Signiphora curepensis Woolley & Dal Molin, 2017

Woolley, J. B. & Dal Molin, A., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the flavopalliata species group of Signiphora (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae), Zootaxa 4315 (1), pp. 1-150 : 36-39

Signiphora curepensis Woolley & Dal Molin , n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:43A7E3C1-20A9-42B2-A9A7-3F32F4052E58 Figures 109–124

Diagnosis. Fore wing with discal seta; mesoscutum with 2 or 4 setae; scutellum with 5 or 6 setae; Mt1 with medial portion rounded; propodeum and metasoma uniformly brown; Mt 8 in female with anterodorsal margin with a rounded, medial incision; Ms 8 in male with an anteromedial projection and anterior and posterior margins concave.

The seta on the axilla is short (less than length of the scutellum) compared to S. flavopalliata and S. fax (generally subequal to or more than the length of scutellum). The dorsal spines on the mesotibia are shorter (length distal spine:length mesotibia 0.26–0.36) than in S. flavopalliata females (0.48–0.60) or S. fax females (0.43–0.52).

Description. Female. Length, anterior margin of pronotum to epiproct apex, 0.62–0.71 mm (n=5). Vertex and frons light brown, face and gena slightly lighter brown, antenna uniformly pale brown. Pronotum and mesoscutum (except posterolateral corners) light brown (dark brown, almost black in card-mounted specimens); scutellum and metanotum very pale tan (yellow in card mounts); propodeum including medial sclerite and metasoma light brown to apex (dark brown to black in card-mounts); medial sclerite of propodeum sometimes slightly lighter brown than lateral sclerites, Mt8, epiproct and ovipositor sheaths often darker brown than Mt1 through Mt7. Fore wing infuscated from base to distal end stigmal vein with usual hyaline areas at wing base.

Head. Vertex and frons finely and transversely striate with four longitudinal rows of minute punctations. Mandible bidentate, mandibular ducts enlarged apically. Pedicel length:scape length 0.59–0.70; 3 anelli, second anellus 2.0–3.0× length of first, third anellus 3.0–4.0 length of first; clava length:scape length 1.44–1.60.

Mesosoma. Pronotum and mesoscutum transversely imbricate, propodeum with medial sclerite weakly imbricate. Scutellum with 5 or 6 setae and 2 campaniform sensilla; medial propodeal sclerite rounded, process on medial sclerite rounded. Fore wing with discal seta, length:width 2.9–3.5; fore wing LMS:fore wing width 1.2–1.5; marginal vein length:stigmal length 2.4–3.1; marginal vein with 6 dorsal and 0 or 1 ventral setae; seta M3 length:marginal vein length 0.39–0.65; apical end of costal cell at seta M2 to seta M3. Hind wing margins subparallel, hind wing length:width 6.0–7.0; hind wing width:fore wing width 0.40–0.50; hind wing LMS:hind wing width 2.44–3.00. Mesofemur with one long and one short spine on posteroapical margin, mesotibial spur with 4 or 5 teeth; mesotibial spur length:basitarsus length 0.70–0.87, basitarsus length:mesotibia length 0.46–0.50.

Metasoma. Mt1 bilobed with medial portion rounded; Mt1 length:Mt2 length 1.0–2.0, ovipositor with anteriormost portion lying under Mt2–Mt4; ovipositor length:metasoma length 0.49–0.73; ovipositor sheath:ovipositor length 0.18–0.22; Ms3–Ms6 with anterior projections of medium length; Ms 6 in posterior 1/4 of metasoma and with 6 setae; Mt8 with anterodorsal margin with a deep, rounded, medial incision, margins lateral to medial incision rounded and produced anteriorly.

Male. Length, anterior margin of pronotum to epiproct apex, 0.43–0.51 mm (n=4). As described for female except clava length:scape length 1.38–1.57. Genitalia normal for flavopalliata group, digitus with one apical denticle and one seta at its midpoint; digitus length approximately twice its width; Ms8 with posterior margin broadly concave, anterior margin pointed medially and broadly concave lateral to anteromedial point; Ms8 length:width approximately 0.33.

Discussion. Specimens of both sexes examined from Trinidad have four setae on the mesoscutum, all other species in the flavopalliata group have 2 setae on the mesoscutum. The number of setae on the scutellum is apparently quite variable and ranges from 4–8 in females and 4–6 in males. A single female specimen collected by Plaumann, Nova Teutonia, Brazil, 1.vii.1944 (BMNH(E) 990320) generally fits the concept of this species, except that the dorsal spines on the mesotibiae are longer.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♀: in balsam, ( BMNH (E) 990282); BRAZIL, SANTA CATARINA , Nova Teutonia , coll. F. Plaumann, 23.xi.1949, BM 1957-341 . Holotype deposited in BMNH. PARATYPES: 8 ♀ and 5 ♂ in balsam and 16 specimens on cards (sex not clear) data as holotype except some collected 17.xi.1949, 20.xi.1949, 21.xi.1949, or 30.xi.1949 [BMNH(E) 990273–990281 and BMNH(E) 990283–990286, BMNH(E) 1038877–1038892]. Paratypes deposited in BMNH, USNM, TAMU, MZUSP, UFES, with permission of BMNH(E).

Other material examined. BRAZIL: Santa Catarina : 1 ♀, BMNH (E) 990320 ( BMNH) . MEXICO: Quintana Roo: 1 ♀, CIBE 01-0204-003 ( UANL) . TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: 2 ♂, 12 ♀, CNCHYMEN 122365 – 122378 ( CNC) .

Biology. Unknown.

Etymology. Named after Curepe, Trinidad, locality of one of longer series of specimens.

Figures

FIGURES 109 – 112. Signiphora curepensis n. sp.: 109, head (BMNH (E) 990282); 110, female antenna (BMNH (E) 990282); 111, mandibles (BMNH (E) 990282); 112, male antenna (BMNH (E) 990273).

FIGURES 113 – 118. Signiphora curepensis n. sp.: 113, fore wing, female (BMNH (E) 990282); 114, venation of fore wing (BMNH (E) 990282); 115, hind wing, female (BMNH (E) 990282); 116, venation of hind wing (BMNH (E) 990282); 117, middle leg, female (BMNH (E) 990278); 118, Mt 8 of metasoma, female (BMNH (E) 990282).

FIGURES 119 – 124. Signiphora curepensis n. sp.: 119, female habitus (BMNH (E) 990282); 120, mesosoma of female (BMNH (E) 990282); 121, metasoma of female (BMNH (E) 990282); 122, male habitus (BMNH (E) 990281); 123, male genitalia (BMNH (E) 990286); 124, Ms 8 of metasoma, male (BMNH (E) 990286).