Vitreostigmus maculatus Boehmova & Jansta, 2022

Boehmova, Julie, Rasplus, Jean-Yves, Taylor, Gary S. & Jansta, Petr, 2022, Description of two new Australian genera of Megastigmidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) with notes on the biology of the genus Bortesia, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 90, pp. 75-99 : 75

Vitreostigmus maculatus Boehmova & Jansta sp. nov.

Fig. 2A-J

Material examined.

Holotype: Australia • ♀; Queensland, Kirrama Barracks, Kirrama State Forest ; 18°12'S, 145°45'E; 4 Jun. 1996; C. J. Burwell leg.; deposited in QMB (JBOH00033_0101).

Diagnosis.

Head circular frontally (Fig. 2C ); lower face with dense and long setation, setae adpressed and lanceolate (Fig. 2D ); scape of antenna shorter, only 5.56 × as long as broad; F2-F4 more than 2.5 × as long as broad (Fig. 2E ); mesoscutellum only 1.26 × as long as broad (Fig. 2B ); propodeum irregularly longitudinally striate (Fig. 2F ); metatarsomere 4 (mtar4) with elongated unpaired spur-like seta, seta about as long as length of mtar4 (Fig. 2J ); fore wing with five brown maculae, pear-like macula ventrad to parastigma, around stigmal vein and three brown maculae on tip of wing; stigma elongated, broadening in posterior half with tapering end (Fig. 2H ); metasoma with tip of hypopygium reaching more than 0.75 × of length of gaster (Fig. 2I ); OI 1.14.

Description.

Female. Holotype. Body length excluding ovipositor 2.47 mm; length of ovipositor 0.89 mm (Fig. 2A, B ). Vertex except small area between lateral ocellus to upper eye margin and between median ocellus and scrobes, upper face between scrobes and inner eye margin, lower face laterally, posterior part of mesoscutal midlobe, posterior half to third of mesoscutellum, axilla, callus posterior to spiracle, anterior 0.66 × of propodeum, and metapleuron blue violet. Supraclypeal area, clypeus, temple, pronotal collar, lateral lobe of mesoscutum, lower mesepisternum, fore coxa and femur, hind coxa and metasomal tergites laterally with violet tint. Fore wing transparent except brown pear-like macula under parastigma, broad brown macula surrounding stigmal vein and three brown maculae on tip of wing with anterior one the largest, posterior one smaller.

Head. Vertex and face reticulate. Head appearing circular from frontal view, vertex convex and median ocellus relatively high above upper eye margin; 1.14 × as broad as high (Fig. 2C ); 1.69 × as broad as long; 1.35 × as broad as mesonotum at its widest part in dorsal view. Temple short, converging, 0.23 × as long as eye (Fig. 2B ). Eyes separated by 1.02 × their own height; eye 1.34 × as high as long. Face setae adpressed; very dense on lower face so that clypeus surface not clearly visible (Fig. 2D ); upper face with setae only along eye (one incomplete row) and scrobes (in about three rows) and few additional setae on vertex. Scrobes only slightly longer than half length of scape. Malar space 0.45 × as long as breadth of oral fossa and 0.42 × as long as eye height. Antenna (Fig. 2E ) with scape 5.56 × and pedicel 1.56 × as long as broad, the former slightly curved in lateral view and reaching above dorsal margin of posterior ocellus. Combined length of pedicel and flagellum 1.87 × as long as breadth of head. Anellus transverse. Relative length/breadth (ratio) of funiculars as follows: F1 22.5/10 (2.25), F2 24/9.5 (2.53), F3 25/9.5 (2.63), F4 24/9.5 (2.53), F5 22.5/9.5 (2.37), F6 21/9.5 (2.21), F7 19/11.5 (1.65). Clava with relative length/breadth (ratio) 30.5/15 (2.03). POL 1.35 × as long as OOL, OOL 2.18 × as long as POD. Left mandible with three teeth, right mandible denticulation hidden under left mandible.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma 2.13 × as long as broad (Fig. 2B ). Pronotum 0.85 × as broad as mesoscutum. Pronotal collar about 3.09 × as broad as long, with two incomplete but well raised transverse striae medially and with few additional incomplete lower striae laterally and lateromedially. Mesoscutellum 1.26 × as long as broad, without frenal area, and with two rows of (probably) three setae submedially. Propodeum 2.20 × as broad as long (Fig. 2F ). Area between spiracles irregularly longitudinally striate; with few long white setae medially. Metacoxa 2.00 × as long as broad, with long setation dorsally and ventrally; metafemur 4.50 × as long as broad; metatibia 8.15 × as long as broad; metatarsus relatively short, only 0.68 × as long as metatibia. Metatarsomere 4 (mtar4) bearing elongated unpaired spur-like seta, seta about as long as length of mtar4 (Fig. 2J ). Fore wing 2.63 × as long as wide, slightly infumate ventral to parastigma and clear brown macula surrounding stigmal vein and three brown maculae on tip of wing (Fig. 2H ); basal setal line complete, with several setae dorsally; mediocubital setal line with at least 3 setae dorsally in distal third; marginal vein 0.78 × as long as postmarginal vein and 1.40 × as long as stigmal vein; stigma broadening in posterior half with tapering end, 4.40 × as long as broad; stigmal vein posteriorly and stigma transparent.

Metasoma. Metasoma 1.17 × as long as mesosoma (Fig. 2A ). Gaster not compressed laterally and with very shallow alutaceous sculpture; tip of hypopygium reaching more than 0.75 × of length of gaster. Ovipositor upturned; OI 1.14.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology.

Named after the distinctive brown maculae on fore wings.

Biology.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Australia: Queensland, Kirrama State forest.

Condition of the holotype.

Unfortunately the unique specimen collected, the holotype female, was broken during imaging and several parts are now glued on three separate cards: one triangular card bears left fore and hind wing; a second triangular card with head including right scape, pedicel and annelus, part of mesosoma with right fore and hind wings and forelegs into one piece and mesophragma as a second piece; and a third rectangular card with right flagellum, metasoma, right mid leg, hind legs and posterior part of mesosoma including propodeum.

Figures

Figure 2. Vitreostigmus maculatus holotype, female A habitus, lateral view B head and mesosoma, dorsal view C head, frontal view D clypeus, frontal view E antenna, lateral view F propodeum, dorsal view (arrow indicates postspiracular furrow) G lower metepisternum, posteroventral view H fore wing, dorsal view I hypopygium, lateral view J posterior part of metatibia and metatarsi, lateroventral. Scale bars: 200 µm.