Fig. 19 ). Genitalia (Fig. 20 ) simple, tubiform, slightly wider in the middle, basal 2/3rd brown, 4.4 × as long as wide, length 0.125 mm, basal anterodorsal aperture 2 × as long as wide; without ventral setae, parameres, volsellae, and aedeagal apodemes. Metatibia length/genitalia length ratio 1.7.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is named in honor of Leonidas Rico Martínez, President (Rector) of Universidad de la Amazonia (Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia), (from 2011 to 2016). He supported the foundation of the LEUA, with the aim of investigating the diversity of insects present in the Colombian’s Amazon.

Examined material.

Holotype. Colombia • ♀; Caquetá, El Doncello , Vda. Los Laureles, Fca. Los Matapollos; 01°41'53"N, 75°17'48"W; 620 m alt.; 30 Jul. 2022; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; emerged from an egg of Monalonion dissimulatum collected in cacao pod; LEUA-51438 . Holotype is deposited in Laboratory of Entomology of the University of the Amazonia (LEUA), Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia (LEUA), section Central Taxonomic Collection (CTC) .

Paratypes. Colombia • ♂ (Allotype) ; same data of holotype; LEUA-51442; deposited in LEUA • 2 ♀♀ ; same data of holotype; LEUA-51439/51440; LEUA • 5 ♀♀ and 4 ♂♂; Caquetá , El Doncello, Vda. La Ceiba, Fca. Bethel ; 01°43'48"N, 75°16'55"W; 511 m alt.; 05 Jul. 2022; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; emerged from egg of Monalonion dissimulatum collected in cacao pod; LEUA-51441; deposited in MUSA • 1 ♀; Caquetá , Belén de los Andaquíes, Vda. Agua Dulce , Fca. El Morichal; 01°20'34"N, 75°49'10"W; 328 m alt.; 13 Oct. 2021; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51413; LEUA • 1 ♀; Caquetá , El Doncello, Vda. El Recreo, Fca. La Siberia ; 01°42'53"N, 75°17'22"W; 452 m alt.; 06 Sep. 2022; Y. Rodríguez leg.; LEUA-51420; LEUA • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ ; same collection data as for preceding; 18 Jul. 2021; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51421/51422; LEUA • 1 ♂; Caquetá , El Doncello, Vda. La Ceiba, Fca. Bethel ; 01°43'48"N, 75°16'55"W; 511 m alt.; 10 Ago. 2022; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51408; LEUA • 5 ♀♀ and 3 ♂♂ ; same collection data as for preceding; 19 Jul. 2021; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51959/51960/51961/51962/51963/51964/51965/51966; LEUA • 1 ♂; Caquetá , El Doncello, Vda. Los Laureles, Fca. Los Matapollos ; 01°41'53"N, 75°17'48"W; 620 m alt.; 19 Jul. 2021; E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51424; LEUA • 2 ♀♀ and 3 ♂♂ ; same collection data as for preceding; 06 Sep. 2022; L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51426/51427/51428/51429/51430; LEUA • 1 ♂; Caquetá , El Doncello, Vda. Serranía, Fca. La Playa ; 01°41'52"N, 75°18'05"W; 621 m alt.; 18 Jul 2021; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51437; LEUA • 1 ♀ and 2 ♂♂; Caquetá , El Paujil, Vda. La Providencia, Fca. El Coralito ; 01°32'23"N, 75°29'12"W; 320 m alt.; 20 Ago. 2021; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA/51969/51970/51971; LEUA • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂; Caquetá , El Paujil, Vda. La Rivera, Fca. La Fortuna ; 01°36'50"N, 75°19'47"W; 663 m alt.; 18 Ago. 2021; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51433/51434; LEUA • 1 ♀; Caquetá , San Vicente del Caguán, Vda. Alto Pocetas, Fca. La Chinita ; 02°16'21"N, 74°40'40"W; 375 m alt.; 10 Sep. 2021; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51976; LEUA • 2 ♀; Caquetá , San Vicente del Caguán, Vda. Buenos Aires, Fca. La Jardinera ; 02°17'05"N, 74°40'46"W; 605 m alt.; 26 Sep. 2021; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51406/51407; LEUA • 1 ♀; Caquetá , San Vicente del Caguán, Vda. La Reforma No. 2, Fca. La Victoria ; 02°16'50"N, 74°41'44"W; 422 m alt.; 09 Oct. 2021; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51423; LEUA • 2 ♀♀; Caquetá , San Vicente del Caguán, Vda. Sotará, Fca. Villanueva ; 02°01'29"N, 74°51'42"W; 293 m alt.; 11 Sep. 2021; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51412/51977; LEUA • 1 ♀ ; same collection data as for preceding, Fca. Parcela 4 ; 02°01'44"N, 74°50'55"W; 302 m alt.; 04 Oct. 2021; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51435; LEUA • 2 ♀♀ and 2 ♂♂; Huila, Agrado, Vda. La Galda , Fca. El Trapiche ; 02°14'52"N, 75°46'19"W; 827 m alt.; 23 Feb. 2022; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51414/51415/51416/51417; LEUA • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding, Fca. Santana; 02°15'02"N, 75°46'23"W; 829 m alt.; 23 Feb. 2022; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51980/51981; LEUA • 1 ♀; Huila , Colombia, Vda. Horizonte Bajo, Fca. La Fortuna ; 03°25'54"N, 74°46'05"W; 793 m alt.; 25 Ago. 2021; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51410; LEUA • 4 ♀♀; Huila , Colombia, Vda. Ariari, Fca. La Esperanza ; 03°25'58"N, 74°46'16"W; 782 m alt.; 25 Ago. 2021; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51972/51973/51974/51975; LEUA • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂; Huila ; Neiva; Vda. Floragaita ; Fca. El Tesoro; 02°52'45"N, 75°08'21"W; 928 m alt.; 26 Oct. 2021; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51978/51979; LEUA • 1 ♂; Huila , Paicol, Vda. El Alto, Fca. Alemania; 02°27'12"N, 75°46'44"W; 916 m alt.; 15 May. 2022; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51436; LEUA • 1 ♀; Huila, Timaná, Vda. Cascajal , Fca. Las Palmeras ; 01°55'17"N, 75°56'59"W; 1250 m alt.; 28 May. 2022; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51982; LEUA • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂; Huila, Rivera, Vda. El Guadual, Fca. La Primavera ; 02°47'09"N, 75°14'03"W; 793 m alt.; 31 Jul. 2021; L. Pérez and E. Ospina leg.; LEUA-51431/51432; LEUA • 2 ♀♀ and 1 ♂; Huila, Rivera, Vda. Mesitas , Fca. La Balsa ; 02°44'47"N, 75°14'57"W; 894 m alt.; 29 Jul. 2021; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51409/51418; LEUA • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; Fca. Caracolí ; 02°44'49"N, 75°14'57"W; 869 m alt.; 28 Jul. 2021; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51425; LEUA • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂; Huila; Rivera; Vda. El Viso; Fca. La Labranza ; 02°45'22"N, 75°15'22"W; 760 m alt.; 28 Jul. 2021; E. Ospina and L. Pérez leg.; LEUA-51967/51968; LEUA. All additional material emerged from eggs of Monalonion dissimulatum collected in cocoa pod.

Biology.

Uscanoidea ricoi , sp. nov., is a solitary parasitoid of eggs of Monalonion dissimulatum ( Hemiptera : Miridae : Bryocorinae : Monaloniini ) (Figs 21-23 ). Adult emergencies have been recorded in February, May, July, August, September and October. The parasitoid is multivoltine, like its host.

Distribution.

Twelve species of Uscanoidea have been recorded worldwide: Argentina (4), Bermuda (1), Brazil (3), China (5), Jamaica (1), Panama (1), and United States of America (1) ( De Santis 1979, 1989; Noyes 2022) (Fig. 24 ). Uscanoidea ricoi , sp. nov., is recorded from 23 localities in Colombia ( Caquetá and Huila departments) (Fig. 25 ). Those localities are between 293 and 1,250 meters of altitude.

Habitat.

Specimens of Uscanoidea ricoi , sp. nov., were collected in cocoa plantations intermixed within assortments of abundant vegetation (Fig. 26 ). In the region, at least four types of traditional agroforestry systems for cocoa are recognized (1- complex diversified multistrata, 2- low diversity with regular trees, 3- low diversity with clustered trees, and 4- high density of Musaceae ), depending on the diversity of the associated trees ( Suárez et al. 2018). In the traditional cocoa agroforestry arrangements in Caquetá and Huila departments, plant species such as Albizia guachapele (Kunth) Dugand ( Fabaceae ), Cariniana pyriformis Miers ( Lecythidaceae ), Cedrela odorata L. ( Meliaceae ), Citrus spp. ( Rutaceae ), Coffea arabica L. ( Rubiaceae ), Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav.) Oken ( Cordiaceae ), Erythrina poeppigiana (Walp.) O.F. Cook ( Fabaceae ), Eugenia stipitata McVaugh ( Myrtaceae ), Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A. Juss.) Müll. Arg. ( Euphorbiaceae ), Inga spp. ( Fabaceae ), Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit ( Fabaceae ), and Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. ex Spreng.) K. Schum. ( Malvaceae ) are the most common trees and shrubs. Also, the diversity of associated herbs is high in the cacao plantations and Musa spp. ( Musaceae ) are commonly found there.

Most cocoa agroecosystems border on the introduced grasses Brachiaria decumbens Stapf ( Poaceae ) and B. humidicola (Rendle) Scheweick or border other agroecosystems such as Saccharum officinarum L. ( Poaceae ), H. brasiliensis , C. arabica , Erythroxylum coca Lam. ( Erythroxylaceae ) and Musa paradisiaca L. ( Musaceae ) or border stubble, secondary forests and primary forests. Extensive livestock production systems predominate in the region and there are high rates of deforestation.

Figures

Figures 1 - 12. Uscanoidea ricoi sp. nov., female 1 habitus, lateral view 2 antenna 3 setae on antenna 4 mesoscutum 5 metanotum and propodeum 6 metasoma 7 hypopygium 8 fore wing 9 hind wing 10 fore leg 11 mid leg 12 hind leg; c 1 - first club segment, c 2 - second club segment, md - metanotum disc; pd - propodeum disc.

Figures 13 - 20. Uscanoidea ricoi sp. nov., male 13 habitus, lateral view 14 antenna 15 setae on antenna 16 mesoscutum 17 fore wing 18 hind wing 19 metasoma 20 genitalia.

Figures 21 - 23. Uscanoidea ricoi sp. nov. emerging from Monalonion dissimulatum eggs 21 egg of Monalonion dissimulatum 22 egg of Monalonion dissimulatum with the emerging parasitoid Uscanoidea ricoi sp. nov. 23 egg of M. dissimulatum with exit hole of U. ricoi sp. nov.; eh - exit hole.

Figures 24, 25. Geographical distribution of Uscanoidea 24 all described Uscanoidea species 25 detail distribution of Uscanoidea ricoi sp. nov., in Colombia.

Figures 26 - 30. Habitat and host of Uscanoidea ricoi sp. nov. 26 cocoa plantations in agroforestry system 27 eggs at the moment of emergence of the nymphs of Monalonion dissimulatum 28 nymphs of M. dissimulatum host feeding on cocoa pod 29 adult of M. dissimulatum feeding on cocoa pod 30 collection of cocoa pods with M. dissimulatum eggs parasitized.