Pseudoheptascelio tico Johnson & Musetti

Johnson, Norman F. & Musetti, Luciana, 2011, Redescription and revision of the Neotropical genus Pseudoheptascelio Szabo (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae, Scelioninae), parasitoids of eggs of short-horned grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae), ZooKeys 136, pp. 93-112 : 103

Pseudoheptascelio tico Johnson & Musetti sp. n. Figures 23-28Morphbank16

Description.

Body length of female: 4.44-5.14 mm (n=12). Body length of male: 4.42-4.85 mm (n=5). Mesosoma color: red brown at least dorsally, otherwise dark to brown black. Body microsculpture pattern: with widespread superimposed coriaceous microsculpture.

Rugae on occiput: reticulate. Microsculpture between occipital rugae: absent. Setae on crests of occipital rugae: absent. Shape of female A4: length distinctly greater than width. Shape of female A5: subquadrate. Shape of female A6: weakly transverse.

Setation of pronotal depression: glabrous or sparsely setose (Fig. 24). Setation of netrion: glabrous or sparsely setose. Sculpture of midlobe of mesoscutum: foveate to areolate throughout (Fig. 26). Number of trabecula across transscutal articulation: 9-11, closely spaced. Shape of metascutellum: distinctly elongate, deeply cleft medially. Sculpture of mesopleural depression: irregularly foveolate, transverse rugulae very weakly indicated.

Sculpture of T2-T3: reticulate, with distinct longitudinal orientation. Length/width of female T5: 0.97-1.16 mm (n=13). Length/width of female T6: 0.93-1.13 mm (n=13). Sculpture of T6: with shallow foveolae impressed on reticulate background microsculpture. Apex of male T7: weakly pointed laterally, distinctly sinuous medially.

Diagnosis.

This species should only be confused with red specimens of Pseudoheptascelio rex . It may be distinguished by the well-developed coriaceous microsculpture on the head and mesosoma, and the elongate, deeply cleft metascutellum (Fig. 26).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a colloquial term for a Costa Rican, reflecting the origin of most of the specimens we have seen. It should be treated as a noun in apposition.

Link to Distribution Map.

17 [http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=242982]

Assocations.

No data available.

Material Examined.

Holotype, female: COSTA RICA: Alajuela Prov., creekbed, San Ramón Biological Station, 700m, 24. III– 26.III.1996, yellow pan trap, L. Masner, OSUC 186191 (deposited in CNCI). Paratypes: (12 females, 5 males) BELIZE: 1 female, OSUC 287927 (USNM). COSTA RICA: 9 females, 5 males, OSUC 186181-186185, 186187-186190, 186192, 186195-186198 (CNCI). GUATEMALA: 1 female, OSUC 186268 (AEIC). PANAMA: 1 female, OSUC 186201 (CNCI).